A look at the Singapore Environmental Council's seal of approval for sustainable practices by companies in Singapore.
Liyana Othman Channel NewsAsia 20 Oct 15;
SINGAPORE: As the haze situation continues to persist, the spotlight has been on eco-labelling schemes like the Singapore Green Label, which certifies products that are environmentally friendly.
One company that had its products certified was Asia Pulp and Paper. Its Green Label has now been suspended after the National Environment Agency (NEA) launched investigations into its role in the forest fires in Indonesia. The company has admitted that fires were raging on its suppliers' land concessions.
Each company that wants to certify its products has to go through an audit process to qualify for certification.
Companies in the cement and concrete business make up about 16 per cent of firms that have earned the Singapore Green Label seal. One such company is E.MIX, a producer of pre-mix plaster and mortar used for tiles, ceilings and walls.
It has 16 products certified by the Green Label scheme and is working on getting more products endorsed. The pre-mix is made up of three components: Cement, sand and additives.
The production of cement emits a significant amount of carbon dioxide emissions. So to conserve the environment, E.MIX substitutes 4 to 10 per cent of its cement with recycled by-products of waste material.
Not only does the pre-mix plaster and mortar contain environmentally friendly materials, even the paperbags they're packed into are sustainably procured. The company also ensures its processes do not harm the environment.
"We do see a growing trend towards Green Label products,” said Mr Gordon Tan, general manager at E.MIX Industry Singapore. “The adoption of Green Label products can only speed up if the authority regulates them, or when the consumer starts to get more awareness. A good example is the haze that we have been exposed to over the past few weeks. This could have heightened consumer awareness to ask more questions about suppliers' sustainable source."
Companies that apply for the Singapore Green Label Scheme have to meet criteria set by the Singapore Environment Council (SEC) to get their products certified.
"The companies that apply for the Singapore Green Labelling Scheme essentially have to meet our internal criteria for the product itself,” said head of eco-certification at SEC Kavickumar Muruganathan. “So every product, when it comes to us, they have a checklist where they have to meet. They have to submit test reports, safety data sheets of certain products as well as their whole environmental management plan, to ensure that their practices are not environmentally pollutive, and they have the best green practices."
SEC also appoints third-party auditors to act as an additional layer of checks. Companies have to pay S$1,500 to get a Green Label. The seal is good for one year and the cost of renewal is S$1,000.
"The idea in the market right now is, environmentally-friendly products usually are slightly higher-priced than normal products,” said Mr Kavickumar. “This change to help the price be lowered can't happen overnight. I think companies can actually do their part to absorb the cost of green products."
SEC also hopes that demand will increase for environmentally-friendly products. This will create greater economies of scale and result in lower prices for such products.
- CNA/ek
