KUALA LUMPUR, Feb. 7 -- Malaysia is grappling with a growing electronic waste crisis. In 2021, the Department of Environment (DoE) collected 2,459 tonnes of household e-waste - just a small fraction of what goes unaccounted for in landfills and illegal dumps.

The crisis is accelerating. With Malaysia's rapid digitalisation, the DoE estimates that the country will generate a staggering 24.5 million units of e-waste this year.

What is e-waste?

Under Malaysian law, e-waste is classified under Code SW110 of the Environmental Quality (Scheduled Wastes) Regulations 2005. This encompasses two distinct streams: industrial and household electronic waste.

The scope is vast. Beyond everyday items like broken televisions, computers, and mobile ph...