Implementation of Disposable Carrier Bag Charge and Impact on Lower-income Groups

Mr Don Wee asked the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment in view of the current global economic crisis, whether the Ministry will (i) consider deferring the implementation of the charging model for disposable carrier bags and (ii) assess the potential impact of such additional charges on the lower income groups.

Mr Gan Thiam Poh asked the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment (a) whether the Ministry plans to allow only the use of biodegradable plastic bags to replace the current plastic bags; and (b) whether the Ministry will consider incentivising the use of such biodegradable bags to balance the need of residents to bag their trash before they are disposed into common rubbish chutes in our high-rise environment.

Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang asked the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment (a) when will the Ministry complete the public consultation on developing an appropriate disposable carrier bag charge at supermarkets; (b) what measures is the Ministry considering to take to lower the impact of this charge on lower income families; and (c) whether the Ministry will consider charging per bag from the third bag and providing lower income families with a reusable shopping bag each.

Thank you. In 2020, about 200,000 tonnes of disposables such as carrier bags and takeaway containers were thrown away in Singapore, sufficient to fill 400 Olympic-sized swimming pools. Excessive consumption of disposables is unsustainable and can be avoided if all stakeholders work together to change mindsets, habits and behaviour. Implementing a charge for single-use carrier bags at supermarkets is one of the recommendations submitted by the Citizens' Workgroup on Reducing the Excessive Consumption of Disposables to change social behaviour. Many jurisdictions overseas have already implemented disposable carrier bag charges with positive results.

For example, bag charges in jurisdictions such as Hong Kong, Ireland, the United Kingdom, Taiwan and the Netherlands have reduced consumption of disposable bags by about 60% to 90%.

A disposable carrier bag charge is not new to Singapore. As part of the Plastic ACTion business initiative started by World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Singapore, retailers such as Uniqlo, Watsons, H&M and The Body Shop have committed to a bag charge and collectively achieved over 60% reduction in single-use bags. NTUC FairPrice has also piloted bag charges and received positive response. Last year, their year-long "No Plastic Bag" initiative at 25 supermarkets and convenience stores resulted in more than 15 million plastic bags saved.

In developing an appropriate model for a disposable carrier bag charge at supermarkets, the National Environment Agency (NEA) will study overseas examples and consult key stakeholders and members of the public. For example, the amount to be charged; whether the charge will apply per transaction, or per bag from the first or third bag; implementation timeline; and how the charge proceeds will be used. We will take into account our local context, such as the current practice of reusing disposable carrier bags to bag rubbish for disposal. We will also look into any possible impact of a charge, especially on the more vulnerable groups such as low-income households, and will consult MSF and social service agencies on the possible mitigation measures to address the impact.

We will also consult supermarket operators on other details, such as how the charge could apply to home deliveries and training supermarket employees, including those who pack groceries for deliveries, to minimise packaging use. We aim to complete our consultations by the end of the year.

Plastic waste generated in Singapore is either recycled or sent to our waste-to-energy plants for incineration and not landfilled directly. As the environmental benefits of using biodegradable plastic bags do not apply in Singapore, we have no plans to encourage their use over conventional plastic bags. Every type of packaging material results in different environmental impacts such as carbon emissions and water consumption. Rather than substituting plastic disposables with disposables made of other materials such as biodegradable plastics, the more sustainable approach is to reduce the excessive use of disposables altogether.

The disposable carrier bag charge is intended to discourage the excessive use of disposable bags and to promote the use of reusables. However, this measure alone is not a silver bullet. We must address this issue on multiple fronts, from enhancing public education and awareness, to behavioural nudges, to working with producers and retailers to use less packaging upstream. All of us must play our part to catalyse a mindset and behavioural shift towards a greener and zero-waste Singapore.

Thank you, Sir. I thank the Senior Minister of State for the good news. Could I just ask whether while limiting the current disposable charge only to supermarkets, can we also explore other retail outlets, including the e-commerce platforms as well?

We will only be looking into requiring a disposable bag charge in supermarkets to start with because we need to, first of all, develop a model that is workable and then, to look into the impact and any unintended consequences before we consider if this could be expanded further. In fact, in jurisdictions like Hong Kong and Taiwan, they do take a phased approach too.

Thank you. I would like to ask whether any studies have been done to show that our households, on average, how many plastic bags do they use per month or per year? What is going to be the impact on the average household?

There was an SEC study in 2018, regarding the number of plastic bags that is taken out from the supermarkets; most people frequent supermarkets. I think in 2018, it was about 820 million, which is about 146 bags per person per year.

Thank you, Deputy Speaker. I just have one clarification. Instead of charging for plastic bag usage, whether the Ministry has considered and explored incentivising "Bring Your Own Bag" initiative instead.

I thank the Member for her supplementary question. As I have noted, charging for disposable carrier bags in supermarkets is not a silver bullet. We need to do this on multiple fronts. Actually, NEA has supported, say, Zero Waste SG, for instance, in their initiative to reach out to F&B and other retailers to incentivise people to bring their own reusable containers and bags. This is one way to also shift mindsets and behavioural change. But I think we need to approach this from multiple fronts and we have seen other countries implementing disposable carrier bag charge as well as some of our retailers with positive response; and so we are actually working on this front now.