Recycling efforts get $8m boost

NEA launches fund on Earth Day, marked by tree-planting, clean-ups
Amresh Gunasingham, Straits Times 23 Apr 09;

THE National Environment Agency (NEA) yesterday launched an $8 million 3R (Reduce, Reuse and Recycle) Fund for Earth Day, to encourage waste minimisation and recycling projects here.

It can be used to offset up to 80 per cent of the cost, capped at $1 million, of starting projects for recycling waste in landed homes, food and beverage outlets, and schools.

It can also be used to start projects to recycle waste like used household batteries, which are currently not recycled.

Speaking at the fund's launch, Environment Minister Yaacob Ibrahim, said: 'Just as we have relied on technology to solve our water challenge, we will also take this route to encourage recycling.

'Ultimately, we hope to change the perception of waste to that of a resource that can be utilised.'

A spokesman for the NEA told The Straits Times that 20 companies, including waste collectors and recycling companies, had expressed interest in applying for the fund.

Dr Yaacob hailed Earth Day, marked yesterday, as a 'very important day in the environmental calendar'.

'Singapore is no different from other countries in facing environmental challenges,' he said.

'On this day, I ask all Singaporeans to play their part and continue to find ways and means to maintain the environmental achievements that we have achieved over the last 40 years.'

A slew of activities to mark the occasion were organised yesterday.

Some 120 students from Woodlands Ring Secondary School helped clean up the mangrove swamps at Pasir Ris Park.

More than 165 trees were planted around the island in activities organised by the National Parks Board.

Footwear and apparel company Timberland Singapore also had a team of 110 volunteers, customers and employees plant 100 trees, including the Tembusu species, at MacRitchie Reservoir.

Households also got in on the act.

Over the last three months, the South West District has held a reality TV-style competition that saw five shortlisted families transform their homes into greener living spaces.

Organised by 3M Singapore in partnership with the South West Community Development Council, the homes were retrofitted with energy-efficient appliances.

These actions saved the five families $430 in utility bills altogether.

Mr Tan Chuan Shin, whose family walked away with a cash prize of $3,000 yesterday, said the competition was an opportunity to learn more about environmental conservation and reduce his bills at the same time.

'We are thrilled to receive the cash prize and will continue to practise the simple energy-saving habits at home,' he said.

$8m recycling fund
Channel NewsAsia, Today Online 23 Apr 09;

An $8-million Reduce, Reuse, Recycle Fund has been launched as part of Earth Day, to co-pay up to 80 per cent of the costs of new projects that can lead to waste minimisation and product recycling.

The fund is open to all companies and Singapore-registered organisations. The Regent Singapore, for one, plans to apply. Since it launched its recycling programme in 2007, the hotel has cut the amount of waste by more than 40 per cent and seen disposal costs reduced by 12 per cent a year.

The hotel’s director for engineering Lee Baharuddin said: “We are looking for machinery that can compact all the recycled waste, as we currently use almost 200 waste bins in the hotel.”