As society becomes more reliant on electronics in their daily activities, they generate more e waste. Unlike other kinds of garbage, these items tend to have components that are harmful to the environment. Some examples are lead, zinc, barium, and chromium. Additionally, exposure to these elements can cause damage to humans. It is due to these adverse effects that proper e waste disposal in Singapore is necessary.

Therefore, it is one of your responsibilities as a citizen to do your part in reducing the amount of electronic trash. Practising e waste management in Singapore is one of the most effective ways you can contribute to the reduction of e waste.

However, if you don’t know what you can do to lessen your electronic waste, continue reading this article to learn more about these eight tips.

8 E Waste Management Tips in Singapore You Need to Know

1. Consider Your Purchases

The first contribution you can make regarding e waste management is by taking the time to consider your purchases. When buying new electronics, ask yourself if you really need them. Are you spending money to get a device that could fulfil a need that none of your belongings can provide?

You must reconsider your decision if your reason is the hype surrounding the product. Remember that once you buy it, you are responsible for its disposal when the time comes.

Therefore, if you are the type of person to fall for impulsiveness, remember to ask someone if a device is worth purchasing. Ideally, you want someone to think from an objective standpoint. Avoid asking for advice from someone who will only encourage you to buy it.

2. Be Aware of What You Have

Another mistake consumers tend to make is buying electronic components, only to realise that they have one at home. Lack of organisation can cause you to think you lack something you have. Therefore, one of the crucial steps in proper e waste management is by becoming aware of what components, such as wires and connectors you have.

Organise your items at home by placing them in boxes. Avoid storing them in places where you can forget them, such as the basement or attic. Additionally, consider labelling the containers to indicate their contents, allowing you to find what you need more efficiently.

3. Donate Them

Once you determine that you no longer need a device or component, one of the possible e waste disposal options in Singapore is to donate them to school organisations or charities. You can look for NGOs or clubs that can use them for whatever purpose.

However, ensure that you delete all of your data to avoid leakage of sensitive information. If you don’t know how, you can look online for steps to clean a device, such as a smartphone.

4. Check if the Store Can Buy Them Back

The effort to reduce electronic waste is not something only consumers do. It is the responsibility of everyone to practise proper e waste management. Therefore, some establishments offer customers the option to return old devices in exchange for benefits, such as gift cards, discounts, or cash.

The next time you purchase electronic products, remember to ask the store if they have a buy-back program as it allows you to dispose of your devices once they prove to be useless.

5. Take Them to Designated Recycling Centres

Various companies act as electronic waste disposal centres in Singapore. These facilities strip devices of their components before sending what’s left to another recycling centre. Once they separate the viable parts from the unwanted ones, companies sell them to the market where they can be a part of a newer electronic device. This practice forms a cycle of reusing old components as they are typically rare earth metals, meaning it is easier to find them in older machines than mine them from the earth.

6. Use Cloud Services

If you ever find yourself purchasing storage devices like USBs, you should consider using cloud services to store your data and files. Aside from being accessible anywhere with an Internet connection, one of its primary benefits is you no longer need to have hard drives or USBs. You can open your files through any device, making it a viable step toward proper e waste management in Singapore.

7. Consider Renting Devices

Since some of the social gatherings you have to organise will need, for example, a video projector, consider renting instead of purchasing them. This approach can be viable, especially if it is a one-time event. Aside from being cheaper, you also don’t have to worry about looking for storage or electronic waste disposal centre. All you need to do is return it to the rental company after using them.

8. Sell Them Online

The last tip for proper e waste management in Singapore is to sell your old devices on websites such as eBay, Lazada, and Shopee. While this method of disposing of electronics may seem apparent, remember that previous models depreciate faster as newer products enter the market. Additionally, you need to ensure that your items are in good condition. Otherwise, you might find it tough to find a buyer.

As mentioned before, never forget to delete your files and data before selling your old devices to prevent leaks.

Conclusion

E waste management in Singapore is becoming an important practice to prevent the harmful components of these devices from harming the environment and other people.

If you’re looking forward to becoming a more eco-friendly person, following these eight tips should help reduce your electronic waste. Additionally, some of them allow you to help someone in need. Therefore, not only are you reducing your waste production, but you are also becoming a better individual.

Here is a quick recap of these eight tips:

First, take the time to consider if you need to buy a device.

Second, be aware of the electronic products you have at home.

Third, consider donating your old electronics to schools, NGOs, and other charitable organisations.

Fourth, see if the store you bought the device from has a buy-back program.

Fifth, bring your old electronics to the nearest electronic waste disposal centre.

Sixth, upload all of your files and data to Cloud services.

Seventh, consider renting devices you won’t use for a long time.

Last, sell your old electronic devices on ecommerce sites.

As mentioned in this article, there are several e waste disposal centres in Singapore. If you’re looking for one, check out Metalo and learn more about their services.

James Montano