Only 17.4% of 53.6 million metric tons of e-waste discarded were recycled in 2019, which significantly made a 21% increase since the last statistics in 2024. E-waste or electronic waste disposal in Singapore has been one of the fastest-growing sources of waste not only in the country but globally. Most e-waste doesn’t get disposed of properly, thus, resulting in endangering Mother Earth and releasing harmful pollutants across the environment.

A person doesn’t necessarily have to be a regular user of electronic products to know that electronics will not last for life. If you’re considering joining the e waste recycling movement in Singapore, you may wonder what e-waste recycling is. What are the processes involved in this electronic waste disposal? How would you practice e-waste disposal? What components are permissible for e-recycling and what are not?

If you want to start practising e waste disposal in Singapore, here are some crucial things and tips you need to know.

WHAT IS E-WASTE?

Before considering e waste disposal in Singapore, you must know what e-waste is first. Basically, e-waste stands for electronic waste. Broadly, e-waste pertains to the discarding of different electronic equipment and devices nearing the end of their useful lives. E-waste includes various electronic items, such as computer parts (circuit boards, batteries, copper cables, or old capacitors), mobile phones, smartphones, VCRs, fax machines, copiers, televisions, copiers, and others. Many of these products can be reused, recycled, and refurbished.

WHAT IS E-WASTE RECYCLING?

Now, moving on, what is e recycling in Singapore? Typically, these electronics contain toxic chemicals, dangerous air pollutants, and hazardous materials. Without proper disposal or when you do not dispose of these electronics properly, it can lead and release more and more toxic substances into our environment, causing more severe dangers to the globe.

E waste recycling in Singapore refers to the refurnishing, recycling, reprocessing, and reusing of these electronic wastes. It is that simple. Basically, e-waste recycling is a process that helps these waste and seeks new ways to recover some of their materials from electronic waste. This way, you can use them in new electronic products.

E recycling in Singapore is one of the most talked-about environmental issues across the globe these days. Without this process, the potential for environmental hazards and pollution may increase over time. But, with proper e-waste disposal, you can help protect your life, other human lives, and other life forms living and existing on the Earth.

WHAT ARE THE COMPONENTS ALLOWED IN E-WASTE RECYCLING?

If the environmental benefits and importance of e-waste disposal encouraged you to join in at any level or you developed an interest in recycling electronic waste, here are some components permissible in electronic waste disposal in Singapore.

PLASTIC

One of the frequent components of electronic waste disposal in Singapore is plastic materials. These electronic components are allowed for retrieval and recycling. Recyclers can use the plastic materials from different electronic devices to create and manufacture new items, such as plastic trays, vineyard stakes, fence posts, equipment holders, insulators, plastic sleepers, and the like.

METAL

Another crucial component for e waste recycling in Singapore is metal. E-waste contains different materials, such as metals, coppers, irons, golds, plates of platinum, or silvers. Metals can also be retrieved and recycled to manufacture newer steel products and metals, such as aerospace equipment, automobiles, aluminium sliding doors, bicycles, elevators, pipes, tools, roofing, and the like.

GLASS

Did you know that your desktop computer monitor and television are the two typical sources of e waste disposal in Singapore? These two devices have several recyclable components to extract from, such as glass. You can haul out glass from Cathode Ray Tubes (CRTs) of computer monitors and televisions. Although recyclable, the CRTs contain various hazardous substances and chemicals. One of which is lead. This one dangerous element is unsafe for the health of humans and the environment.

However, there are some specific steps you may take into consideration to ensure safer CRT or e waste recycling of CRTs in Singapore.

1. The first step is to separate the CRT from the electronic device, whether a desktop computer monitor or television.

1. With the help of shredding services in Singapore, shred the CRT into small and tiny pieces.

1. The third thing to do is to remove the metals by using magnets. Doing so can help you remove the ferrous and non-ferrous objects from the glass of these electronic devices.

1. Lastly, wash the lines to clear the other damaging elements from the glass, such as phosphors and oxides. This last step is called glass sorting, wherein the recycler separates the non-leaded from leaded gas. With the safer pieces of glass, you can then use them to make newer screens.

MERCURY

Mercury is one of the usual components recyclers look for when doing e waste recycling in Singapore. But some devices containing high mercury levels are rather sent to recycling facilities as they have better and use specialised techn2ology to eliminate mercury. The results of these e-waste recycling may come in different forms, including metric instruments, dental amalgams, fluorescent lighting, and the like.

CIRCUIT BOARDS

Generally, when you practise e waste disposal in Singapore and recycle a desktop computer, the most common component you will extract from the electronic device is a circuit board. If you don’t have specialised tools for smelting and recovering other recyclable resources, like tin, palladium, copper, gold, silver, and valuable metals, you may consider sending them to accredited and specialised recycling companies.

In Conclusion

Recycling is everywhere and ever more important than anything else. At often times, people tend to focus on the other part of recycling, which is household waste, such as cans, papers, trash bags, bottles, cartons, food plastic bags, and other materials. Doing that can also help save the oceans and the environment.

However, humans also need to know about e waste recycling in Singapore, which generates massive amounts of e-waste each year. As the prevalence of mobile phones and other electronic devices continues to grow, more and more people will continue to invest in these and regularly replace their old ones. Given the increasing environmental concerns, the importance of recycling E-waste is more prominent than ever before.

If you’re interested in participating in the e waste disposal in Singapore and are looking for an e-waste management company, work with Metalo International. Learn more about their services by calling (+65) 62517855 or enquiring about their site today!