A few days ago, I found myself in the curious position of having no plastic bags left in the house, and needing to take out the trash.

That meant going to the supermarket and buying something that I was going to buy anyway, like a bunch of bananas, in order to get a bag to line my bin with.

Earlier this week, the Singapore Environment Council proposed that supermarkets, food outlets and provision shops start charging for plastic bags.

A flurry of letters to the press ensued, some arguing this would be too much of a burden, others calling it too little.

Like many others, I have a love-hate relationship with plastic bags.

Making and distributing them takes fossil fuels, and they do not break down in landfills or the ocean. A plastic bag, fluttering vacantly in the wind, is an easily demonised symbol for fossil fuel and resource consumption.

Yet it has multiple uses, particularly in modern cities. You may be able to eat that curry puff on the go or wrap groceries in newspaper, but you can’t really get on the bus dripping a trail of fishy water from a paper bag.

In fact, the environmental case for or against plastic bags isn’t so clear-cut.

An Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*Star) study found that it takes 1.22kg of crude oil and 0.4kg of natural gas to make 1kg of plastic carrier bags. The real life-cycle cost of a plastic bag must also factor in the transport of that crude oil and gas, the processing of fossil fuels into polypropylene, and transporting the finished product to the city centre.

When all those costs are taken into account, plastic bags may not be worse than paper or reusable bags.

Earlier this year, the United Kingdom’s Environment Agency released a study showing that you would need to reuse a paper bag three times for its global warming impact to be as low as that of one high-density polyethylene (HDPE) plastic carrier bag.

And cotton bags are not innocent either. Making them uses fuel, water and resources. One cotton bag would have to be reused 131 times to have the same global warming impact as one HDPE bag.

If all HDPE plastic bags are reused once as bin liners, their environmental impact goes down still more. A paper bag would have to be reused seven times and a cotton bag 327 times for their impact to equal that of a plastic bag reused once.

What about biodegradable plastic and starch-plastic bags? They weigh more than ordinary plastic bags and so consume more energy during production and distribution, the UK report found.

The practical reality is, plastics are a part of modern life. They are popular for good reason: they are better than the existing alternatives at keeping food fresh or preventing contamination. They are lighter, waterproof and more durable.

So the issue is not about getting rid of plastic bags altogether. The issue is that far more are handed out each day than we really need. It’s about us minimising the use of plastic bags and thinking sensibly about what is a need, and what is a want.

The proposed 10-cent levy isn’t meant to defray the cost of producing or disposing of that plastic bag. It’s meant to be a nudge: do you really need that bag?

So is making people pay for plastic bags a good thing? It depends.

On the plus side, it can discourage overuse. Ireland introduced a plastic bag fee, or ‘PlasTax’ in 2002. It cut plastic bag use by 90 per cent, or nearly a million bags a year. The tax, now at €0.33 (S$0.55) per bag, has generated over €120 million for a state-run Environmental Fund that pays for waste recycling and garbage collection.

If there is a 10-cent levy imposed, all or at least part of the ‘bag tax’ should go to the Government to support environmental programmes, rather than straight into the pockets of retailers.

On the negative side, bag bans or levies can backfire if they encourage poorer substitutes. After a carrier bag levy of 50 Hong Kong cents (S$0.08) was imposed in 2009 in Hong Kong, people turned to heavier, thicker garbage bags to use as bin liners. Though the number of plastic carrier bags used dropped 77 per cent, the overall use of plastics in all bags went up 27 per cent, according to a 2011 study by the Hong Kong plastics industry.

Those seeking to ban or charge for bags must understand cultural practices.

Many people in Singapore reuse plastic bags for their trash. There are no laws mandating the bagging of household rubbish in Singapore, but public hygiene – and plain neighbourliness – would prod most of us to do so anyway.

That is not to say all plastic bags are necessary. One large bakery chain bags its cakes and buns individually at the cashier, before putting them into a larger plastic bag. Over-packaging is a cardinal sin against the environment. Besides plastic bags, many single-use styrofoam and plastic items are also unnecessary, such as takeaway boxes, cups and cutlery.

The proposed levy on plastic bags is thus not a statement that plastic bags are bad and should be stamped out. It is just a small symbol of a larger push to get consumers to think twice about their habits.

