SINGAPORE: The Land Transport Authority (LTA) is offering cash and free disposal of personal mobility devices (PMDs) which do not meet new fire-safety standards, ahead of next July's ban on the use of such devices here.
From Monday (Sep 23), those with PMDs that do not meet the UL2272 standard can bring them to one of 181 locations, set up by LTA-appointed electronic waste recyclers, across the island to dispose of them for free.
"To incentivise early disposal, registered e-scooter owners who step forward with their non-UL2272 e-scooters for disposal at the designated disposal points from Sep 23 to Nov 30, 2019, will qualify for an early disposal incentive of S$100 per registered e-scooter," said the LTA.
The authority noted these recyclers typically charge a fee for disposal, as they are trained and equipped to ensure the safe disposal of PMDs as well as the recycling of reusable materials and components.
The UL2272 standard is a set of safety requirements which cover the electrical drive train system of PMDs, including the battery system.
Of the 90,000 e-scooters registered with the LTA, about 90 per cent do not meet fire-safety standards.
To apply for the incentive, e-scooter owners will have to use their SingPass or CorpPass account to submit an online application at www.onemotoring.com.sg to dispose of their devices.
Successful applicants will receive an SMS acknowledgement, with a link informing them where and when they can drop off their devices.
They must show this SMS and proof of their identity when disposing of their devices, as well as ensure their PMDs carry LTA registration and identification marks.
Those with unregistered PMDs can still get rid of their devices at the disposal points for free until Mar 31 next year, though they will not qualify for the S$100 cash incentive.
PMDs such as hoverboards or electric unicycles, which do not need to be registered with the LTA, will also not qualify for the incentive.
The ban on the use of non-UL2272 certified PMDs, originally scheduled for the end of 2020, was brought forward six months due to an increase in the number of fires involving such devices.
In the first half of this year, there were 49 PMD-related fires reported, compared to 52 for the whole of last year.
Senior Minister of State for Transport Dr Lam Pin Min noted in August that all these fires involved devices that were not UL2272-certified.
Source: CNA/az(rw)
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