KUCHING: The Sarawak Environment Department (DoE) and Sarawak Natural Resources and Environment Board (NREB) are ready to expand the e-waste collection campaign to all divisions in the state.

Together with other government agencies and ministries, they jointly organised the E-Waste Collection Campaign 2022 held at MBKS Community Hall here today in conjunction with Earth Day.

Sarawak DoE director Hamzah Mohamad said although this method of collection does not generate enticing returns to the public, it is important to create awareness among the community about the dangers of e-waste to health as well as the environment.

“The lack of a systematic collection mechanism and specific legal framework at present has resulted in the poor management and disposal of household e-waste.

“This is causing the community to dispose of these items themselves such as into rubbish bins, incineration or disposal at sites.

“Such actions are bad and will have a detrimental impact on human health and the environment as e-waste has residues of harmful substances in it such as biphenyls, mercury, lead and so on that can be released into the environment and potentially contaminate our soil and water resources,” he said when attending the launching of the campaign.

Hamzah pointed out that among the DoE’s initiatives to ensure an Environmentally Sound Management (ESM) and environmentally friendly e-waste management is through the introduction of e-waste collection day on the last Saturday of each month and the set-up of e-waste collection centres throughout the country.

Other than that, he said his agency has developed the MyEwaste mobile application and an e-waste website that aimed to facilitate the delivery of e-waste and identify the nearest collection centres apart from implementing public awareness programmes and activities.

The campaign’s Controller of Environmental Quality Peggy Ronin Edin said, albeit a baby step, it is a good start to raise awareness among the people whilst simultaneously ensuring e-waste is deposited at designated places for proper recycling or safe disposal.

“At the same time, we also want to expose our people to the concept of the circular economy, the concept that is becoming more prevalent nowadays.

“This is where we anticipate all the electrical and electronic products like any other resources, materials or energy would be kept in the economic system for as long as feasible and at the ‘highest value’ possible.

“The idea of rigorously promoting and undertaking activities and works – for recovery and recycling of e-waste not only will extend the lifespan of our landfills, warranty a cleaner and healthier environment but also make sense financially,” she said.