KUCHING: An e-waste collection drive organised by DBNA today (July 25) has raised awareness among the community on the importance of responsible electronic waste disposal to reduce environmental pollution.
Vice-Chairman of DBNA Kuching, Dr Bernard Stephen Jussem, said the programme, held every two to three months, aims to encourage the public to properly dispose of unwanted electronic items and prevent harmful materials from affecting the environment.
He said electronic devices contain hazardous materials that could pollute the environment, contaminate soil and water, and pose risks to human health if they are not managed properly.
“Recycling e-waste is important as responsible recycling allows valuable resources to be recovered, reduces pollution and supports a more sustainable future.
“The response from the public has been very encouraging, with participants bringing various electronic items including fans, rice cookers, televisions, computers and other electronic goods for recycling,” he said.
The programme, carried out in collaboration with Trienekens and a local church, usually sees two RORO bins filled by around 10 am during collection days.
Among those who took part was 27-year-old Darren, who brought PC-related items, a monitor and other electronic goods for recycling.
“Instead of simply throwing electronic items away without proper care, we can recycle them, and I think some of these goods can be reused. It helps reduce waste and protect the environment,” he said.
Darren said he would participate in the programme again if information about future collections was available.
Another participant, 30-year-old Herry, brought PC-related items including a desktop and monitor for recycling.
“I feel that recycling e-waste is everyone’s responsibility because it helps prevent pollution, conserve valuable resources, and create a cleaner environment for our communities and future generations,” he said.
Herry added that he would continue joining the programme whenever he has electronic items that need to be recycled.