One writer to The Straits Times Forum page pointed out that not everyone carries a reusable bag around for small, spur-of-the-moment purchases.

That is a good starting point to consider whether you need that small, spur-of-the-moment purchase in the first place. You don’t save the environment by choosing paper bags for your unnecessary purchases; you do a better job by cutting out that consumption in the first place.

It is so difficult for us to be mindful of consumption and waste, that a bag levy would be a necessary kick in the butt in the right direction.

As for me, I don’t mind paying 10 cents for the privilege of having a bag to put my rubbish in like a civilised human being, before I throw it down the chute.

That in turn makes me think twice about generating so much rubbish in the first place. Seen from that perspective, 10 cents is really a small price to pay for a regular reminder of the need to conserve the earth’s resources.

Source: The Straits Times

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Plastic bag production in Singapore has been singled out as an environmental worry because of the amount of crude oil it uses.

About 1.2kg of the precious resource goes into every kilogram of bags manufactured, according to a study by the Agency for Science, Technology and Research. Another problem is the amount of carbon dioxide released during the process, which contributes to global warming.

Overall, this kind of production is a cause for concern, the Singapore Environment Council (SEC) told The Straits Times.

Last year, Singaporeans used about three billion plastic bags, which consume roughly 37 million kg of crude oil and 12 million kg of natural gas. SEC executive director Jose Raymond said it was focusing on reducing the number of bags wasted in Singapore, calling it a ‘troubling symptom of our shift towards a throwaway culture’.

He advised consumers to keep a small, reusable bag for unplanned shopping trips, and a larger, durable one in the car for regular visits to the supermarkets.

Each year, more than one trillion plastic bags are used around the world, less than 2 per cent of which are recycled.

The rest end up in landfills – where they can take up to 1,000 years to break down – or as litter. In Singapore, plastic bags are incinerated along with domestic waste at one of four plants, which meet strict air-emission standards.

One way to reduce plastic bag consumption could be for shops that dish them out to customers to start charging. But retailers and hawker-stall owners say they will not do so until the Government makes it mandatory in case they lose customers to rivals who dispense them for free.

Supermarket chain Sheng Siong Group said it would not charge because ‘customers are bound to reject any extra costs to their purchases’.

Dairy Farm Singapore, which runs the Cold Storage, Shop N Save and Giant chains, said any move to reduce plastic bag usage should be approached in a pragmatic manner. ‘It is not so simple to just charge for bags to deter people from using them as there are potential implications which need to be considered,’ said a spokesman.

For instance, people re-use plastic bags for garbage disposal. Charging for bags may also lead to consumers seeking other sources of free plastic bags.

Smaller retailers were more vocal about what they saw as a move that may see them lose business. Sundry-shop owner Kew Eng Kwog, 73, said one customer chose his Toa Payoh shop over another because he is not ‘stingy’ about giving out bags. ‘If I charge for plastic bags and others don’t, I will lose business,’ he said.

Shoppers also said they would take their business elsewhere if they were charged.

In a Straits Times poll of 100 Singaporeans – equally divided between young and old – about half said they would not pay. ‘We buy things from them, so rightfully, we should be provided with plastic bags, as much as I would like to save the earth,’ said housewife Sara Sivaganam, 50.

Mr Pat Stuart, an 81-year-old retiree, said: ‘I think it’s not fair to us; we still need plastic bags to throw our rubbish. We also need them for practical purposes, to separate dry foodstuff from wet ones.’

Even if retailers across the board start charging, that may not solve the problem of wastage, said 33-year-old tutor Lester Lee. ‘People will get over the initial shock of having to pay for plastic bags and start buying them freely.’

Efforts have been made over the years to make consumers more environmentally conscious, with A Bring Your Own Bag Day rolled out by the SEC and National Environment Agency in 2007. The monthly campaign has progressed into a weekly affair, while some retailers have intensified moves to educate consumers.

Retail expert Sarah Lim, a senior lecturer at the Singapore Polytechnic, said retailers are not likely to support the pay system as they are ‘torn between supporting the green calling and protecting the business’.

But she added that if consumers have to pay for plastic bags, ‘they will be more conscious while shopping, and there will be less impulse buying’.

