KOTA KINABALU: The first and only registered household e-waste collection centre in Sabah has been set up in Beaufort, thanks to efforts by the district council there.

       The centre aims to divert household electronic waste from landfills to ensure no toxic pollution leaked into the environment and that the waste can be disposed of properly, said Sabah Environment Department (DOE) director Amirul Aripin.

       In a webinar on household e-waste management in Sabah on Saturday (Aug 28), he said the involvement of local authorities (PBTs) are crucial in managing e-waste from households, and hoped more PBTs will support this and follow suit.

       “The department has engaged with several PBTs since 2016 for e-waste management programmes, such as Kota Kinabalu (City Hall), Ranau, Kuala Penyu and Beaufort and more recently, Semporna, Lahad Datu and Tawau.

       “Earlier this year, Beaufort district council took a more serious step by registering with the department to open the collection centre.

       “We have 26 PBTs in the state and hopefully, the rest will also support this initiative,” he said.

       Amirul said while there are no laws at this moment specifically on the handling of household e-waste in the country, a regulation has been drafted and is in the final stages before being handed to the Attorney General’s Chambers.

       “This law will be based on a shared responsibility concept, from the manufacturers, consumers, to the e-waste collection operators. We hope it can be enforced as soon as possible,” he added.

       Meanwhile, another speaker, Universiti Malaysia Sabah’s Social Science and Humanities lecturer Dr Mohammad Tahir Mapa said the increasing use and demands for gadgets in daily life will make e-waste management an area of concern in the near future.

       “Household e-waste depends on the population density of that area and the buying power there.

       “So I believe Kota Kinabalu as the state capital soon needs to look for a place to manage e-waste, like Beaufort, before it becomes a bigger issue.

       “This will be the next challenge for the City Hall,” he said.

       He added that it was important that those holding relevant positions pushed to expedite the policies relating to household e-waste management.

       Sabah Health Department public health medical specialist Dr Valentine Japulee Gantul agreed that this needs to be immediately addressed as the Covid-19 pandemic saw dependency on electrical and electronic appliances.

       Students in the country have turned to using devices for online learning, as well as employers now working remotely from home, he added.

       "So we need to be ready if there is a sudden or drastic change in the volume of e-waste," he added.