Thinking of recycling your laptop? This is what happens with your old devices

SINGAPORE – Recycling a laptop may be just a matter of putting it in an e-waste bin for most people, but the end-of-life process is much longer and requires manpower to at METech Recycling Asia.

The recycling company breaks down the devices into recyclable and non-recyclable materials in an attempt to reduce the amount of waste going into Singapore’s only landfill.

Speaking at the International E-Waste Day 2024 event at Westgate on Sunday (October 13), Minister of State for Sustainability and Environment Amy Khor said the total amount of e-waste collected has increased , from 3,500 tons in February 2022 to more than 22,300 tons in September this year.

Collection points have also increased from 300 to around 870 across Singapore, in locations such as malls, supermarkets and commercial buildings.

Dr Khor said data security remains a concern for those looking to recycle e-waste.

“The reason people give is … (they are) concerned about data security because … many of us (tend) to have a lot of personal and confidential information on our mobile phones, for example on our laptops, etc. on, and you’re really worried about that leaking out,” he said.

He noted that by law, all devices containing data that are sent for recycling to authorized recyclers must undergo data sanitization and physical disassembly.

In 2018, a study by the National Environment Agency (NEA) found that Singapore generates about 60,000 tonnes of e-waste a year, the equivalent of each person in Singapore throwing away about 73 mobile phones, or about 11 kg of electronic waste.

The NEA introduced a regulated e-waste management system in 2021 to ensure the proper collection and management of e-waste, including the extraction of valuable resources from e-waste.

It appointed ALBA E-waste Smart Recycling to collect regulated electrical and electronic waste from consumers across Singapore for proper treatment and recycling on behalf of producers from 1 July 2021 to 30 June 2026.

Dr Khor said ALBA will offer free doorstep collection of bulky e-waste such as refrigerators, air conditioners, washing machines, dryers and televisions. This will be available to all households.

METech is a company that receives electronic waste from ALBA for processing.

At its Tuas facility, the company treats e-waste, such as laptops and electric vehicle batteries, by breaking it down for further processing.

The company showed the media how it also disinfects data on laptops. Sustainability and recycling consultant Vincent Quck said erasing device data is critical to giving consumers and customers the confidence to recycle their laptops.