Additional reporting by Felicia Choo & Miranda Yeo

Source: The Straits Times via Wildsingapore

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More recyclable material has been collected from Housing and Development Board (HDB) flats and landed properties, according to the country’s first online recycling rewards programme.

The programme, called Grow your Recycling Incentives Now, was launched in June in landed properties in Tanjong Pagar Group Representation Constituency (GRC) and parts of Jalan Besar GRC by Veolia Environmental Services.

The programme was rolled out a month later in HDB estates in Tampines, Pasir Ris and Changi Simei, as well as in landed properties in Pasir Ris and Changi Simei.

Residents can earn redemption points for every kilogram of recyclable material collected, which can be used to redeem for retail privileges or be donated to support charitable causes.

According to Veolia Environmental Services, the amount of recyclable material collected from the HDB flats grew by over four times, from 90 tonnes in July to 365 tonnes in January.

Over the same period, landed properties witnessed a 31.7 per cent increase, from 120 tonnes of recyclable materials collected last July to 158 tonnes in January.

Currently, about 1,000 of the estimated 7,000 residential landed household in Pasir Ris, Changi Simei, Tanjong Pagar GRC and parts of Jalan Besar GRC have registered with the programme.

“We hope to have half of the landed property in the two sectors that we are working on to register in the next 12 months,” said Mr Jerome Baco, country manager of Veolia Environmental Services.

To mark Earth Day, more than 50 employees of Veolia Environmental Services reached out to more than 900 landed properties in the Tanjong Pagar GRC last Friday to encourage more residents to recycle and sign up for the programme.

The company had in February deployed recycling ambassadors in the HDB estates to work with the respective grassroots network such as the Residents’ Committees, to educate residents on the correct recycling practices and encourage recycling.

Recyclables deposited into the radio frequency identification-tagged recycling bins can be weighed and the participating household identified.

Through this method, residents can convert the weight of recyclables into redemption points. With a minimum of 3kg of recyclables collected in the recycling bin, one point will be awarded for every kilogram.

The accumulated points can be used to redeem privileges and gifts sponsored by seven merchants, such as Ben and Jerry, Homefix and Pet Lovers Centre. The points can also be donated to support a worthy cause.

Notwithstanding the points, Mr Loo Teck Leong, 82, a resident of Tanjong Pagar GRC, felt the most important thing for him is to recycle those items that can be recycled.

Another resident of Tanjong Pagar GRC, Miss Cheryln Tan, 35, a communications executive, said that with the recyclable bins at her doorstep, it makes it “convenient to recycle” as she would not have to drive to a recycling centre to bring items such as plastic bottles and papers.

Source: Today

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Shoppers may need to pay for plastic bags in the future, if a proposal being studied is adopted.

The Singapore Environment Council (SEC) is studying ways to cut down on the excessive use of plastic bags here.

One of the options being considered is for supermarkets to start charging for plastic bags daily or on alternate days, The Straits Times has learnt.

The proposal involves provision shops too, and may also include food outlets and hawker stalls.

The study, which began this month, is expected to be concluded by June.

The findings are expected to be used to formulate a White Paper on the use of plastic bags in Singapore.

The SEC is a non-government organisation that facilitates and coordinates environmental causes here.

The Straits Times understands that a majority of the supermarkets here are not opposed to the idea of charging for plastic bags. But they would like to see the authorities put it into legislation before making such a move.

Responding to queries from The Straits Times, the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources said it is ‘aware of and supports the SEC’s efforts to carry out studies with retailers on the possibility of reducing plastic bag usage’.

The issue of whether retailers should charge for plastic bags has been debated for years.

But only a handful of retailers here – Swedish furniture giant Ikea being one of the first – have made shoppers pay for plastic bags.

Next month, Hong Kong casual-wear brand Bossini will become the first clothing retailer here to stop giving out bags free. These will cost 10 cents each.

Critics say Singapore has been slow in implementing rules curbing plastic bag usage, which are already in place in Asian cities such as Hong Kong and Taiwan.

In July 2009, Hong Kong legislated that registered retailers are no longer allowed to provide free plastic shopping bags, and they must charge their customers an environmental levy for each plastic shopping bag they ask for.

Last year, Malaysia launched a nationwide campaign that saw all hypermarkets, supermarkets and Petronas petrol stations charging for plastic bags on Saturdays. Shoppers have to pay 20 sen (S$0.08) for a plastic shopping bag.

