Debated in Parliament on 10 May 2021.
Miss Cheryl Chan Wei Ling asked the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment (a) what are the plans to support companies in introducing sustainable packaging alternatives to single-use plastics; and (b) what considerations are given between the sale of single-use plastic packaging and charging it at the end point of retail sale.
Addressing packaging waste, which includes single-use plastics, is a priority for my Ministry. All packaging, regardless of material type, impacts the environment over its life cycle. Our approach has been to discourage the excessive use of all types of single-use packaging and to promote the use of reusables.
To encourage companies to adopt more sustainable packaging practices, NEA partnered the Singapore Manufacturing Federation to introduce a new industry-led programme called the Packaging Partnership Programme (PPP). The PPP develops industry knowledge and expertise in minimising the amount of packaging materials used for their products, and switching from single-use plastic packaging to reusables, where possible.
To focus companies’ attention on the packaging that they are placing on the market and nudge them to reduce packaging use in their operations, we have introduced measures under the Resource Sustainability Act. From this year, large producers of packaged products and retailers are required to start collecting data on the amount of packaging they put to the market as well as develop plans to reduce, reuse or recycle packaging, for submission to NEA annually. This mandatory reporting will lay the foundation for an Extended Producer Responsibility framework, where producers and retailers will be responsible for the collection and end-of-life management of the packaging materials of their products.
We also need to change consumer habits. Hence, we support the recommendation by the Citizens’ Workgroup on Reducing Excessive Consumption of Disposables for a disposable carrier bag charge at supermarkets and will commence public consultations to develop an appropriate charging model. Jurisdictions that have implemented bag charges have observed as high as a 60% to 90% reduction in the use of disposable bags.
The bag charge will be accompanied by outreach and engagement efforts to remind consumers to take and use disposable carrier bags judiciously, and to bring their own reusable bags. In the long run, bringing reusable bags would also be the more cost-effective and sustainable option since they can be used repeatedly.
PAPERCUTS