A new whitepaper from Singapore-based Device-as-a-Service (DaaS) startup Cinch aimed to bring attention to a largely invisible but mounting problem: 2.9 million unused smartphones are sitting idle in Singaporean households, exacerbating the country’s e-waste challenges.

Titled Rethinking E-Waste: How Singapore’s Consumer Tech Ecosystem is Building a Blueprint for a Circular Economy in Southeast Asia, the report draws from a national survey and offers fresh data on consumer habits while proposing practical solutions rooted in collective action.

It reveals that Singaporeans replace their smartphones every 2.7 years, considerably faster than the global average of 3.5 years. However, rather than being recycled or resold, many older devices end up forgotten in drawers. Concerns around data privacy and a lack of convenient recycling or trade-in options were cited as key barriers to responsible disposal.

Despite these challenges, the appetite for sustainable solutions remains high: 90 per cent of surveyed consumers indicated they would be open to reusing, recycling, or returning devices if safer and easier processes were available.

Cinch’s whitepaper emphasises that the most effective long-term solution lies in adopting circular technology models, which extend the lifespan of devices through reuse, refurbishment, redeployment, and recycling.

This approach not only reduces e-waste but also lessens the environmental footprint associated with raw material extraction and carbon emissions.

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The startup’s DaaS model exemplifies how circularity can be embedded into business operations. Through partnerships with organisations such as ALBA and CompAsia, Cinch aims to develop scalable systems that align with Singapore’s Green Plan 2030 and the National Environment Agency’s Producer Responsibility Scheme.

“No single company can solve e-waste alone. What’s needed is a national framework that rewards sustainable behaviour and embeds circularity into the tech ecosystem,” said Mahir Hamid, CEO of Cinch.

Emissions and cost benefits at scale

The environmental stakes are significant. According to the report, adopting circular models at scale could cut Singapore’s e-waste volume by 50 per cent and reduce tech-sector CO₂ emissions by 40 per cent. Each refurbished smartphone saves approximately 25 kilograms of CO₂ emissions, prevents 77 kilograms of raw material extraction, and avoids generating 56 grams of electronic waste.

Beyond environmental gains, consumers also benefit financially. Subscription-based DaaS models can lower upfront costs for devices by up to 96 per cent compared to outright purchases.

While Singapore’s government has implemented regulations and established collection infrastructure to address e-waste, Cinch’s report underscores the importance of multi-stakeholder collaboration. Businesses, policymakers, and consumers all play critical roles in driving circular economy adoption.

“Circularity isn’t an add-on to business. It is becoming the core of how tech consumption needs to evolve,” Hamid concluded.

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