Parliament Q&A
Written Reply to Parliamentary Question on Verifying Approval Process for Singapore's Exported Waste and Rejection Rates
25 February 2026
Written Reply to Parliamentary Question on verifying the approval process for Singapore's exported waste and their rejection rates by Ms Grace Fu, Minister for Sustainability and the Environment.
Questions:
Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong: To asked the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment (a) how the Ministry ensures that the Prior Informed Consent from the state of import or transit required under the Basel Convention has been obtained before waste are exported from Singapore; and (b) what percentage of such waste have been rejected or returned by destination countries in 2024 and 2025.
Answer:
Under the Hazardous Waste (Control of Export, Import and Transit) Act, exporters of hazardous and other wastes controlled under the Basel Convention must obtain a Basel Permit from Singapore’s designated competent authority, the National Environment Agency (NEA), before any export of the waste can take place. NEA grants a Basel Permit to exporters only after receiving written consent under the Basel Convention Prior Informed Consent (PIC) procedure from the competent authorities of the states of import and transit regarding the export proposal. In 2024 and 2025, none of such waste exported under a Basel Permit and PIC procedure was rejected or returned by destination countries.