Do you know what kind of plastics can be recycled? Majority of Singaporeans have no clue

SIAU MING EN Today Online 30 Aug 18;

SINGAPORE — Seven in 10 people in Singapore are not fully certain about the type of plastics that can be recycled, causing many to trash most of the products as general waste instead of recycling them, said the Singapore Environment Council (SEC) in its report on Thursday (Aug 30).

The report was derived from an eight-month study which included a recent survey of 1,003 people here on their plastic usage habits and attitudes towards recycling.

To test their level of awareness on the types of plastics that can be recycled here, the respondents were asked to determine if each of the five plastic items – plastic bags, take-away containers (non-polystyrene), styrofoam containers, bottled drinking water and detergent bottles – can be recycled in Singapore.

Only three in 10 gave the correct answers for all five items.

Only 6 per cent of the plastic waste generated in Singapore was recycled last year, the lowest rate in the last decade. In comparison, the United States and Europe recycle 9 and 30 per cent respectively of such waste annually.

Inconvenience was also listed as the top reason for not recycling plastic waste, said the council.

Respondents who cited this reason for not recycling plastic waste (42 per cent) said it was a hassle to bring their bag of recyclables to the recycling bin, separate it from general waste, as well as having to wash, dry and clean the recyclable plastic items.

But others (35 per cent) said they did not recycle these items as they intend to reuse them for other purposes.

To help recycling efforts, 45 per cent of the respondents said they need more information on the different types of plastics, as well as what can or cannot be recycled.

An earlier set of findings from the same survey released by SEC earlier this month found that people here use at least 1.76 billion supermarket plastic bags, plastic bottle and plastic disposables a year. About half of those surveyed also use three or more plastic bags each time they visit the supermarket.

Further findings released on Thursday showed that the respondents were divided over whether imposing a charge on plastic items will be effective in reducing its use.

However, the majority said incentives such as product discounts, shopping vouchers and membership points for bringing their own bag or container would be effective at cutting down the use of plastic.

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the Singapore Environmental Achievement Awards on Thursday, SEC chairman Isabella Huang-Loh said the low level of awareness on recycling plastics could be due to an earlier emphasis on recycling items such as paper and tins.

Likewise, plastic products often contain different information on recycling since they are imported from several countries. This makes it more complex for people to understand how plastics can be recycled, she said.

The SEC's report on consumer use of plastic and the waste ecosystem in Singapore also made several recommendations.

WHAT CAN BE DONE:

Replace single-use plastic bags

Retailers can get customers to use reusable bags to bag vegetables and fruits at supermarkets, as well as for the bread at bakeries.

Create a market for innovative uses of recycled plastic

Recycled plastics can be converted to oil and fuel using technology, or used in the production of flat-panel displays, and ink and toner cartridges.

Set up specialised recycling companies

The contracts for collecting general waste and recyclables could be separated to allow specialised companies to enter the Singapore market, providing the technology and capabilities to recycle plastic.

Standardise recycling bins

The colour and shape of recycling bins can be standardised so that recycling can be more intuitive. The same goes for labels so that consumers can easily understand the information on recycling.

Introduce legislation and policies targeted at reducing plastic waste

Make it mandatory for public waste collectors to provide recycling bins and collections services to commercial firms as they produce more plastic waste than households.

Inconvenience and ignorance key obstacles to recycling
Environment Council spells out six proposals to boost Singapore's plastic recycling rate
Adrian Lim Straits Times 31 Aug 18;

Non-polystyrene takeaway containers can be recycled after being emptied and rinsed, but styrofoam ones should not be thrown into the blue recycling bins in Singapore.

However, most Singaporeans are not fully aware of such guidelines and which kinds of plastics can and cannot be recycled. This lack of knowledge is why the bulk of plastic products are disposed of as general waste, a report by the Singapore Environment Council (SEC) shows.

The Consumer Plastic and Plastic Resource Ecosystem in Singapore report, released yesterday at the SEC Annual Conference, showed four in 10 cited inconvenience as a reason for not recycling. This is in addition to seven in 10 who indicated they did not fully understand what plastics to recycle. About 20 per cent said they were not aware of the location of the nearest recycling bins.

To tackle the issues, SEC, a non-governmental organisation, has spelt out six recommendations to boost Singapore's plastic recycling rate, which is only at 6 per cent, poorer than for other materials like paper and cardboard, at 50 per cent.

They include giving firms that specialise in recycling technology the opportunity to operate in Singapore.

