Looking abroad to grapple e-waste mountain

SINGAPORE - There could soon be regulations here to ensure that discarded electrical and electronic items are recycled and reused, to help shrink the mountain of computers, laptops, refrigerators and other e-waste thrown away in Singapore.

The Republic's poor record in this area means not only that valuable materials in such items, such as gold and copper, are going up in smoke, but also that hazardous waste in some components, including mercury, is being incinerated and polluting the atmosphere.

"A regulated system is ... needed to ensure that consumers are provided with convenient means to recycle their e-waste, and the e-waste collected is channeled to proper recycling facilities where safety and environmental standards are adhered to," said the National Environment Agency on Friday.