Options to Reduce Contamination of Recycled Items

Miss Cheryl Chan Wei Ling asked the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment with regard to promoting recycling (a) whether more options are being explored to reduce the contamination rate amongst the current recycled items; (b) whether an emphasis is made to prioritise industrial recycling; and (c) whether any assistance will be provided to encourage the process with relevant industries.

Ms Hany Soh asked the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment whether the Ministry will consider reviewing the design of the blue recycling bins and increasing the frequency of recyclable waste collection from housing estates.

Encouraging recycling as a way of life is a priority for my Ministry and NEA. To make it more convenient for residents to recycle, all HDB estates, condominiums, private apartments and landed properties are provided with recycling bins. Most of these bins are provided by Public Waste Collectors (PWCs) appointed by NEA, as part of the National Recycling Programme (NRP).

Since April 2020, NEA has also raised the minimum frequency of recyclables collection for HDB estates to three times weekly, from once a week previously, for the 660 litre recycling bins. Side-loading recycling bins with three times the usual capacity have been introduced in estates where space allows, with a collection frequency of once a week due to its larger capacity. NEA is also working with the PWCs to increase the resources deployed to collect recyclables from locations with higher recycling demand.

However, the recyclables collected under NRP are often contaminated when items containing food or liquid waste are disposed of in recycling bins, or when non-recyclable items, such as soft toys and clothing, are placed in recycling bins. To improve household recycling and reduce contamination rates, NEA launched the inaugural Recycle Right campaign in 2019. In January 2022, NEA introduced a new recycling mascot, Bloobin, as well as educational and user-friendly content to encourage schools and the community to cultivate the right recycling habit. A search engine was also developed to help residents search for and identify items that can be recycled (www.go.gov.sg/recycleright).

To consider other ways to reduce the contamination of recyclables, we recently carried out two concurrent pilots on the use of transparent recycling bins at Hong Kah North SMC and East Coast GRC, which was a suggestion from the Recycle Right Citizens' Workgroup to encourage the right recycling behaviour. We will evaluate findings from the pilots to consider if we should review the design of the blue recycling bins.

To promote industrial recycling, we have put in place the Mandatory Waste Reporting framework. Large hotels, shopping malls, industrial premises, such as factories and warehouses, as well as convention and exhibition centres are required to submit annual waste disposal and recycling data, as well as waste reduction plans to NEA.

We have also established a nationwide system for the recovery of electronic and electrical waste and are doing so for food waste and packaging waste including plastics. We implemented an Extended Producer Responsibility scheme for e-waste in July 2021, which enables the recovery and aggregation of useful materials such as metals, from e-waste for reuse.

For packaging waste, we started with the Mandatory Packaging Reporting in 2021, which requires large producers of packaged products and retailers to report packaging data and develop 3R (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) plans for packaging waste. Efforts are also ongoing to develop a beverage container return scheme, where a refundable deposit is included in the price of the prepackaged beverages to encourage consumers to return empty beverage containers to designated return points. Jurisdictions that have implemented such a scheme have seen the return rate for beverage containers increase significantly, to as high as 80%. This aggregates a clean stream of recyclables that can be more easily recycled.

For food waste, we will require operators of industrial and commercial buildings that generate large amounts of food waste to segregate the food waste for treatment. This will convert food waste into energy or higher value products, such as compost and non-potable water.

Beyond regulations, NEA is also supporting companies to adopt best practices to recycle and minimise waste. For example, NEA has developed guidebooks for industrial developments, shopping malls, offices, hotels and the MICE industry to set up 3R programmes. These guidebooks provide a step-by-step guide to implement a 3R programme tailored to the premises and highlights the best practices and case studies in the industry.

The Singapore Manufacturing Federation, in partnership with NEA, has also launched the Packaging Partnership Programme (PPP) as an industry-led capability development programme for sustainable packaging waste management. Under PPP, training sessions are organised to facilitate the exchange of sustainable packaging best practices and trends. PPP, currently, has 310 members across a variety of industries, such as food and beverage, pharmaceuticals, electronics and the packaging supply chain, from packaging manufacturers and logistics service providers to retailers.

MSE and NEA are also on the lookout for good ideas to promote and encourage more and correct recycling practices among companies and households in Singapore. Recycling, which is an integral part of our efforts to develop a truly circular economy, requires a whole-of-society effort and we welcome constructive and innovative suggestions from the public.