Encouraging Uptake of "Haze-free" Cooking Oil by Restaurants

Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang asked the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources considering the ready availability of "haze-free" cooking oil or certified sustainable palm oil in Singapore (a) whether the Government will consider subsidising its higher cost to increase the uptake by restaurants; and (b) what other methods the Ministry is considering to encourage its uptake.

The Ministry supports efforts by industries and non-government organisations to promote the use of certified sustainable palm oil (CSPO). Uncontrolled burning for land preparation is not permitted in the production of CSPO. Wider adoption of CSPO would help to reduce the likelihood of haze pollution in Southeast Asia where nearly 90% of the world's palm oil is produced.

Globally, the availability of CSPO is limited. The Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO), an internationally recognised certification body for sustainable palm oil, certifies only about 17% of the total palm oil produced globally. Emerging markets, such as China and India, account for nearly half of the global palm oil imports. We hope that greater awareness of the impact of unsustainable farming practices in the palm oil sector will encourage consumers to demand more CSPO. This is already happening in Europe, where companies and governments have started to harmonise initiatives across countries to green the palm oil supply chain.

The Ministry is pleased to see ground-up efforts in Singapore, by industries and NGOs, to promote the adoption of CSPO. We support the mission of the Singapore Alliance on Sustainable Palm Oil, founded by the World Wide Fund Singapore, Unilever, Danone, Ayam Brand, IKEA and Wildlife Reserves Singapore. In addition, the Singapore Environment Council has launched a new product category for products that contain palm oil under its Singapore Green Labelling Scheme (SGLS). Consumers can play a part by purchasing products with either the RSPO label or, in future, the SGLS label.

We are heartened that Singapore's biggest supermarket chain, the National Trades Union Congress' FairPrice, carries CSPO products. The People's Movement to Stop Haze, a local NGO, has also produced a "Haze-Free Cooking Oil" Guide for local consumers and businesses to encourage them to make the switch to cooking oil from CSPO sources. Contrary to general perception, the price of CSPO cooking oil can be comparable to that of non-CSPO cooking oil.

Together, we can work towards the vision of CSPO becoming the norm in Singapore and internationally.