E-Waste

It is a legal requirement for the contractors disposing E-Waste to apply license from the Department of Environment. The contractors are required to submit note specifying origin, route, destination, parties involved and volume of collection. While this is done to have a record on the route of E-Waste management so that this hazardous waste can be accounted for, the requirement has in a way affected the voluntary recycling efforts initiated by the not-for-profit community organisations.

In our effort to encourage 3R, many residents organisations set up community recycling centres to accept recyclable items from general public. These items are then resale to the recycling vendors. These include paper, aluminium, glass and plastic. For a wider collection of recyclable items and to not create a wrong perception on the concept of 3R, Local Agenda 21 Petaling Jaya kept introducing new items for collection to these centres. These include spectacles, computer and beverage cartons. Everything went well until we are informed by the computer recycling vendor to file up a form and to put our signature there as part of the legal requirement.

Many volunteers reluctant to do so due to the legal implication. They are not prepared to take the responsibility, if any as they are doing so for the sake of promoting environmental conservation. They have voiced out that if exemption is not given, they prepare to give up their effort on collecting the E-Waste. After all it is not a paid job.

The consequences on 3R implementation is far reaching. More E-Waste from the household if not collected will be channelled to the landfill. We have to provide sufficient opportunities such as available centres for public to recycle all waste and develop this habit as a norm of life. Imposing such preventive requirement definitely will not help in recruiting volunteers and volunteering organisations to participate in the 3R initiatives. Specific rules promoting voluntary recycling efforts have to be formulated. If this is not done, perhaps one day Government and its' appointed vendors have to do it on their own, I presume.