Last year, the Department of Environment (DOE) collected a whopping 2,200 tonnes of electric and electronic waste (e-waste).
That was nearly three times the DoE’s estimate for the year. If improperly disposed of, e-waste – comprising mainly discarded laptops, electronic gadgets and personal devices – could have contaminated and damaged the environment.
As we embrace the Internet of Things, and with the advances in television, smartphones and laptops, Malaysia’s e-waste tonnage will continue to climb.
To dispose of your devices safely, the DOE provides a list of e-waste collection points in 12 states.
However, if your old mobile phone is in working order, you can upgrade it by using CompAsia’s InstaCash mobile application.
“InstaCash allows users to trade in their devices from anywhere, at any time,” said Julius Lim, co-founder and chief executive officer of CompAsia.
“This hassle-free approach saw an uptick during the pandemic, when Malaysians were cooped up at home.
“By buying and selling used devices, we are preventing e-waste, allowing tech and innovation to thrive sustainably.”
CompAsia only deals in certified pre-owned devices, also known as original second-hand devices. Every device goes through a 32-step quality check to ensure that they are 100 per cent functional.
The company also offers deals for new phones.
Lim explained that a seller could use the mobile application to find out the value of their old mobile phone. If they are happy with the price offered, they can confirm the trade-in and get a new phone.
The best part is, sellers do not have to leave their homes as CompAsia will send a rider to pick up the devices.
“Upon collection, the user immediately gets paid, hence the term InstaCash,” added Lim.
Although mobile phones are getting cheaper, Lim is bullish that InstaCash will continue to thrive.
“We are constantly evolving, but our objective remains to maximise affordability and minimise e-waste,” he said.
“Last year, 140,000 devices were traded on the InstaCash app, and we have about 1,600 people on the platform on any given day, from all over Malaysia.
“We want to shift the consumer’s perception of second-hand devices as being risky, problematic, and unreliable. Our goal is to make a difference to our planet by reducing e-waste, so as we move forward with the business, we want to normalise the buying and selling of second-hand devices.”
He said consumers need to see their smart devices not just as tools that they cannot take for granted, but also as a combination of precious resources and manufacturing processes.
Lim assured that there are stringent steps in place to protect consumers’ data.
“Customer confidence is crucial in promoting and driving the second-hand phone trade-in through our InstaCash app.
“Each device undergoes a data erasure process, which complies with International Standard DoD 5220.22-M. This is to ensure that all data is permanently deleted and unrecoverable.”
The DoD 5220.22-M is a universally recognised method for data erasure used by government agencies and organisations worldwide.
“We have clear guidelines when it comes to grading to ensure consistency across our products,” Lim added.
