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AlterCOP30 was nothing but amazing. Here is a look at what we shared, what we heard, and what it reminded us about the work ahead.
AlterCOP is Singapore's independent, citizen-owned complement to the official UN Climate Conference (COP). AlterCOP30 ran from 10 to 22 November 2025 at the Singapore Sustainability Academy, featuring over 180 sessions across two weeks covering everything from circular economy and waste management to green finance, biodiversity, and energy transition.
Co-founded by The Transmutation Principle and The Matcha Initiative, AlterCOP brings together sustainability professionals, academics, policymakers, youth, and community groups under one roof to turn climate conversations into real action. Most sessions are free and open to the public, making it one of Singapore's most accessible sustainability platforms.
It is exactly the kind of event KGS belongs at.
180 sessions. 2 weeks. One shared mission: turning sustainability conversations into action.
KGS had the privilege of participating in AlterCOP30, sharing our work in advancing e-waste management in Singapore across three core areas:
Secure data destruction, ensuring that personal and corporate data on recycled devices is permanently and professionally destroyed before any processing begins
Battery recycling, through our 20,000 sq ft dedicated facility in Tuas, one of only a handful in Singapore with capacity for both lithium-ion and lead-acid batteries
Solar panel recycling, Singapore's first automated solar panel recycling facility, built as Singapore's solar infrastructure continues to grow and ageing panels begin to reach end of life
All three capabilities sit under one roof at our 32,000 sq ft integrated facility in Tuas, making KGS one of the most comprehensive e-waste recyclers in the region.
It was encouraging to see so many attendees stop by, ask questions, and engage genuinely with what we do. The crowd at AlterCOP30 is not a passive one. These are people who have shown up specifically because they care about sustainability, and that made every conversation at our booth meaningful.
Two things in particular drew the most interest.
The first was our automated solar panel recycling process. As Singapore accelerates its solar adoption, the question of what happens to panels at end of life is one the industry has not fully answered yet. Seeing a facility that is already equipped to handle this, automatically and at scale, resonated with a lot of attendees who work in the energy and sustainability space.
The second was TakeBag. Many attendees were familiar with the e-waste problem but less aware that a free, doorstep-friendly solution already exists for Singapore residents. Learning that you can order a bag online, fill it at home, and drop it off at one of approximately 1,100 PICK! locker locations within minutes of most HDB homes landed well. It made responsible recycling feel genuinely within reach.
The most common reaction at our booth: I did not know this already existed. Now I know what to do with my old devices.
E-waste sits at the intersection of almost every sustainability conversation: circular economy, resource recovery, climate resilience, data privacy, community behaviour change. It is rarely the headline topic, but it is almost always relevant.
AlterCOP30 is a space where those connections get made. Where a conversation about solar energy naturally leads to a question about what happens to solar panels at end of life. Where a session on circular economy leads someone to our booth asking how they can recycle their old laptop. That kind of cross-pollination is hard to manufacture and genuinely valuable.
KGS has been doing this work since 2016, growing from a single van and a 600 sq ft unit in Ang Mo Kio into Singapore's first integrated e-waste, battery, and solar panel recycling facility. As covered in our Vulcan Post feature, the mission has always been the same: make e-waste recycling simple, secure, and accessible for everyone.
A well-deserved shoutout to The Matcha Initiative, co-founders of AlterCOP and great supporters of KGS. Their generosity and encouragement have meant a lot to our team, and we are grateful to be part of the community they have built around AlterCOP. Thank you.
AlterCOP30 reminded us why this work matters. Every person who stopped by our booth, asked a question, or walked away with a clearer idea of how to recycle their old devices responsibly is a step in the right direction.
Singapore has the awareness. It has the infrastructure. What it needs is more people connecting the two, and that is exactly what KGS is here to help with.
If you are a resident, order your free TakeBag at takebag.kgs.com.sg. If you are a business or organisation looking for certified e-waste recycling, reach out to us at ask@kgs.com.sg. And if you are a sustainability event looking for partners who walk the talk, we would love to hear from you.
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