Every company renews its equipment periodically, and its stores fill up with computers, printers, screens, network devices, batteries and old air conditioners. Electronic waste is not ordinary office waste: it is a sub-activity of hazardous waste in the conditions of the National Center for Waste Management (MWAN), and it may contain the company's own data. This article explains how your company can dispose of e-waste lawfully and securely, and what the Waste Management Law says.
Why electronic devices need special handling
- Hazardous components: batteries, circuit boards and some screens contain materials that must not end up in an ordinary landfill.
- Valuable components: metals and some parts can be recovered and recycled, and the Waste Management Law puts recycling and resource recovery before safe disposal.
- Data: a hard drive in a discarded device can expose customer and employee data.
What the Waste Management Law says
- No waste management activity, such as collection, transport or recycling, may be carried out without a license or permit from MWAN.
- Waste producers must rationalize resource use, reuse products, reduce waste, store it in designated places and sort what can be reused or recycled.
- Leaving, burying, burning or dumping waste outside designated places is prohibited.
- Anyone who deposits waste with an unlicensed person is jointly liable for damages and compensation.
- Non-new devices and equipment classified by MWAN as waste may not be imported, exported or recycled without a license.
- Producers and importers bear "extended producer responsibility" for managing the residues and waste of their products over their life cycle, under rules set by the regulation.
The right steps to dispose of devices
- Inventory: list damaged or surplus devices by type and number, with batteries listed separately.
- Separate working from broken: working devices can be reused internally or donated; broken ones go to a licensed recycler.
- Wipe data permanently: before any handover, by secure erasure or destruction of storage units, with an internal record proving it.
- Temporary storage: in a dry, locked place, with batteries separated and protected from damage and heat.
- Handover: to an MWAN-licensed carrier or recycling facility, after checking its license and scope.
- Documentation: a receipt or transport document stating device types, quantities, date and receiving party.
Old air conditioners and refrigeration equipment
Old air conditioners and refrigerators may contain refrigerants regulated by the Implementing Regulation for Ozone-Depleting Substances and Hydrofluorocarbons, which prohibits disposing of controlled substances or equipment without the approval of the National Center for Environmental Compliance (NCEC) and requires technicians to recover these gases instead of releasing them. So do not dismantle these units in the office; hand them to a specialist.
Common mistakes in companies
- Devices piling up in a store for years without inventory or disposal.
- Selling broken devices to an unlicensed buyer without wiping data.
- Throwing batteries out with office waste.
- No document proving what happened to the devices, so compliance cannot be shown in sustainability reports or to clients.
An opportunity, not a burden
Working with a licensed recycler documents the company's environmental compliance, and recycled quantities can be included in sustainability reports or major clients' requirements. A clear internal policy for the device life cycle also lowers costs and keeps stores clear.
Frequently Asked Questions about E-Waste
Can we donate old devices instead of disposing of them?
Yes, if they work. Reuse is a priority under the Waste Management Law, provided data is wiped permanently first. Broken devices go to a licensed recycler.
Are batteries hazardous waste?
Batteries are collected separately, handled carefully and handed to a party licensed to transport or recycle that type of waste.
How do we document disposal?
With a receipt or transport document from the licensed party stating device types, quantities and date, plus an internal data-wiping record.
Do our offices need an environmental permit because of devices?
Administrative offices are usually not high-impact activities, but the waste producer duties in the Waste Management Law apply to everyone, including handing waste only to licensed parties.
How Abak Green helps
We prepare your company's waste management plan, including electronic waste, batteries and refrigeration equipment, set up inventory and documentation templates, and verify the licenses of receiving parties. Contact us about your company's waste.
