Environment & climate — Topics

7 Oct 2019

Insect Farms in Singapore

Leon Perera inquired about the number of insect farms in Singapore, the types of insects allowed for cultivation, and whether plans exist to use post-consumer food waste for insect farming to support recycling.
Masagos Zulkifli confirmed there are two licensed insect farms: one rears insects for pet food under AVS, and another rears Black Soldier Fly Larvae for animal feed under SFA, using waste streams from local food manufacturing.
The SFA-licensed farm uses traceable waste sources like okara and spent brewery grains to produce feed for aquaculture, supporting circular economy goals and reducing waste.
SFA requires proper handling and traceability of insect feed substances to ensure safety and is monitoring developments in insect farming, including practices and regulations, to refine its support and rules.

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7 Oct 2019

Update on NEA Life Cycle Assessment Study on Plastics

Pritam Singh urged the Minister to publicly release the full NEA life cycle assessment study on plastics to support evidence-based climate solutions in Singapore.
The Minister confirmed the study was commissioned in 2016 and key findings were released in 2018, showing all materials have environmental impacts and reusable options are preferable.
The Minister stated that NEA will work with NUS to release more details on the study’s methodologies and assumptions to improve public understanding.

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7 Oct 2019

Standardising Labelling and Colour Coding of All Recycling Bins

Ang Hin Kee asked the Ministry to standardise recycling bin colours and labels across all locations beyond housing estates, including malls, hotels, offices, and industrial estates, to reduce user confusion from current inconsistencies.
Masagos Zulkifli explained that commercial and industrial premises currently have flexibility in bin colour and label choices to accommodate building-specific needs like occupant awareness, space, and design aesthetics.
The Ministry and NEA will study further standardisation of recycling bin colours and consult stakeholders such as waste collectors and building owners to assess feasibility.

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7 Oct 2019

Correct Disposal Method for Household Pharmaceutical Waste

Ms. Irene Quay Siew Ching asked about the correct disposal method for household pharmaceutical waste, including cytotoxics, antibiotics, and controlled drugs.
Masagos Zulkifli B M M stated that such waste can be safely disposed of with general household waste, which is collected by licensed waste collectors.
The waste is incinerated at waste-to-energy plants before the ash is landfilled at Semakau Landfill.

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7 Oct 2019

Measures to Cope with Haze and Air Pollution

Singapore employs a multi-pronged approach combining diplomatic efforts with ASEAN countries, regional cooperation through the ASEAN Specialised Meteorological Centre, and enforcement via the Transboundary Haze Pollution Act (THPA) to hold companies accountable for haze, though no prosecutions have occurred to date due to evidentiary challenges.
The government provides public health protection measures, including daily air quality advisories, distribution of N95 masks to vulnerable groups when the Pollutant Standards Index is very unhealthy, and equipping schools with air purifiers, while noting that cloud-seeding is not considered reliable for Singapore.
Singapore encourages sustainable practices through consumer and financial sector initiatives, such as green labelling schemes and responsible financing guidelines, to disincentivise slash-and-burn methods and reduce haze recurrence, alongside assessing the economic impact of haze episodes on health, education, and business.

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7 Oct 2019

Ownership of Fruit from Trees Located on State Land

Fruit from trees on state or public land belongs to the state, and NParks manages most of these trees.
Members of the public must seek permission from NParks before plucking or collecting fruit from such trees.
Unauthorized fruit collection in public parks can incur fines up to $5,000, while in nature reserves or national parks, fines can reach $50,000 and/or imprisonment up to six months.

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7 Oct 2019

Reviewing Temperature Tolerable Limits when Conducting Stability Testing for Pharmaceutical Products In View of Global Warming

Irene Quay Siew Ching asked whether HSA is reviewing temperature tolerable limits for pharmaceutical stability testing given global warming, and whether current 30°C limits remain valid as daily temperatures often exceed 34°C.
Health Minister Gan Kim Yong stated that HSA's testing standards, including 30°C long-term studies and 40°C short-term excursions, align with stringent international guidelines and are robust enough to ensure medicine quality despite current temperature elevations.
Gan Kim Yong noted that medicines are stored in temperature-controlled premises and patients are advised to store medications away from sunlight, and that HSA will continue monitoring environmental changes and review requirements with international regulators.

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7 Oct 2019

Haze Management Strategies for Singapore Healthcare Institutes

MOH has issued guidelines to all public healthcare institutions, including hospitals, polyclinics, and nursing homes, to protect patients and staff during haze periods, with funding provided for air purifiers and portable coolers in naturally ventilated wards.
Healthcare institutions monitor vulnerable groups like the elderly, pregnant women, and those with chronic conditions for haze-related health effects and provide appropriate medical care, while also ensuring adequate supplies of masks, medications, and staffing for emergencies.
Public hospitals and polyclinics have plans to manage surge demands, such as fast-track consultations and home medication delivery, and newer hospitals incorporate air filtration systems to supply filtered air during haze.

