Environmental Services (ES) One Learning Festival - Dr Janil Puthucheary

Mr Andrew Ang, President of Environmental Management Association of Singapore (EMAS)

Mr Song Kwok Yuen, Director, School of Engineering, Temasek Polytechnic (TP)

Industry partners, colleagues, ladies and gentlemen,

1             Good morning and thank you for the warm welcome. I am delighted to join you at this year’s Environmental Services (ES) One Learning Festival.

2             The ES industry plays a vital role in protecting and improving our environment. As the focus on green growth and sustainability continues to grow, the ES industry should seize the opportunity to ride the wave, leveraging on technology and innovation. Events such as the ES One Learning Festival are important as they provide an opportunity for industry players and stakeholders to come together, learn about the latest developments in the field, and explore new approaches that will help us deliver better outcomes and transform the ES industry.  

Charting Our Vision: The Environmental Services Industry Transformation Map (ES ITM)

3             We have long been partners in driving this transformation. In 2017, the National Environment Agency (NEA) launched the Environmental Services Industry Transformation Map which charts our vision for a vibrant, sustainable and professional ES industry. Through this roadmap, we aim to create a cleaner and more liveable Singapore by intensifying innovation and technology adoption, nurturing promising firms, growing productive enterprises, and creating quality jobs. By the end of this year, these efforts will have collectively benefitted about 30,000 individuals in the ES workforce through higher-paying value-added jobs as workers upskill and companies embrace technological innovations.

Enabling Innovation: The Environment Technology Innovation Hub

4         Technology and innovation are core enablers for transformation. Launched in June 2024, the Environment Technology Innovation Hub (ETIH), located right here at Temasek Polytechnic, serves as a collaborative space for industry partners, academia, and government agencies to explore, test-bed, and co-create innovative technologies, to help ensure that the ES industry remains forward-looking.

5         There have been fascinating examples of innovative solution pilots through the ETIH. For example, LS 2 piloted a cobotic tray return system at Temasek Polytechnic to streamline the process of crockery sorting and food waste segregation, which improved productivity in managing soiled crockery by about 50%. Primech also deployed its Toilet Cleaning Robot “Hytron” at Temasek Polytechnic to automate the process of toilet cleaning, which reduced cleaners’ workload and alleviated the manpower challenge in cleaning toilets. 

6         Beyond supporting innovation, ETIH also conducts programmes to promote and facilitate the adoption of Outcome-Based Contracting or OBC by service buyers. OBC represents a fundamental shift in how services are delivered and measured, placing greater emphasis on results rather than routines. Through OBC, service providers are incentivised to seek out innovative ways to enhance productivity and raise standards. This not only enhances service quality but also builds a culture of excellence, where the industry constantly strives to improve itself. I believe that as more companies adopt OBC, we will see a true transformation in the ES industry, to become one that is even more vibrant, professional, and sustainable.

Technology in Action: Shaping the Future of Environmental Services through Autonomous Solutions

7         I am encouraged to see the wider adoption of technology such as autonomous solutions that have moved on to field tests and operationalisation. Over time, this may eventually change how the ES industry delivers environmental services in the face of a tighter labour market. For example, autonomous road sweepers are currently being trialled in the Marina coastal area. The trial will help pave the way for operations in more challenging routes in the future. Cleaning doesn’t just happen on land. At Sungei Seletar, the solar-powered autonomous Waterway Cleaning Robot has improved flotsam removal from the waterway and boosted cleaning productivity by 80%. More waterway cleaning robot trials are now underway in other waterways.

8         These examples show us that technology takes time and sustained effort to mature from test labs to operations. With the right mix of support and collaboration, I am confident that we will see more and more of such promising innovations adopted into routine ES operations.

Government Support: Enabling Industry Transformation 

9         The Government remains committed to supporting transformation through initiatives such as the Productivity Solutions Grant (PSG). Through the PSG, NEA is providing a new tranche of $90 million in funding support to the ES industry to help companies adopt technology solutions that enhance efficiency and productivity. This support will lower barriers to technology adoption and enable the industry to deliver quality outcomes in cleaning, waste management, and pest management operations.  I encourage more companies to come forward and apply for the grant, which will be available until 31 March 2027.

Closing

10       Looking at the wide range of partners and stakeholders present at this event, I am reminded that transformation of the ES Industry cannot be achieved by any of us alone. I would like to thank EMAS and all the participating organisations for driving this important work. I also encourage everyone here to take full advantage of today’s activities – to ask questions, explore the solutions at the exhibition, and think about how they can be applied to transform and uplift your work.  Together, we can build an ES industry that is innovative, productive, and future-ready. Thank you, and I wish you all a meaningful day of learning ahead.