Singapore Singapore NEA and ALBA jointly launch e-waste collection points

Singapore NEA and ALBA jointly launch e-waste collection points

On June 4, 2021, Singapore’s National Environment Agency (NEA) announced that it has installed e-waste collection points together with ALBA, an accredited operator of the e-waste collection scheme. The collection bins were installed in four retail stores of Dairy Farm Group and Harvey Norman, and will be available in five more stores on June 14, 2021. The installation of the collection boxes is a pilot program prior to the Producer Responsibility Scheme (PRS), a collection scheme for e-waste that will be started from July 1, 2021. By that day, e-waste collection boxes are expected to be available at more than 300 locations in Singapore.

Under the PRS, which will be implemented from July 1, 2021, retailers with outlets with a floor area of 300 m2 or more will have to provide in-store collection services (counters or collection boxes) for the electrical and electronic equipment they sell to consumers. Retailers shall also provide a free one-to-one pick-up service for used products of the same type at the time of delivery of the consumer’s newly purchased product. ALBA will deliver the e-waste collected in this way to authorized recyclers.

From July 1, 2021, collection boxes will be available at more than 300 locations across Singapore, including downtown areas, shopping malls, government buildings, and residents’ committee centers. The locations of the collection boxes can be viewed on the ALBA website at www.alba-ewaste.sg (from 1 July 2021) and on the following page of the NEA: https://go.gov.sg/e-waste.

 

In addition to the above activities, ALBA plans to implement the following activities:

  • Collection of large e-waste in residential complexes and door-to-door collection for a fee
  • Outreach activities to raise public awareness and promote proper recycling of e-waste
  • Workshops on repairing electrical and electronic equipment to foster a culture of repair and reuse, and donations to the community.

 

The locations of the collection boxes and the types of e-waste that can be collected are as follows.

Organization Bin Locations Availability Type of e-waste accepted
Dairy Farm Group Cold Storage

5 Stadium Walk, #B1-01/05 Leisure Park Kallang, Singapore 397693

From June 4, 2021
  • Batteries (AA, AAA, AAAA, D, C, 9-volt, Button Cell only)
  • Light Bulbs
Giant Hypermarket – Tampines

521 Tampines North Drive 2, #03-01, Singapore 528765

Harvey Norman Millenia Walk Flagship Store

9 Raffles Boulevard, #01-59 to 63, #02-37 to 41, #03-02, Singapore 039596

  • Batteries (AA, AAA, AAAA, D, C, 9-volt, Button Cell only)*
  • Light Bulbs**
  • Printers, computers & laptops, mobile phones & tablets, network & set-top boxes, TVs & desktop monitors***

* Battery circumference: no more than 50mm

** Bulb circumference: no more than 100mm

*** Devices must be able to fit through a 500mm x 250mm slot

Suntec City

6 Temasek Boulevard, Suntec City Mall East Atrium, Tower 3/4, #01-634 to 640, Singapore 038983

Northpoint City

1 Northpoint City South Wing, #B1-136 to 138, #B2-108 to 112, Singapore 768019

From June 14,  2021
Parkway Parade Superstore

80 Marine Parade Road #01-35/35A/36, #02-34/34A/35/36, Singapore 449269

Bedok Point

799 New Upper Changi Road, #B1-01/02, #B1-16 to 32, #B1-K1 to K14, Singapore 467351

ESR Business Park (750B Chai Chee Road #01-01, /#02-02, Singapore 469000)
Djitsun Mall

5 Ang Mo Kio Central 2 #02-01/02, Singapore 569663

Fig. WEEE recycle bins by NEA and ALBA

Source: NEA

What is the Producer Responsibility Scheme under the Resource Sustainability Act 2019?

The Producer Responsibility Scheme (PRS) is an initiative under the Resource Sustainability Act 2019 (RSA), which producers of e-waste categorized into “consumer-regulated products” are required to join. The producers pay fee based on the volume of products they manufacture and import, and the collected funds are used to collect and dispose of e-waste. ALBA is the authorized operator to conduct that. ALBA (established in 1968), which has already operated PRS in Germany, Hong Kong, and other countries, has been appointed as the official waste collector for Jurong District in Singapore from April 1, 2020, and has expertise in the municipal waste and e-waste recycling.

See more details about RSA in the following URL:
https://sso.agc.gov.sg/Act/RSA2019?ViewType=Pdf&_=20201127215459

Author / Responsibility

AOKI Kenji

Senior Consultant, EnviX Ltd.
General Director, E&H Consulting Co., Ltd.

Business Performance

Expertise in EHS (environment, health and safety) consulting in ASEAN region.
- Environmental regulations updating
- Chemical regulations consulting

Background

MSc in Earth Science, The University of Tokyo

AOKI Kenji