The Resource Sustainability Act (RSA) introduced by the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources (MEWR) in Singapore came into force on January 1, 2020.
The Act focuses primarily on the waste streams of electronic waste, packaging waste and food waste. With regard to e-waste, it provides for the introduction of an e-waste management system in 2021 with registration with the National Environment Agency (NEA), and the introduction of extended producer responsibility. This includes companies that manufacture or import regulated products.
Regulated products are solar systems, information and communication technology (ICT) devices, large appliances, batteries and lamps. B2C products (e.g. laptops, mobile phones, household appliances) have to be collected on behalf of the manufacturer and recycled in licensed facilities under the extended product responsibility by means of a take-back service and in-store collection points. Manufacturers of B2B products (e.g. commercial and industrial equipment, servers) must offer the free take-back of all their customers' old equipment on request.