What is the new law?

In order to reduce waste being sent to the Semakau landfill, Singapore introduced the Zero Waste Masterplan in 2019. The masterplan, along with the Resource Sustainability Act (RSA), 2019 provide the strategy and the legal framework to position Singapore as a sustainable, resource-efficient nation. These new developments apply to three waste-generating sectors – electrical and electronic waste, food waste and packaging waste.

Part III of the RSA legislates on e-waste management in Singapore, which provides for an extended producer responsibility system. Part VI details how the Producer Responsibility Scheme (PRS) would work. The NEA has appointed ALBA group as the PRS operator, responsible for the treatment and recycling of e-waste in Singapore.

What this means for you?

The regulations apply to producers, retailers, collectors, PRS operators, and consumers of e-waste. Regulated products include Information and Communications Technology (ICT) equipment, batteries, lamps, solar PV panels, and large appliances.

If the e-waste regulations apply to you, there are several obligations that kick in from July   2021, particularly for producers and retailers of the relevant electronic products. These include but are not limited to:

For producers:

• Registering with the NEA and submitting records of regulated products
• Becoming a member of a licensed PRS
• Collection and disposal of unwanted products
• Keeping records on regulated non-consumer products collected and how they are managed

For retailers:

• Providing 1 for 1 take back of regulated consumer products
• In-store collection of e-waste

The PRS framework for e-waste will impact your business through direct regulation. If not compliant, penalties under Part 6 of the RSA are very strong. Therefore it is important to align your business with the forthcoming changes right away.

What can we do for you?

We understand that the RSA will have far reaching impacts on the way you currently engage with managing e-waste in your business. At Dentons Rodyk, we have the expertise to assist you at every step of the way. More specifically, we can help in:

• Unpacking the RSA and the PRS scheme to understand how it specifically applies to your business
• Working with you through the entire process of registering with the NEA, reporting data, keeping records, submitting annual reports and relevant disclosures
• Compliance-related documentation – Harmonising all documents and reports submitted to the NEA with relevant internal documents, sustainability reporting etc

If you need more information, please do not hesitate to contact us.