Page 129 - Towards A Sustainable Future , Phase 3 2025, E-Book_Neat

There is a concern that the intelligent machine uses power less carbon emissions compared to traditional vans that run
from the grid and consumes a lot of energy since it runs day on non-renewable fuels, benefiting the environment.
and night. This reliance on the grid increases the carbon
footprint, which goes against sustainability goals. Additionally, Another practice is the use of pneumatic drills for dismantling
it limits where the intelligent machine can be placed. e-waste. These drills are more energy-efficient than electrical
ones, leading to a reduced carbon footprint over time, despite
higher initial setup costs. METech Recycling also shows its
Objectives commitment to sustainability by processing e-waste in larger
Our objective for this project was to create a self-sustainable batches. This reduces the need for frequent processing
intelligent machine that operates off-grid using solar power. startups, saving energy and resources.
This machine is designed to function independently without
relying on external power sources, making it environmentally Additionally, we were impressed by the company's efforts to
friendly and efficient. The focus of this project is to develop minimise its carbon footprint in various ways. For example,
a proof of concept, demonstrating the feasibility and many meeting rooms have large glass areas that let in natural
effectiveness of the technology. This involves building a light during the day, reducing the need for artificial lighting
prototype that showcases the machine's ability to harness and cutting down on electricity use.
solar energy and operate autonomously, paving the way for
potential future applications in e-waste management and During our visit, we observed several other sustainability
other areas. practices at METech Recycling. The company reuses
projectors, files, and other materials whenever possible. They
Environmental Aspects also use energy-efficient LED lights and have a system in place
E-waste recycling is crucial because it prevents harmful to turn off lights and air conditioning units when not in use to
materials in electronic parts from contaminating the conserve energy.
environment, water, and air, thereby protecting our planet.
Electronics contain various elements, and by extracting In addition to these efforts, METech Recycling plans to build
these materials from e-waste, we engage in urban mining. a visitor learning centre on the third floor of their building.
This reduces our reliance on traditional raw material mining, This state-of-the-art facility will educate and train the public
providing another way e-waste recycling benefits the Earth. on proper e-waste handling. It will feature interactive exhibits,
Currently, the e-waste recycling rate is low compared to workshops, and seminars that teach the importance of
the amount of e-waste discarded each year. According to responsible electronics waste management and guide visitors
Singapore's Green Plan 2030, the goal is to reduce waste sent on how to recycle electronic devices safely and efficiently. By
to landfills by 30% by 2030 (refer to Reference 8). Increasing sharing their expertise with the community, METech Recycling
e-waste collection will help reduce the amount of waste going aims to promote a culture of sustainability and encourage
to landfills. others to adopt similar practices.
Overall, our visit showed that METech Recycling is committed
Good Environmental Practices to minimising its environmental impact through various
During our visit to METech Recycling, we noticed several innovative and practical sustainability initiatives.
impressive sustainability practices that the company has
implemented. One standout example is their use of electric
vehicles to collect recyclables. These vehicles produce much

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