New Life by Bordalo II Public Forum - Dr Janil Puthucheary

1. Good morning. I am delighted to join you today at the New Life by Bordalo II Public Forum. 

2. Just a few days ago, Bordalo’s latest sculpture in Singapore was unveiled.  Many of us will be familiar with his works. His sculptures are striking not only because of their size and creativity, but also importantly because of what they are made from. Materials that have been discarded, forgotten, or treated as waste are transformed into works of art that capture our attention to prompt us to think differently about the world around us.  

3. The theme of today's forum, “Untrashing Nature - How it can be done”, reminds us that waste is not simply a matter of discarding something at the end of its useful life. At its core, it is about how we value the resources that nature provides and how we can use them more responsibly.  

4. Around the world, growing consumption is placing increasing pressure on our environment. More of the world’s finite pool of resources are being extracted, more products are being manufactured, and more waste is being generated. This model of consumption is increasingly unsustainable and underscores the need to rethink how we use and manage our resources. As Bordalo’s works remind us, what we discard still has value. The challenge is how we can better recover that value, rather than allowing useful resources to go to waste.  

Singapore’s Zero Waste Journey 

5. For Singapore, this challenge is particularly pressing. As a small island nation with limited land and no natural resources, we have always had to make the most of what we have. This means not only using resources wisely but also reducing waste and recovering value from materials that would otherwise be discarded.    

6. In 2025, Singapore generated over 7 million tonnes of waste. Of this, about 3.7 million tonnes were recycled, while the remaining 3.4 million tonnes had to be disposed of. Most of the disposed waste is incinerated at our waste-to-energy plant to generate energy. The resulting incineration ash and non-incinerable waste are sent to Semakau Landfill, Singapore's only landfill. Every item that is discarded therefore reduces its remaining lifespan.   

7.  Since the launch of our Zero Waste Masterplan in 2019, Singapore has pursued a multi-pronged approach to reduce waste, increase resource recovery and support our transition towards a circular economy. We have made progress on our three priority waste streams.  

   1. On e-waste, we introduced Singapore's first Extended Producer Responsibility, or EPR, scheme in 2021, which places the responsibility for end-of-life collection and recycling on the producers and importers of electrical and electronic equipment. This was a structural shift in how we approach producer responsibility.  

   2. On food waste, we have introduced mandatory food waste segregation and reporting requirements for large commercial and industrial generators, and we expect the commencement of the Tuas Nexus Food Waste Treatment Facility to make a meaningful difference to the recycling rate.  

   3. On packaging waste, a major milestone this year was the launch of our second EPR scheme — the Return Right Beverage Container Return Scheme — targeting clean stream collection of plastic and metal beverage containers. The scheme entered full implementation this month, and early results have been encouraging. During the six-month transition period, more than 48 million beverage containers had been returned through the scheme, diverting over 800 tonnes of material from incineration for recycling.  

   4. We are also working with the Public Waste Collectors to increase the collection of paper and cardboard from households and trade premises through dedicated avenues. These efforts aim to improve household recycling participation and address issues such as overflowing blue recycling bins and contamination of recyclables. 

8. These initiatives address different parts of the waste value chain, but they share a common goal: reducing waste and keeping valuable resources in circulation for as long as possible.  

9. As a result of our various efforts, over the past decade, daily domestic waste generated per person fell from 1.06 kilograms in 2015 to 0.83 kilograms in 2025, a reduction of about 21 per cent. Non-domestic waste per unit of GDP has fallen by more than 30% over the same period.   

10. We are also seeing growing public participation. According to NEA's latest survey, 78 per cent of households now report that they recycle, up from 72 per cent in 2023. Sustainability is increasingly becoming part of everyday conversation and action.   

11. However, challenges remain. While recycling participation has increased, our overall recycling rate stands at 52 per cent, down from 59 per cent in 2019. This reminds us that encouraging recycling practices is only part of the solution.   

12. We are operating in a challenging global environment, where logistics disruptions, volatile commodity prices and tightening import restrictions have made recycling harder to sustain commercially. These challenges call on us to rethink how we manage waste and recover resources and explore new ways to make circularity more viable in Singapore.   

Review of the Zero Waste Masterplan 

13. This is why I announced a review of our Zero Waste Masterplan earlier this year. The review will take stock of the progress since 2019, assess what has worked well, and identify new opportunities to reduce waste, strengthen resource recovery and extend the lifespan of Semakau Landfill.   

14. As part of this review, MSE and NEA have been engaging stakeholders across the public, private and people sectors. Last month, we conducted a series of World Café dialogues to gather ideas and perspectives from businesses, community partners, environmental groups and members of the public. I was encouraged by the meaningful discussions and suggestions on how Singapore can reduce waste and support a stronger culture of reuse. We will continue to engage stakeholders in the coming months as we work towards a refreshed Zero Waste Masterplan in 2027.  

15. Beyond policies and infrastructure, building a circular economy also requires a shift in how we think about the resources we use, and what we consider to be waste.   

Untrashing Nature Together 

16. This is where initiatives such as New Life by Bordalo II can make a difference. By transforming discarded materials into works of art, Bordalo challenges us to see value in what we might otherwise throw away.  

17. His works remind us that changing our relationship with waste begins with changing how we view waste. Art has a unique ability to spark these important conversations, inspire new perspectives, and encourage more sustainable choices in our everyday lives.   

18. As we gather today to discuss how we can "untrash nature", I hope we all take this opportunity to rethink how we use resources, how we design our systems, and how we build a more sustainable future. The transition to a circular economy will take time. It will require innovation, partnership and collective effort. This is a journey that we must undertake together.  

19. By reducing waste, using resources wisely, and embracing more sustainable lifestyles, each of us can play our part in ensuring that our future generations inherit a cleaner, greener and more resource-efficient tomorrow.  

20. Thank you, and I wish you a fruitful discussion.