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7 Oct 2019

Efforts to Reduce Greenhouse Emissions by Industries in Singapore

Anthea Ong questioned the government's plans to reduce industrial greenhouse gas emissions, the annual import and refinement of fossil fuels, how these relate to Singapore's carbon emissions, the expected percentage increase from refinery expansions, and the strategic support for industries to meet climate demands.
Dr. Koh Poh Koon responded that Singapore imports large volumes of fossil fuels, with a significant portion refined and exported, and that industries account for most of the country's emissions; the government has enhanced energy efficiency schemes, grants, and regulations to help industries reduce emissions and meet Paris Agreement targets.
When asked about the specific percentage increase in emissions from refinery expansions, Dr. Koh noted this information is commercially sensitive but reaffirmed the commitment to reduce emissions intensity and peak emissions by 2030.
Anthea Ong further inquired if Singapore's global carbon emissions contribution (0.11%) includes refinery emissions, and Dr. Koh confirmed it encompasses the country's total emissions.

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4 Sep 2019

Resource Sustainability Bill

The debate focused on the Resource Sustainability Bill to address e-waste, packaging waste, and food waste, with members expressing broad support while raising concerns about costs, implementation, and fairness for businesses and consumers.
Speakers emphasized the need for practical measures to reduce waste at the source, improve recycling infrastructure, and avoid disproportionately burdening SMEs, while also calling for clearer targets, better e-commerce coverage, and incentives for waste reduction.
The government responded by outlining a phased, consultative approach, highlighting support for businesses, plans for extended producer responsibility schemes, and the establishment of a Citizens' Workgroup to address issues like single-use plastics.

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4 Sep 2019

Resource Sustainability Bill

The Resource Sustainability Bill introduces a mandatory framework targeting three key waste streams—e-waste, packaging waste, and food waste—by requiring producers and large businesses to register, report, and finance collection and recycling efforts, including an Extended Producer Responsibility scheme for e-waste by 2021 and packaging reporting from 2020.
The bill aims to build climate, resource, and economic resilience by shifting to a circular economy, with projections that improved recycling could yield net benefits of $40 million from e-waste alone and extend Semakau Landfill's lifespan beyond 2035.
Speakers supported the bill but raised concerns about potential cost increases for businesses and consumers, the need for clearer targets and incentives for SMEs, and challenges in implementing food waste segregation in buildings like hawker centres and schools.
Additional points highlighted include the importance of public education, nudging consumer behavior to reduce convenience-driven waste, addressing transnational waste flows, and ensuring accountability for exported recyclables to avoid environmental harm.
Suggestions were made to strengthen the bill with measures such as banning single-use plastics, promoting food redistribution via Good Samaritan laws, and providing grants or tax breaks to support businesses in transitioning to sustainable practices.

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4 Sep 2019

Conditions in Government Contracts that Encourage Environmental, Social and Governance Practices

The Government's procurement process incorporates ESG criteria, such as requiring green certification for ICT equipment and venues, and mandating Green Mark Platinum standards for new public buildings.
National frameworks for tracking ESG performance include mandatory energy and water usage reporting for large consumers, sustainability reporting for listed companies, and ESG criteria embedded in business excellence awards.
Incentives for ESG practices include green financing initiatives, tax deductions for employee volunteerism, grants for social enterprises, and wage offsets for inclusive hiring of persons with disabilities.

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3 Sep 2019

Amount of Food Waste Generated in Singapore

Anthea Ong inquired about the total food waste generated in Singapore in 2017 and 2018 from specific sectors including hawker centres, hotels, caterers, meat importers and distributors, and pre-packed food manufacturers.
Masagos Zulkifli responded that approximately 810,000 tonnes of food waste was generated in 2017 and 763,000 tonnes in 2018.
He noted that about half of the food waste came from residential households, with the remainder from other sources such as food manufacturers, importers, distributors, caterers, hotels, and hawker centres.
The National Environment Agency (NEA) does not track the specific amount of food waste generated from each individual source category.
The response clarified that while overall food waste figures are available, detailed breakdowns by sector are not maintained by the NEA.