SEC executive director Jose Raymond, however, feels that the bigger retailers should take the initiative to implement such measures, instead of waiting for the Government to make the move.

He said: ‘The major retailers should not be waiting for the Government to formulate a policy on whether they should be charging for plastic bags.’

Citing the example of some supermarkets here which took shark’s fin off their shelves without any legislation, Mr Raymond said retailers ‘should also do the same for the plastic bag issue if they do believe the issue is one which requires action’.

He pointed out that Singapore’s situation is also different from that in Hong Kong.

Here, it is mandatory by law to bag rubbish before disposal. That may explain why shoppers tend to ask for plastic bags, he said.

Environmental consultant Eugene Tay said plans to charge for plastic bags are unlikely to go down well with consumers here, especially those from the low- and middle-income group.

Hence, retailers may be deterred from taking the lead.

He suggested: ‘Supermarkets can offer discounts to the lower- and middle-income groups on daily household essentials like oil and sugar if they start charging for the use of plastic bags.’

Another incentive would be to offer free eco-bags to these groups he added.

Despite the absence of legislation, the Bring Your Own Bag Day drive has steadily gained momentum in recent years.

The campaign – initiated by the SEC and the National Environment Agency in 2007 – encourages shoppers to bring their own reusable bags to supermarkets to bag their purchases.

What began as a monthly campaign held on the first Wednesday of every month has now evolved into a weekly affair.

Some retailers have also stepped up efforts to educate consumers.

In conjunction with Earth Day yesterday, NTUC FairPrice launched a week-long campaign to urge shoppers to bring their own bags. The supermarket chain is hoping to save at least 100,000 plastic bags in one week.

Dairy Farm Singapore – which owns Cold Storage, Market Place, 7-Eleven, Giant, Shop N Save and Guardian – said it is training all checkout counter staff to encourage customers to use or purchase eco-bags.

Source: The Straits Times

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From April 13 to 27, book lovers can participate in the annual National Library Board book exchange by dropping off their used books at any of the 24 public libraries.

The event allows the public to share their passion for reading with other Singaporeans, and to give used reads a new lease of life.

A coupon will be given for every book and can be used to exchange for other books at the main event on April 28.

Adults’ and children’s fiction and non-fiction books in the four official languages are accepted.

Elaine Ng, Chief Executive Officer of the NLB, said: “Since 2009, the number of books exchanged has increased by more than 35 per cent, and the number of participants has grown by more than 40 per cent.

“We are encouraged by the public’s strong support and enthusiasm towards the book exchange. Over the last three years, over 207,000 books have changed hands. We hope that this initiative will help participants discover new finds and good reads and continue to encourage Singaporeans to grow their reading appetite.”

Organisers hope to see a 10 per cent increase in the number of participants and the number of books exchanged this year.

Source: Channel NewsAsia

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For many businesses, excess food is merely waste to be thrown away. But for charities, it represents a precious resource.

They can redistribute the supplies to the needy, ensuring that nothing is wasted. All they need is to be matched with appropriate donors.

This is where Food Bank Singapore comes in. The soon-to-be-opened centre – with the motto: ‘Do not bin it when you can still eat it’- will be the first to coordinate food donation across the island.

Its co-founders, Ms Nichol Ng and her brother Nicholas, are managing directors of FoodXervices, which supplies more than 3,000 products to 2,000 end customers. They realised there was a lot of waste in the food business and a shortage in the welfare sector. So they set up the bank, which allows them to use their industry contacts to find donors and match them with appropriate recipients.

‘Because we’re in the food industry and we do know suppliers, we can hopefully get more surplus food than if it were just one organisation,’ said Mr Ng, 33. The bank will also help logistically by storing, transporting and distributing donated food. This could include unopened packages or fresh food from suppliers and retailers such as supermarkets.

Although the siblings first floated the idea a few years ago, it did not take shape until January this year, when they secured a full-time staff member and a coordinating volunteer. The bank is now applying to become a charity, and expects approval in June. For now, it will be run from FoodXervices’ warehouse in Tanjong Pagar.

