IN an effort to promote responsible ewaste disposal, Star Media Group Bhd (SMG) organised a collection drive involving staff members and nearby communities.

The drive, which took place at Menara Star in Petaling Jaya, Selangor, was the second to be held in two months.

During the event, staff members and others in the business district were encouraged to surrender unused home appliances and digital devices.

Among the items accepted were laptops, desktop computers, mobile devices, electrical equipment, musical instruments and toys.

Those who surrendered items received a token, ranging from RM2 per mobile phone to RM10 per laptop.

SMG Corporate Communication and Social Impact senior manager Christine Wong said the drive was held following success of the first event.

“The first drive was held in the third week of December last year and involved only SMG employees.

“Despite being held so close to the holiday season, with many people on annual leave, it still received encouraging response.

“We think this was because many were spring cleaning in light of the holidays and New Year celebration,” she said.

Some 220kg of ewaste was collected in the first drive.

For the second drive, Wong said SMG sent invitations to other establishments in the area to participate.

“A week before the event, we distributed leaflets to inform nearby premises about the event, asking them to join us.

“It is our way of giving back to the community by involving them in a socially responsible initiative,” she added.

During the drive, participants could opt to have data on their devices wiped by the vendor appointed to collect and dispose of the items, Highstead Sdn Bhd, for a RM10 fee.

Highstead representative Mohamad Faizal Maskun said the devices surrendered would be dismantled before being disposed of.

“The components, such as motherboards, will be grouped together before being sent to landfills in Klang or Port Dickson, Negri Sembilan.

“Some devices, which are still in good condition, might be refurbished and resold at cheaper prices,” he said.

SMG employee Yong Chiao Yee, who took part in the drive, surrendered hundreds of CDs that she received from friends.

“I asked my friends who were doing spring cleaning if they had any ewaste to discard ahead of the New Year holiday.

“This is a good initiative to create awareness about the need to dispose ewaste responsibly and care for the environment,” she said.