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3 Sep 2019

Application Form for NDP 2020 Tickets to Include Questions for Applicants to Indicate Preference for Eco-friendly Items for Funpack

Louis Ng Kok Kwang proposed adding a question to the NDP 2020 ticket application form to let applicants choose between single-use plastic bottles, reusable bottles, or eco-friendly funpack items, emphasizing environmental messaging.
The Senior Minister of State for Defence explained that funpack planning requires long lead times and balancing spectator comfort with sponsor-provided eco-friendly options, noting unwanted items can be donated at collection points to inform future planning.
Ng further urged eliminating plastic bottles at NDP and promoting reusable bottle use, with the Minister agreeing on shared environmental goals and detailing efforts to reduce single-use plastics, such as cutting water bottles in funpacks and saving over 1.7 million plastic pieces in 2019.
MP Yee Chia Hsing suggested collecting single-use light-up wristbands for recycling, and the Minister confirmed collection points exist and encouraged spectators to return unwanted items there.

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3 Sep 2019

Statistics and Further Measures on High-rise Littering

NEA uses surveillance cameras to catch high-rise littering offenders, reporting over 2,200 caught between 2012 and 2018 with 52 repeat offenders, and employs fines up to $10,000 and Corrective Work Orders as deterrents, while acknowledging community engagement is essential for long-term change.
Enforcement investigations typically take 10 weeks to six months, with prioritization based on severity and evidence; NEA is open to exploring better technology, such as smaller cameras, but emphasizes that deterrence and behavior change are the primary goals.
Members of Parliament raised concerns about the effectiveness of current measures, including long investigation times, persistent littering despite cameras, and suggested harsher penalties like flat repossession, to which NEA responded that extreme measures are available but require careful case-by-case consideration.

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2 Sep 2019

Systems in Place to Assess Indoor Air Quality Standards in Public and Work Places

The Building Control Act and Singapore Standard Code of Practice (SS 553) mandate fresh air intake and ventilation requirements, while the BCA Green Mark schemes assess and encourage the use of low-emission green building materials.
The Singapore Standard Code of Practice (SS 554) and Workplace Safety and Health Council guidelines provide guidance on managing indoor air quality, with building owners and facility managers responsible for implementation.
The National Environment Agency conducts surveys, monitors public feedback, and works with agencies to educate and assist building stakeholders on identifying and improving indoor air quality, supported by occupant feedback.

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2 Sep 2019

Complaints Received of Pet Owners Not Cleaning up after Their Pets

Dr Lee Bee Wah asked the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources about the number of complaints received regarding pet owners not cleaning up after their pets, the number of pet owners identified and penalised, and whether more measures are planned.
In 2018, the National Environment Agency received about 800 instances of feedback about pet owners not cleaning up after their pets in public areas, with five enforcement actions taken in recent years.
The government's main approach is to foster a culture of responsible pet ownership through education and community engagement, including working with community leaders, Town Councils, and placing reminders in residential areas.
The Minister urged all pet owners to be considerate and play their part in keeping Singapore clean, emphasizing the importance of responsible pet ownership.

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2 Sep 2019

Measures Taken to Minimise Impact of Recent Indonesian Forest Fires

The National Environment Agency (NEA) is monitoring air quality and issuing daily advisories, while an inter-agency Haze Task Force coordinates action plans to mitigate haze effects in Singapore.
Singapore collaborates with ASEAN countries through the ASEAN Specialised Meteorological Centre to share forecasts, has set aside $5 million for regional support, and notes Indonesia's efforts have reduced haze in recent years.
Despite drier conditions increasing haze risk, Singapore and other ASEAN members reaffirmed commitment to the ASEAN Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution and will meet in October 2019 to assess progress toward a haze-free ASEAN by 2020.

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2 Sep 2019

Singapore as Thought-and-industry Leader on Solutions to Tackle Effects of Climate Change

Christopher de Souza asked if Singapore can lead globally in climate solutions and how polder spaces could be used for work, live, and play areas.
Masagos Zulkifli emphasized robust climate science through the Centre for Climate Research Singapore and a new $10 million National Sea Level Research Programme.
Singapore is piloting polder projects with the Dutch model, with lessons to guide future coastal protection strategies.
The government is driving innovation with industry and academia to turn climate challenges into opportunities, while implementing domestic mitigation measures.
Collective effort from all Singaporeans is needed to ensure a sustainable future and credibility in global climate agreements.

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2 Sep 2019

Steps Taken to Secure and Invest in Singapore's Long Term Food Security

The Singapore Food Agency (SFA) pursues three strategies: diversifying import sources, growing local production, and supporting Singaporean companies to grow overseas.
For import diversification, SFA accredits more farms globally and requires importers of key items like eggs to have contingency plans to mitigate supply disruptions.
To grow local, SFA aims for "30 by 30" — producing 30% of nutritional needs locally by 2030 — using innovative and sustainable technologies, supported by funds like the Agriculture Productivity Fund and the Singapore Food Story R&D Programme.
The government is exploring urban farming in alternative spaces, such as vacant carparks, to bring food production closer to communities and reduce carbon footprint.
SFA also supports overseas expansion of Singaporean companies to overcome local constraints, achieve economies of scale, and lower export prices to Singapore.

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