Waste management of E&E Appliances in Malaysia

Do you still have a laptop laying around that you don’t use? Perhaps you want to quickly get rid of those vintage DVD, VCD, or DVD/VCD players before your niece and nephew visit and realise what dinosaurs you are? Those who care about the environment should be aware of e-Garbage, also known as electrical and electronic waste. Read on to find out more about e-waste management Malaysia and where and how to dispose of electronic and electrical devices in Malaysia if you’re passionate and committed to recycling household waste.

Defining e-Waste

E-Waste is made up of obsolete, damage, old, and close to “useful life” electronic products. There are at least nine different categories of e-waste. One of them is household e-Waste, which consists of minor appliances, consumer electronics, etc.

What are domestic e-Waste?

Home electrical and electronic equipment that needs to be disposed of because you can’t or don’t want to utilise it is known as domestic e-waste. Old TVs, refrigerators, cellphones, laptops, air conditioners, washing machines, VCD or DVD players, PCs, hairdryers, and projectors are just a few examples.

Malaysian e-Waste statistics

Malaysians are projected to have produce 364 kilotons (kt) of e-Waste in 2019, or an average of 11.1 kilogrammes (kg) per person, according to the Global E-waste Monitor 2020 study. The e-Waste collection rate information, however, is reported as “not available”.

On a global scale, the globe produced 53.6 million metric tonnes (Mt) of waste, or 7.3 kg per person, yet only 17.4% of that amount was formally recorded as being correctly collected and recycled.

The report highlighted concern about the fact that recycling efforts are not keeping up with the daily volume of e-Waste being produced by consumers. Since 2014, recycling operations have climbed to 1.8Mt, but there has also been a 9.2Mt increase in total e-Waste.

Consequences of incorrect e- Waste management Malaysia

The bulk of e-Waste may contain components that are harmful and possibly dangerous, both to the environment and to our general health. Therefore, it may not be safe to simply dump them in the trash because many electrical and electronic products contain the following:

Sulfur

can be discover in some battery types, which can harm the kidney and heart permanently.

Mercury

can be discovered in computer monitors and light bulbs, which can lead to memory issues, physical retardation, and muscle weakness.

Aluminum oxide

found in computer towers, which can lead to persistent lung conditions.

Lead, cadmium, and other toxic heavy metals like chromium may also be present. This is why it’s crucial to properly dispose of your e-Waste. Not to mention that improper e-Waste disposal could cause landfills to overfill.

The fact that the tiny components found inside of electronic and electrical equipment may be recoverable and hence usable for new devices or other projects is another incentive to avoid carelessly discarding your e-Waste.

How should e-Waste be dispose of properly?

Giving e-Waste a new life is one of the finest methods to get rid of it. Well, disposing of e-Waste is no longer a bother thanks to technology. In Malaysia, there are many eco-aware businesses and startups that are committing to properly disposing of domestic e-Waste for the benefit of the neighbourhood. They also make it much simpler for regular people to dispose of their electronic waste.

However, you might want to make a list of the e-Waste products you intend to get rid of, sort them according to their condition or category, and then discover the best spot to ship them over to—or, better yet, have them picked up at your house—before contacting any of these businesses or startups (some offer free collection, some may charge a minimal amount for the pickup service).

There are at least nine different categories of e-Waste that can make the disposal process much simpler for you:

Type 1

powerful appliances (refrigerators, washing machines, dryers, etc.)

Type 2

tiny appliances (vacuum cleaners, irons, blenders, fryers, etc.)

Type 3

equipment for computers and communications (laptops, PCs, telephones, mobile phones, etc.)

Type 4

electronic devices (video and audio equipment, musical instruments)

Type 5

Lighting apparatus (incandescent light bulbs, fluorescent tubes, gas-discharge lamps, etc.)

Type 6

electronic and electrical devices (drills, saws, gardening devices, etc.)

Type 7

Games and leisure (electronic toys, models, sports equipment)

Type 8

medical equipment (all medical equipment except for implants)

Type 9

monitoring apparatus (detectors, thermostats, laboratory equipment, etc.)