The fledgling organisation has already attracted support from potential donors and charities. Ms Ng, 34, said they had approached three suppliers so far – Wintercorn Edible Products, rice importer Gan Hup Lee, and Yee Lee Oils and Foodstuffs. All have responded positively.

After the bank’s soft launch at the Food & Hotel Asia 2012 event next Tuesday, they intend to speak to more than 20 other potential food companies and retailers.

A Wintercorn Edible Products representative said it supported the concept of the food bank, and its business relationship with FoodXervices meant it would be likely to offer good prices for its vegetable oils to groups that need them.

As for those on the receiving end, the bank hopes to work with established volunteer welfare organisations, soup kitchens, homes and family service centres. Although no partnerships are yet set in stone, various groups have expressed support.

Willing Hearts, a volunteer-based non-profit organisation, serves 75,000 free meals a month. Although it puts about 50 volunteers to work daily, ad hoc donations are not enough to cater to increasing demand. Its treasurer, Mr Charles Liew, said the food bank was a good idea, adding: ‘Hopefully they’ll be able to identify importers of food and offer it to us.’

Food from the Heart gives out around 28,000kg of bread per month to 8,000 needy recipients. The charity was also interested in the bank as a potential source of more donors. ‘The more bakeries we can reach, the more needy families we can reach,’ said senior executive Ain Hamzah.

The food bank hopes to have 10 serious donors and 10 beneficiaries by the end of the year. Ms Ng said: ‘We’re a small player in the industry, but after we take the first step, hopefully others can follow suit.’

Source: The Straits Times

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Singapore families are dismal when it comes to recycling and using energy efficiently, so much so that the Environment and Water Resources Ministry is seeking the help of experts to change their habits.

Consultants are being asked to carry out two studies to find out why people do not do what they should and set out an effective communication strategy to coax them to change their ways. One is on recycling, and the other, energy efficiency.

These studies to bring about behavioural change are a first by the ministry, and in line with its goals to manage waste sustainably and reduce carbon emissions per dollar of gross domestic product.

The tenders for both projects closed earlier this week. The ministry said the studies must be completed within four months of the contracts being signed. It declined to give further details.

Five companies are bidding for both projects, while one company is eyeing only the recycling study.

Tender documents obtained by The Straits Times stipulate that both studies have to carry out a face-to-face survey of a representative sample of 2,500 people from the five community development councils.

The surveys will help pinpoint the specific behaviour to adopt, identify the best group of residents to target for change, as well as set outand monitor a communication strategy to encourage them to pursue the desired behaviour more often.

Each study also has to probe beyond the commonplace explanations of why people do not do the right thing, ‘by looking beyond notions of laziness and inconvenience’, said the tender.

The recycling study has to focus on the recycling of glass, plastic and paper in households, it added.

These items account for 53 per cent of domestic waste each year, falling far short of their potential to be recycled.

For instance, up to 90 per cent of paper tossed out by households could have been recycled, but only 52 per cent is. Such recycling is crucial as Singapore has limited space for landfills. For instance, the landfill island of Semakau, which takes in ash from waste incineration, is expected to meet the country’s needs only till 2045.

Also, the recycling rate for all waste has some way to go to meet the target set in the Sustainable Singapore Blueprint. The goal is for a rate of 65 per cent by 2020 and 70 per cent by 2030.

But last year, it was 59 per cent. Worse, in categories like plastics, it was a mere 11 per cent, and for glass, 29 per cent.

As for energy efficiency, the study is targeting the use of air-conditioning at home as it accounts for 30 per cent of a household’s energy use.

In all, households account for about one-fifth of Singapore’s energy consumption.

The ministry’s latest move further bolsters existing measures to coax Singaporeans to ‘go green’.

It is a good effort, said Professor Ho Teck Hua, head of the National University of Singapore’s Centre for Behavioural Economics.

‘But it can’t be a campaign for everybody,’ he added. ‘Maybe you’ll need multiple campaigns.’

For instance, Housing Board dwellers are more likely to respond to high electricity prices by cutting their electricity use than people living in private property, he said.

Prof Ho also suggested that manufacturers of air-conditioners add a default button on the remote controls to make it easy to set the machines to run at an efficient 25 deg C.

Waste management company Veolia Environmental Services gives residents points for recycling that they can exchange for coupons to make purchases at retailers like Home-Fix.

