Upgrade or renewal — the e-waste conundrum

 

Every year, millions of tonnes of electronic devices are discarded, and the practice is as much a financial poser as it is an environmental problem. (Rawpixel pic)

PETALING JAYA: Businesses and individuals dispose of old computers, smartphones and other electronic devices by the millions of tonnes every year.

Apart from the damage caused to the environment by electronic waste (e-waste), businesses must also contend with the financial cost.

According to estimates by the UN Environment Programme, up to 50 million tonnes of e-waste is generated globally each year. In financial terms, that comes up to US$62.5 billion (RM297.8 billion) annually.

The high speed of technological advancement can dull the edge of smart devices very quickly, making them less efficient with time.

As business requirements continue to expand, old equipment may also not be able to meet new demands.

The conventional way is to continue purchasing new equipment to keep up with new requirements, but this can be costly for businesses, CEO of Complete Human Network Sdn Bhd (CHN) Teh Chai Peng told FMT Business.

CHN helps companies deal with their electronic equipment needs.

“Businesses do take the option of lengthening the lifespan of such equipment for up to 10 years through regular upgrades after the warranty expires,” Teh said.

“They do it out of financial consideration, not environmental concerns,” she added.

While this may slow down the production of e-waste, it can eventually turn out to be more costly for businesses.

Teh Chai Peng.

For instance, Teh said, the risk of failure rises as the equipment ages, making repairs even more costly.

Such failures may also have a negative impact on business reputation.

Teh pointed out that achieving peak digital efficiency for employees and seamless customer engagement are key in managing e-waste.

Rather than try to make a device last longer, it is sometimes smarter to recycle and re-purpose it for other uses.

“This way, they can continue to serve a purpose without you having to spend too much on repairs, a factor that many people forget to consider in their budgets,” Teh added.

Rethinking device upgrades

The brouhaha on e-waste management has recently led to questions over the viability of prolonging the life of electronic devices.

This has become more pertinent with the constant updates that come with operating systems such as Apple’s iOS, the Android used by Samsung and Huawei’s very own HarmonyOS.

“People update their phones for better features and manufacturers drive this by regularly introducing improved features and functionalities,” Teh said.

The regular cycle of updates is driven by the need for companies to stay competitive and this has shaped the market.

However, there is a limit. New devices may be necessary to take the more advanced updates.

“Businesses are therefore urged to reconsider their priorities.” Teh said.

The decision to upgrade or replace equipment must take into consideration the environmental impact alongside consumer behaviour, she added.

Health impact 

While businesses worry about the financial consequences of e-waste production and management, civil society has another concern.

E-waste has an impact on health and a low level of awareness of the associated risks is harmful, according to Ecotourism and Conservation Society of Malaysia CEO Andrew Sebastian.

“For instance, improperly disposing of single-cell batteries into the regular rubbish bin or disposing of old TV sets by throwing them into a dumpster brings potential health risks,” Andrew told FMT Business.

This is where education is key, environmentalist Damien Thanam Divean said.

“As it is now, awareness of the adverse effects of e-waste remains low,” he said.

Apart from that, he said, weak legislation governing the import and production of electronics has not been upgraded.

According to the Department of Environment (DoE) computers and laptops accounted for 50% of all e-waste last year. This is followed by TV sets (20%), mobile phones (16%), refrigerators (7%), washing machines (5%), and air conditioners (2%). - FMT