What e-Waste cannot be recycle or is otherwise unusable

As was previously indicate, a sizable portion of e-Waste may contain potentially dangerous and hazardous elements. So before you dash to the kitchen or living room, remember that a number of products from e-Waste cannot just be put in the trash, such as:

Kitchen utensils

coffee makers, microwaves, and toasters

Laboratory apparatus

microscopes, calorimeters, and hot plates

Tubes for cathode rays (CRTs)

TVs and computer monitors

Additional electronics

circuit boards, camcorders, fax machines, mobile phones, hair dryers, irons, and blenders. Printers, scanners, laptops, keyboards, CD and MP3 players, copiers, telephones, lamps, clocks, and flashlights.

How can I recycle e-waste and get rid of my devices in Malaysia?

There are both formal and informal ways to recycle e-Waste, according to Columbia Climate School.

Official e-Waste recycling

Electronics must normally be disassemble, separate, and classify according to the material they are made of before being clean as part of formal e-Waste recycling.

The next step involves mechanically shredding the e-Waste materials so that advance separation technology may be use for further sorting. Companies that handle e-Waste need to follow health and safety regulations and utilise pollution-control technologies to lessen the risks to human health and the environment.

According to a report by the watchdog organisation Basel Action Network, 40% of the e-Waste purportedly recycled in the US was actually export. What’s worse is that the majority of it ended up in underdevelop nations, mostly in Asia, particularly Malaysia, where illegal recycling is frequently practised without a permit or under strict regulation.

Informal recycling of e-waste

At these impromptu recycling locations, men, women, and even children would labour to recover precious materials by disassembling equipment by hand to retrieve other valuable materials, burning devices to melt away non-valuable materials using mercury and acids. They typically don’t have any safety gear on and aren’t aware that they are working with hazardous products.

According to research, even in some formal e-Waste recycling settings, inhaling toxic chemicals and coming into direct contact with hazardous e-Waste materials increases the risk of spontaneous abortions, stillbirths, premature births, low birth weights, mutations, congenital malformations, abnormal thyroid function, elevated blood lead levels, decreased lung function, and neurobehavioral disturbances. Additionally, the air, soil, and groundwater are all contaminated by e-Waste pollutants.

Therefore, it is advise to refrain from trying to disassemble, refurbish, repair, or sell used electrical gadgets on your own in order to prevent these health and environmental risks. Leave the rest to the experts, and pack them carefully according to their type or category.

Where in Malaysia can I recycle e-waste?

There is still a need to take additional steps to raise awareness of e-Waste disposal among Malaysians. Consumers in metropolitan areas have begun to understand the value of effective e-Waste management and disposal, though. There are many options available to folks who live in Klang Valley.

Where can I dump my electronic waste in the Klang Valley?

Here are the locations where Klang Valley residents can send their electronic waste.

UR Recycle +

Tech SOLS

Amal Seri Sinar Pertubuhan (PASS)

Tzu-Chi Foundation for Buddhism in Taiwan Malaysia

Group T-Pot

Center for IPC Recycling and Buyback

The e-Waste Recycling Program at Senheng

E-waste disposal locations in Penang

Please refrain from dumping or throwing away electronic garbage. For proper e-waste management Malaysia, get in touch with Gargeon: Recycle E-Waste via their Facebook page. In Penang, they offer an e-Waste recycling service.

Malaysian locations for collecting e-waste

Do not worry if you do not reside in the Klang Valley. The Department of Environment (DoE) has created a list of e-Waste collection locations by state, from Perlis to Johor Bahru (now just Peninsular Malaysia). On the list, you may find further details and the location of the closest centre.

Companies that recycle e-waste in Malaysia

In Peninsular Malaysia, the DoE list also includes a list of authorised e-Waste management Malaysia recycling businesses organised by state. For further information on things like what they accept, how to pack e-Waste products properly, and other things, you can get in touch with the closest e-Waste recycling businesses.

Learn more: solid waste management Malaysia in Malaysia

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