Since the scheme was introduced last July, the amount of recyclables collected in the Pasir Ris-Tampines and Tanglin-Bukit Merah sectors has risen from 210 tonnes to 524 tonnes a month.

Source: The Straits Times

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Beyond this support for Earth Hour, StarHub will also be launching their electronic waste (e-waste) recycling programme. E-waste recycling bins will be placed at StarHub’s Customer Service Centres at OUB Centre, Plaza Singapura, Tampines Mall and StarHub Green. An e-waste recycling bin will also be placed at the Grid MMS Office at *SCAPE.

“StarHub is deeply committed to being an environmentally conscious corporate citizen and caring for the natural world,” said Neil Montefiore, Chief Executive Officer, StarHub. “Furthermore, as a provider of electronic equipment and e-services, we feel that it is only right to provide consumers with an avenue through which they can safely and responsibly dispose of their electronic waste.”

E-waste, which includes items such as mobile phones, cable modems, laptops and lithium-ion batteries, accounts for over 70% of the toxic waste in landfills and this improper disposal leads to serious pollution and health problems.

“About 50 million cell phones are replaced worldwide every month, and only 10% are recycled,” revealed Mr Montefiore. “If we recycled just 1 million cell phones, it would reduce greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to taking more than 1,300 cars off the road for an entire year.”

In the vein of WWF’s campaign tagline “I Will If You Will”, StarHub is giving the public an incentive to recycle their e-waste at its e-waste recycling bins. If consumers deposit 3,000kg of e-waste into the five bins between Earth Hour and Earth Day, which falls on 22 April 2012, StarHub will plant 30 trees at a local park. This works out to one tree for every 100kg of e-waste recycled. All e-waste collected will be recycled by TES-AMM, a local e-waste recycling company.

“Recycling bins for paper, plastic and metal are commonplace nowadays, but it is very difficult to find bins in which the average consumer can recycle e-waste,” observed Mr Montefiore. “We’re hoping to provide such channels at easily accessible locations, and eventually inculcate a long-term habit for consumers, whether they are our customers or not, to recycle their e-waste with us.”

APPENDIX A. Locations of StarHub E-Waste Recycling Bins

StarHub Customer Service Centres:

• StarHub Green, Level 3
• OUB Centre, Level 5
• Plaza Singapura, Level B2
• Tampines Mall, Level 2

Grid MMS Office at *SCAPE Level 4

APPENDIX B. List of Recyclable Items for StarHub E-Waste Recycling Bins

Answering Machines

Cables & Wires

Car Stereos

Computer Mouse

Docking Stations

DVD Players

Hard Drives

Headphones

Keyboards

Laptops

Li-ion Batteries

Mobile Phones

Modems

MP3 Players

Printed Circuit Boards

Remote Controls

Telephones

VCRs

Source: StarHub

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More than 300 corporate organisations will be taking part in Earth Hour this Saturday.

Some companies are going beyond the hour in their sustainability drive this year, and they are doing more than turning off the lights.

Shopping malls, cinemas, hotels and even restaurants are prepared to hit the light switch for Earth Hour, which will take place between 8.30pm and 9.30pm.

But for local telco StarHub, it is only the start of a new recycling programme for old mobile phones, laptops, batteries and other electronic waste (e-waste).

Caitlin Fua, assistant vice-president of corporate communications at StarHub, said: “Today we are all familiar with where to recycle paper, where to recycle plastic and glass. But when we talk about electronic waste, people may ask, where can I do that?

“So StarHub, as an info-comms company, we feel there is a need, there is a gap there, and we can step in as an info-comms company to fill that gap, to provide avenues for customers to recycle their e-waste.”

From March 31, e-waste recycling bins will be available at StarHub service centres at OUB Centre, Plaza Singapura and StarHub Green.

StarHub said that about 50 million mobile phones are replaced every month around the world. But only 10 per cent of them are recycled.

And e-waste accounts for over 70 per cent of the toxic waste in landfills.

So recycling cuts down on both pollution and waste.

Also on the waste reduction trail is supermarket chain Carrefour Singapore.

It will not be giving out any plastic bags for three evenings in the run-up to Earth Hour – from March 29-31, 7pm till closing time.

