Electronic Waste Management Made Easier With Implemention Of National Standard [Press Release]

Electronic Waste Management Made Easier With Implemention Of National Standard Singapore, 12 November 2014 – Successful industry implementation of a national standard on the management of end-of-life infocomm technology (ICT) equipment, Singapore Standard SS587:2013, was jointly announced today by the National Environment Agency (NEA) and the Singapore Standards Council at the sidelines of the Electronics Recycling Asia Conference 2014. 2 NEA estimates that about 60,000 tons of electronic waste (e-waste) is generated annually in Singapore, of which about 50 per cent are common household IT products and home appliances while the rest are ICT equipment generated from the commercial and industrial sectors. The standard provides businesses and industries using ICT equipment with a framework to manage the equipment in sustainable and environmentally responsible ways when they reach the end of their life cycle. 3 The establishment of the standard aims to promote the adoption of best practices by businesses and industries in managing their electronic waste, and raise awareness among businesses and industries on environmentally responsible electronic waste management. 4 Solvay Specialty Chemicals Asia Pacific Pte Ltd and Greenpac (S) Pte Ltd were the first two companies to be successfully certified to SS587 and were awarded their certificates at the event. Solvay is an international chemical group that serves many markets, varying from energy and the environment to automotive and electronics, while Greenpac is a home-grown enterprise providing innovative and environmentally friendly packaging solutions. 5 To encourage the adoption of SS587, SPRING Singapore is offering co-funding assistance for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) through the Capability Development Grant, which supports up to 70 per cent of the qualifying costs for the standard adoption. 6 NEA will also recognise the achievements of organisations that have been successfully certified to the standard. A dedicated portal on NEA’s website will provide information and resources on SS587 and how to attain the certification. 7 In addition, the Singapore Accreditation Council (SAC), under the aegis of SPRING, has also launched the End of Life ICT Equipment Management System (EIMS) Certification accreditation programme. Certification bodies which are accredited by SAC conform to the stringent guidelines of the accreditation programme for SS587. 8 “The implementation of this standard is timely, given the widespread use of ICT equipment in the daily operations of both SMEs and large enterprises. SS587 will not only help organisations adopt best practices in managing their electronic waste but also raise awareness among businesses on environmentally responsible electronic waste management. We are proud to partner SPRING Singapore in this initiative, which will help drive the adoption of this standard among SMEs as well, where costs can sometimes be a barrier,” said NEA’s CEO, Mr Ronnie Tay. 9 “I am glad that organisations are implementing SS587. With the appropriate and responsible disposal of ICT equipment through following the guidelines of SS587, it reduces pollution and natural resource depletion which directly affects our health and safety. Such disposal methods also prevent potential leakage of personal and business data. The new accreditation programme in place will further strengthen the certification methods of the conformity assessment bodies, resulting in greater assurance that certified organisations practise socially responsible disposal methods,” said SPRING’s Assistant Chief Executive, Ms Choy Sauw Kook. 10 Solvay’s Singapore Country General Manager, Kenneth Goh, added, “This SS587 ICT Recycling certification is an important award for our Singapore entity as it is in full alignment with and contributes to Solvay Way, our Sustainable Development Policy. It is important that we continue to operate and conduct business in a highly responsible and sustainable manner. We are thus very glad and honoured to be one of the initial adopters of this Singapore Standard.” 11 Companies interested in applying for certification can contact NEA for more information on the certification process. SS587 was developed by the Recycling Working Group under the Information Technology Standards Committee (ITSC). The Working Group comprises members from NEA as well as key industry representatives. ITSC, one of the Standards Committees under the purview of Singapore Standards Council appointed by SPRING, is an industry-led partnership consisting of volunteer members from the industry and is supported by SPRING and IDA Singapore. Source: NEA