Response to Adjournment Motion on Towards a Safer, Plastic-Lite Singapore - Dr Janil Puthucheary

1. Mr Speaker, I thank Ms Poh Li San for her interest, her passion and her hard work on this important issue, and for urging us all to reduce our plastic waste.

2. We share her concerns about the impact of waste and plastic waste in particular, and welcome her efforts to reduce, reuse and recycle. She has highlighted areas where we can, and as a society do more, and she has also made it clear that a key shift is necessary in our behaviour.

3. In my speech I will highlight the efforts that we are already making, as well as programme funding that already supports initiatives to reduce waste. I would urge members of the house to encourage further participation in these programmes by community stakeholders.

4. Sir, the topic of plastic waste and pollution has been widely debated around the world. And each country has its own unique context and challenges, let me start by setting the context for Singapore as these directly shape what effective interventions would look like.

Singapore’s Approach towards Plastic and Plastic Pollution

5. In Singapore, we have a robust waste management system. All of our plastic waste is collected for disposal or recycling. Any waste that cannot be recycled is treated at our waste-to-energy incineration plants before the ash is sent to Semakau Landfill.

6. This robust waste management system and strict anti-littering regulations limit the leakage of plastic waste into the environment. One study found that about 97% of plastic waste found on Singapore’s beaches originate from offshore sources.

7. Ms Poh Li San has a concern on the potential health impact of microplastics that leak into our environment. NEA, PUB and the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) regularly monitor the latest scientific developments on this issue. Our agencies are also monitoring the levels of microplastics in our drinking water and food.

8. While we have been successful in limiting the leakage of plastics into the environment, managing our consumption and disposal of plastics remains a challenge. In 2024, almost 14 per cent of all waste generated was plastics, with a large proportion being packaging and single-use plastics. Recycling of plastics is also low, with only 5 per cent recycled in 2024. This in turn results in carbon emissions when we incinerate plastic waste.

9. However, plastics serve many useful functions, and some will continue to be essential to our daily lives. For example, plastic packaging protects goods such as fresh foods from moisture, contamination and damage. And in our daily lives, many of us also use plastic bags to dispose of our household waste.

10. This is why our approach has been to reduce the use of disposables, minimise irresponsible consumption and improper disposal, and encourage reuse and recycling as much as possible.

Encouraging Behaviour Change and Industry Transformation

11. In line with this approach, the government has implemented several initiatives to promote individual behavioural change, and help industry become more sustainable. Let me share about the initiatives and progress we have made, which span across the 3Rs - reduce, reuse, and recycle.

12. To encourage sustainable individual consumption patterns, we introduced the Disposable Carrier Bag Charge in 2023, to encourage shoppers to bring their own reusable bags when grocery shopping at supermarkets and hence reduce the use of disposables. A survey by the NEA a year after its implementation found that more than 90 per cent of shoppers brought their own reusable bags, with supermarket operators reporting a 70 to 80 per cent reduction in the number of disposable carrier bags issued.

13. Industry is another key partner in our efforts, and we have a suite of measures to support industry in adopting and scaling up more sustainable practices.

14. To build industry capability, we launched the Packaging Partnership Programme (PPP) in 2021. Under this programme, NEA conducts regular outreach sessions and trainings, supporting companies in adopting sustainable packaging waste management practices, such as improved design to optimise packaging size and weight. The PPP today has over 570 members, and is an important platform for industry collaboration on sustainable packaging.

15. These efforts have paid off. We have seen industry players stepping up in response. In March this year, the Alliance for Action on Packaging Waste Reduction for the E-commerce Sector, which comprises 14 companies across the e-commerce supply chain, published a set of practical guidelines on sustainable e-commerce packaging. The guidelines provide a comprehensive list of practical 3R solutions for e-commerce. This is a much-needed resource given the rapid growth in e-commerce in Singapore.  

Community and Private Sector Efforts

16. Government efforts alone will not be enough. Reducing plastic waste is a shared mission that requires the participation of everyone, and I am heartened to hear Ms Poh’s two suggestions to incentivise re-use and encourage BYO. We have worked with community members, NGOs and businesses to implement similar ideas.

17. To encourage more ground-up initiatives, we launched the SG Eco Fund in 2020 to support community projects that aim to advance environmental sustainability, including those that reduce, reuse and recycle waste. The SG Eco Fund complements other sources of funding provided by NEA, including the Closing the Resource Loop Funding Initiative which promotes research and development on resource recovery solutions, and the 3R Fund which supports organisations in the implementation of projects that reduce waste generation by promoting reuse or recycling systems.

18. I am glad to hear that Ms Poh Li San and her colleagues are actively supporting ground-up commercial solutions that promote reuse, such as refill services for laundry detergent. I would like to highlight that the SG Eco Fund can support projects promoting reuse or BYO initiatives such as refill services. One example is Muuse, which ran a pilot project to provide reusable containers for customers at a hawker centre. If you have more of such innovative sustainability ideas that benefit the community, I encourage you to apply for the SG Eco Fund.

19. The idea of encouraging BYO is also a good one. At a national level, we have seen many like-minded organisations come forward to offer such incentives. This year, we welcomed 99 new partners to NEA’s annual “Say YES to Waste Less” campaign, with several such as NUS and AtTea leading the way in introducing incentives for customers who bring their own reusable tumblers or lunchboxes for takeaway food and drinks.

20. We welcome more to join these efforts, including coffeeshops who offer discounts on drinks when patrons bring their own reusables. F&B operators who are interested in additional recognition for their sustainable practices can also apply for the Singapore Environment Council’s Eco F&B certification.

21. Small changes in habits can have a big impact when adopted widely. I thank Ms Poh for highlighting the Beverage Container Return Scheme which we will introduce next year to encourage the public to return used plastic and metal beverage containers for recycling. Like other initiatives to encourage reduction and reuse, this scheme will require support from the public to deliberately collect and return your beverage containers for recycling. We seek everyone’s support to participate actively and make this scheme a success.

Conclusion

22. Mr Speaker, the global challenge of tackling plastic pollution requires everyone to pitch in. While the Government has a significant role to play in supporting this journey, sustained change will be dependent on our choices – choices to cultivate new habits, and choices adopt greener practices. With the right mindset, habits, and systems in place, we can build a more sustainable Singapore together. Thank you, Sir.