Manufacturers’ Information on Recycling Classification on Product Packages

Miss Cheryl Chan Wei Ling asked the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources whether there are plans to request manufacturers to provide information to consumers on the recycling classification of their product packages or by displaying marks on their packaging to increase public awareness on how to recycle.

We currently have no plans to require manufacturers to provide consumers with the recycling classification of their product packaging or to display such labels on their packaging. In countries that require consumers to sort and segregate their recyclables, recycling labels are useful to inform consumers of the material that the packaging is made of. Consumers are then able to deposit the packaging in the appropriate recycling bin.

However, Singapore adopts a commingled approach for the collection of household recyclables under the National Recycling Programme. The public does not need to sort their recyclables according to material type. All recyclables are collected in the same bin and transported to material recovery facilities where they are sorted, baled and sent for recycling. The commingled approach makes recycling more convenient for the public, takes up less space and facilitates more efficient collection of recyclables.

My Ministry and NEA will continue to work closely with all stakeholders to raise public awareness on recycling, including exploring the possibility of displaying recycling labels on packaging. We launched the #RecycleRight movement to encourage Singaporeans to recycle right. The key is to avoid contamination of recyclables through food waste and liquids. We also rolled out a redesigned recycling label for our blue commingled bins to clearly indicate examples of what can and cannot be recycled.