E-waste is electrical and electronic equipment of any kind that has been discarded. It includes practically anything powered by an electrical source (e.g., from a power socket or a battery). E-waste is mostly made up of metal and plastic components, but also contains small amounts of heavy metals and substances of concern (e.g., in printed circuit boards). The wide variety of e-waste makes it hard to generalise the material content – for example, fridges and air conditioners in particular contain refrigerants to enable cooling to take place, but these refrigerants may also contribute to ozone layer depletion or climate change; the material composition of a mobile phone is very different from that of an electric kettle.

Improper disposal of e-waste leads to environmental pollution and this may in turn harm human health. The best way to treat e-waste is to recycle it properly. E-waste comprises many different components and requires specialised equipment to dismantle, shred, process and extract the constituent materials that can then be turned into new products. This has to be performed within a controlled system to prevent pollution and ensure workplace safety and health.

Recycled material is used to make new products. This reduces the need to mine limited raw materials from the earth. Reducing the need for mining also lowers pollution, as the process of mining has an impact on our environment.

According to NEA’s statistics, Singaporeans discard as much as 60 million kg of e-waste every year. A study by global think-tank United Nations University estimates that about 109,000 tonnes of e-waste – 19.5kg a person – was generated here in 2014, making Singapore the second-largest generator of e-waste in the region, second only to Hong Kong (21.7kg). This puts the Republic ahead of Japan (17.3kg), South Korea (15.9kg) and Taiwan (18.6kg).

Virogreen wants to help change this for the good of our local and global environment.

While we do our best to be sure each customer receives the maximum value from each repurposed and scrapped piece of IT equipment, there are certain items that cost us to properly dispose of, such as some televisions and monitors (see a full list of acceptable items and fees here).

Materials such as antimony, arsenic, lead, and mercury used to manufacture electronics are unhealthy to us. If not recycled properly, it is surprisingly easy for these materials to ultimately end up in our bodies and cause major issues including lung damage, cancer, and seizures. E-waste that is not recycled ends up in the environment. Water is poisoned, air turns toxic, soil becomes dead, and wildlife and plant life suffer.

To avoid these harmful effects on both our bodies and our environment, reputable e-cycling companies provide outlets for responsible riddance of your old electronics. Unfortunately, some companies lower their costs by exporting e-waste to countries like Ghana, Nigeria, Pakistan, India, and China where it gets broken down by men, women, and children who are usually unprotected from the toxins.

Virogreen just doesn’t believe that is how the process should be handled. We focus on proper disposal and e-waste recycling that’s safe and doesn’t put the less-fortunate at risk.

At Virogreen, every part of the electronic asset is recycled in our e-waste recycling programs. Each item is strategically and securely dismantled. All toxic elements are responsibly disposed of, and all remaining metals, plastics, glass and circuitry are processed domestically. It’s a commitment we make to keep everyone and every land health during computer disposal and recycling.