There is a lot of awareness required regarding – computer waste disposal Singapore which is why we have brought to you this blog where we have collected the most frequently asked questions regarding the e-waste management facilities in Singapore. Q – Where to recycle E-waste? A – In Singapore you must have noticed that recycling bins deployed by ALBA E-waste Smart Recycling Pte Ltd which has been appointed as the Producer Responsibility Scheme (PRS) Operator for a period of five years in the country from 1st of July this year till 30th June of 2026 for the task of collection of regulated consumer electrical and electronic waste for the purpose of proper treatment and recycling on behalf of producers in the public areas of the entire country such as town centres, shopping malls, government buildings, Residents’ Committee Centres, community centres, supermarkets and retail outlets. Q – What type of waste is handled by ALBA’s e-bins? A – The type of waste that falls under the responsibility of ALBA are ICT equipment like Printers, power banks, computers & laptops, mobile phones & tablets, network & set-top boxes, TVs & desktop monitors. This classification is done based on the following principles: –
  • It should be able to fit through a 500mm x 250mm slot.
  • Batteries like AA, AAA, AAAA, D, C, 9-volt, Button Cell in which the battery circumference of no more than 50mm
  • It also includes light bulbs with circumference of no more than 100mm
  • One thing that must be avoided is the addition of Long fluorescent or LED tubes.
Q – How do I dispose of a computer in Singapore? A – In order to do so one can drop off their device in NEA’s recycling bins located islandwide from 1 July 2021 onwards. If you have any media storage device like SIM cards, memory cards, USB flash drives and hard disks will be collected under one category until a calculated volume is collected after which they will proceed for the crushing process in order to initiate a secure destruction. Q – How do you safely dispose of a computer? A – To ensure a safe disposal of old computers and hardware safely following should be kept in mind:-
  • Take a backup of your data before you do anything with your old device so you don’t lose any data.
  • You need to remove all the data in your hard drive. Also make sure that clearing data off our computer is no easy process hence should be done with utmost care.
  • No matter if you choose to donate, resell, or recycle just avoid throwing your computer away.
Q – How do I dispose of a hard drive in Singapore? A – There are many companies that help in disposing of devices like hard drives and thorough disposal of items such as paper documents, hard drives, SD cards and phones. Therefore specialised disposal processes should be handled by companies that mainly deal in these things. Q – How much e-waste is recycled in Singapore? A – According to a study conducted by NEA, it states that Singapore produces 60,000 tonnes of e-waste annually but only 6% of it is recycled. Q – How do I destroy a hard drive before recycling my computer? A – Follow the steps below:-
  • Remove the hard drive from your computer
  • Access the hard drive’s platters and circuit board
  • Now you need to remove the read/write arm and then scratch the platters with a screwdriver to destroy data completely
  • Break the circuit board.
  • Recycle the computer’s components.
Q – How do you prepare a computer for disposal? A – Preparing Your Computer for Disposal: –
  • Take a backup of important files to an external hard drive or online
  • Format your hard disc
  • Uninstall all programs
  • Delete your browsing history
  • Recycle it
  • Trade it in
Q – How much electronic waste is in landfills? A – The presence of electronic waste is about 2% of America’s trash in landfills which is actually equal to 70% of overall toxic waste. When considered annually you will realise that roughly about 20 to 50 million metric tons of e-waste are disposed around the world every year. Q – What are the e-waste recycling programs available in Singapore? A – Following are the 7 e-waste recycling programs available in Singapore: –
  • StarHub’s RENEW (REcycling Nation’s Electronic Waste) Programme
  • Singtel x SingPost E-Waste Recycling Programme
  • Punggol Eco-Drive
  • M1 E-waste Drop-Off Point Programme
  • E-waste Recycling @ North East
  • City Square Mall E-waste Recycling Programme
  • Dell Recycling Programme
Q – Where does our e-waste go? A – It is sad to know that still most electronic waste is disposed of in landfills or gets incinerated, wasting useful resources and releasing toxic chemicals and other pollutants. We hope that this blog – computer waste disposal Singapore will provide you with the much required information regarding the topic and help you understand the necessity of the hour that is required at the consumer’s end regarding their responsibilities with respect to their old electronic items.