IN the process of acquiring a new laptop, or for that matter other electronic devices like mobile phones, VCD and DVD players, how many of us would pause to think of the most environmentally friendly way to dispose of our electronic waste (e-waste)?

In Malaysia, we produce nearly a million tonnes of e-waste annually. A project report on the inventory of e-waste funded by the Japanese government projected that by the year 2020, a total of 21.38 million tonnes of e-waste will be generated in Malaysia, of which the largest contributors are mobile phones and televisions.

The quantity of global e-waste will undoubtedly increase over the years, given the growing market demand for new models of electronic devices. The United Nations University reports that globally, 41.8 metric tonnes of e-waste was generated in 2014 and this number is estimated to increase up to 50 metric tonnes by 2018. To put it in visual terms, this is roughly equivalent to 1.1 million 18- wheel cargo trucks lined up from New York to Tokyo.

Most of the world’s our e-waste eventually ends up in one of two places: Agbogbloshie, Ghana, a place known as the world’s largest e-waste dumping site, or Guiyu, a town in Guangdong province, known as a largest e-waste recycling site in the world.

In Malaysia, besides getting exported overseas, a portion of e-waste may find its way to many small “re-cycling” centres. These centres are typically located in industrial estates, where electronic devices are taken apart, valuable spare parts extracted and some pieces burnt to extract small quantities of precious metals using methods that are harmful to health and the environment.

In Agbogbloshie and Guiyu, people make a living by extracting plastic, valuable metals and other scrap materials from e-waste. The United Nations University estimates that scrap recovery from global e-waste produced in 2014 reaped a profit equivalent to €48 million (RM241 million).

However, there is also a dark side to the coin. If not properly managed, e-waste can cause much damage to human health and the environment.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), health risks arising from e-waste may result from direct contact with harmful materials such as lead, cadmium, chromium, brominated flame retardants or polychlorinated biphenyls, from the inhalation of toxic fumes, as well as from the accumulation of chemicals in soil, water and food. 

Without a proper waste disposal management system, people who work on e-waste are likely to develop cancer due to their constant exposure to these harmful materials.

The burning of e-waste also increases pollution levels in the surrounding areas.  A study done by Shantou University Medical College found that heavy metal contamination had turned the air and water toxic in the town of Guiyu.

In Malaysia, the Ministry of Natural Resources recently began working together with the Japan Cooperation Agency (JICA) to develop a household e-waste management system.

Under the Department of Environment, this system and related legislation is expected to come into full force in 2018. While it is a good initiative, without proper regulation and enforcement of rules, illegal trading is bound to occur.

In Malaysia, though the government has licensed as many as 86 off-site e-waste recovery companies, the collection is still largely done by itinerant informal collectors and small agents or buyers. Moreover, illegal dumping is still an uncontrollable and rather common practice in most of the rural areas.

But even before any formal regulations are implemented, priority should be given to educating the public on the hazards of improper disposal of e-waste.

One also cannot over-emphasize the importance of end user convenience when it comes to disposing of e-waste. Across the Causeway, Singtel and Singapore Post, for example, have teamed up to offer a recycling scheme allowing the public to mail unwanted electronic devices (mobile phones and charges, laptop and tablets, modems and routers, lithium batteries and cables etc.) by post for free.

In Malaysia, while e-waste disposal sites have already been established in selected urban areas, more of these centres should be set up in neighbourhoods.

To make it easier for consumers living in more remote areas, the government could consider setting up a system for recycling trucks to periodically collect e-waste from households. Setting up a web app platform could help improve coordination, where users and collectors can communicate with information on preferred date and time for e-waste collection.

In this instance, Japan’s e-waste management system would be a good model to emulate, as it clearly outlines the roles and responsibilities of every stakeholder, from manufacturer, retailer, municipalities down to the end user. Consumers even have to pay a disposal fee when purchasing electronic goods, to ensure that they carry out proper disposal of e-waste.

As consumers, we need to be conscious of our responsibility to protect the environment.  By sending our unwanted electronic devices to proper disposal channels, or giving it to authorised collectors, we are playing our part in creating a sustainable ecosystem for e-waste.

Finally, repairing and reusing is always a better option than replacing. The myth that “new is always better”, might not necessarily be true in this case. – August 6, 2017.

* Esther Sinirisan Chong is a member of Agora Society. She was born and raised in the Land Below the Wind. Her research interest lies in education and government policies, and the history and heritage of East Malaysia.

* This is the opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insight. Article may be edited for brevity and clarity.