One shopper said: “I totally support it.” When asked if she will be bring her own bags, the shopper replied: “Sure, why not, anything for a good cause.”

Another added: “What you can do is make people pay for it…like five cents or something.”

A third noted: “Bringing your own bag is not an issue, but the sudden announcement like that may catch shoppers by surprise, I do not think they will be happy.”

Not everyone is enthusiastic, but it looks like Earth Hour is giving Singapore companies another reason to work their businesses for the environment.

Source: Channel NewsAsia

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Waste Generated refers to the total amount of waste generated in Singapore, which is the addition of Waste Disposed and Waste Recycled. Waste Disposed refers to the total amount of waste disposed at the four waste-to-energy or incineration plants, and at the offshore Semakau Landfill. Waste Recycled refers to the total amount of waste that is recycled locally or exported overseas for recycling.

In 2011, about 6.9 million tonnes of waste was generated in Singapore, and each person generated around 1,330 kg of waste in a year. The recycling rate in Singapore for 2011 is 59% (58% in 2010), and has been increasing steadily over the years. The government has set a target of 60% recycling rate by 2012 in the Singapore Green Plan 2012, and 70% recycling rate by 2030 in the Sustainable Singapore Blueprint.

41% of Singapore’s waste is still disposed of, with 38% going to the waste-to-energy plants for incineration and energy recovery, and 3% of non-incinerable waste such as construction and demolition waste, used slag and treated sludge, going to the Semakau Landfill for landfilling.

% Composition of Waste Generated

The top 5 waste types make up 76% of the total waste generated in Singapore, which are either disposed of at the waste-to-energy plants and landfill, or recycled locally and exported:

1. Paper/Cardboard (20%)
2. Ferrous Metal (18%)
3. Construction Debris (17%)
4. Plastics (11%)
5. Food Waste (10%)

% Composition of Waste Disposed

The top 3 waste types make up 65% of the total waste disposed in Singapore:

1. Plastics (23%)
2. Food Waste (21%)
3. Paper/Cardboard (21%)

% Composition of Waste Recycled

The top 3 waste types make up 77% of the total waste recycled in Singapore:

1. Construction Debris (29%)
2. Ferrous Metal (29%)
3. Paper/Cardboard (19%)

Recycling Rate of Waste

For the 3 common types of waste disposed, the recycling rate for plastics and food waste is still low:

• Food Waste (10%)
• Plastics (11%)
• Paper/Cardboard (56%)

More efforts are needed to reduce the amount of plastics and food waste disposed and to increase their recycling rates. The recycling rate for plastics in 2011 is the same as 2010, and more can be done to educate Singaporeans on reducing the use of plastics and the recycling of plastic waste. The National Environment Agency (NEA) is likely to miss the target of 35% recycling rate for plastics by 2012, set in the Singapore Green Plan 2012.

The recycling rate for food waste has dropped from 16% in 2010 to 10% in 2011. This is likely due to the closing down of IUT Global last year, which was recycling food waste into biogas and compost. There is currently no news of the setting up of new food waste recycling plants, nor is there any food waste reduction campaign by the NEA. Without any concrete plans to reduce or recycle food waste, the food waste recycling rate would remain low over the next few years, and NEA is likely to miss the target of 30% recycling rate for food waste by 2012, set in the Singapore Green Plan 2012.

For paper, the recycling rate is 56% in 2011. NEA has met the target of 55% recycling rate for paper by 2012, set in the Singapore Green Plan 2012. Nevertheless, there is still room to recycle more paper, as 44% of the paper and cardboard waste generated still ends up being burned at the waste-to-energy plants.

Waste Statistics from 2000 to 2011

From 2000 to 2011, the waste disposed has increased by only 2% but the waste recycled has increased by a massive 117%. The total waste generated has increased by 48% from 4.6 million tonnes in 2000 to 6.9 million tonnes in 2011.

The waste data show that the efforts of the government in promoting waste recycling has paid off. However, waste generated has been increasing steadily since 2003. To work towards zero waste, there is a need for the total waste generated to reach a peak and decrease every year.

This means that we can’t depend only on high rates of recycling but we also need greater reduction in the waste disposed, in other words, more reduce and reuse of waste. Recycling is still the least effective of the 3 Rs and should be practised last after reduce and reuse.

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