Take-up Rate of Funding Support for Initiatives to Reduce Plastic Packaging

Er Dr Lee Bee Wah asked the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources in respect of funding support for initiatives to reduce plastic packaging (a) what is the current take-up rate of the 3R Fund and 3P Partnership Fund; and (b) how popular are these schemes among the food delivery and food and beverage industries.

The Reduce, Reuse and Recycle (3R) Fund is a co-funding scheme that supports companies to reduce waste and encourage recycling. As of July 2018, the National Environment Agency (NEA) has disbursed $1.4 million for 19 completed projects and committed another $2.5 million in support of 22 ongoing projects.

The People, Private and Public (3P) Partnership Fund supports ground-up environmental initiatives. Over the past three years, about $3.2 million was disbursed in support of more than 3,000 projects, with about three quarters of funding going towards waste minimisation activities.

We supported the Zero Waste SG's Bring-Your-Own Campaign which has averted the use of two million pieces of plastic disposables and packaging waste. Four hundred and thirty retailers and food and beverage (F&B) companies came together to encourage consumers to bring their own reusable containers, bottles and bags. We also supported Fraser and Neave (F&N) to work with retailers and tertiary institutions to raise awareness of recycling plastic bottles and aluminium cans.

We are heartened that some food delivery companies are discouraging the overuse of plastics on their own accord. Foodpanda and Deliveroo provide options for customers to exclude disposable cutlery in their orders. We welcome more of such initiatives from the food delivery and F&B industries and are prepared to support companies' efforts to reduce plastic packaging and plastic waste through the 3R and 3P Partnership Funds.