The council also suggested that public-sector and non-governmental organisations partner major packaging-waste industries, such as food and beverage, to reduce the use of plastic packaging. Another recommendation is to build a market for recycled plastic through innovation, like using recycled plastic to support manufacturing segments such as the electronics sectors. Council executive director Jen Teo said: "In Singapore, our plastic eco-system is mostly linear, which means that plastic goes from producers to consumers, to the waste bin. This places a strain on our waste management systems as well as uses up an enormous amount of natural resources."

For the report commissioned jointly with Deloitte & Touche Enterprise Risk Services, 1,003 people were surveyed from December to May. Despite the lack of awareness on which plastics can be recycled, 45 per cent wanted to learn more.

Environment and Water Resources Minister Masagos Zulkifli said the council's efforts to fight plastic waste, and its call for individuals to use one less plastic item a day, are commendable, and he hopes the public will rise to the challenge.

Mr Emmanual Tay, who runs Eco Innovative, which helps clients monitor and analyse their waste data, said that when recyclable plastic is contaminated by food waste, it is hard to recycle. Recyclable plastic is usually collected, baled and sent overseas, which takes weeks. But if it is contaminated, there may be decomposition and health issues.

During the SEC Annual Conference held at the One Farrer Hotel and Spa, 14 firms and organisations were recognised for their sustainable business practices, as part of the 21st annual Singapore Environmental Achievement Awards.


Seven in 10 Singaporeans unaware of which plastics can be recycled
Adrian Lim Straits Times 30 Aug 18;

SINGAPORE - Non-polystyrene takeaway containers can be recycled after being emptied and rinsed, but styrofoam ones should not be thrown into the blue recycling bins in Singapore.

However, most Singaporeans are not fully aware of such guidelines and which kinds of plastics can or cannot be recycled.

This lack of knowledge is why the bulk of plastic products are disposed of as general waste, a new report by the Singapore Environment Council (SEC) has shown.

The Consumer Plastic And Plastic Resource Ecosystem In Singapore report, which was released on Thursday (Aug 30) at the SEC Annual Conference, also showed that four in 10 cited inconvenience as a reason for not recycling.

This was in addition to the seven in 10 who indicated that they did not fully understand what plastics to recycle. More than 20 per cent also said they were not aware of the location of the nearest recycling bins.

To tackle the issues, the SEC, a non-governmental organisation (NGO), has spelt out six recommendations to help improve Singapore's plastic recycling rate, which is only at 6 per cent, poorer than other materials like paper and cardboard, at 50 per cent.

They include giving companies that specialise in recycling technology the opportunity to operate in Singapore.

The council also suggested that public sector organisations and NGOs partner major packaging-waste industries - such as food and beverage - to reduce the use of plastic packaging.

Another recommendation is to build a market for recycled plastic through innovation, such as using recycled plastic to support major manufacturing segments in Singapore, like the biomedical and electronics industries.

In a survey of more than 1,000 people online, the non-governmental organisation found that people in Singapore take 820 million plastic bags yearly from supermarkets.

"In Singapore, our plastic ecosystem is mostly linear, which means that plastic goes from producers to consumers, to the waste bin," said the council's executive director Jen Teo.

"This places a strain on our waste management systems as well as uses up an enormous amount of natural resources," she added.

Ms Teo said the study shows that there are already existing technologies to convert plastic to fuel, and even use recycled plastic for 3D printing.

For the report, which was commissioned jointly with Deloitte & Touche Enterprise Risk Services, 1,003 Singaporeans were surveyed from last December to May this year.

Despite the lack of awareness on which plastics can be recycled, the poll found that 45 per cent of respondents wanted more information on the matter, suggesting that they do want to recycle.

Environment and Water Resources Minister Masagos Zulkifli said that the council's effort to fight plastic waste, and its call for individuals to use one less plastic item a day, are commendable, and he hopes the public will rise to the challenge.

Mr Masagos said the Government is studying the feasibility of extending the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) approach to plastic and packaging waste.

The EPR approach will apply to producers of electrical and electronic equipment by 2021, and they will have to ensure their products are collected and recycled or disposed of when they reach the end of their lifespan.

He added that the National Environment Agency also recently launched a research grant call for the sustainable design of plastic materials, with the aim for plastics to be made more reusable, easier to recycle and to extract value from waste plastics.

Mr Emmanual Tay, who runs Eco Innovative, a company which helps clients monitor and analyse their waste data, said that when recyclable plastic is contaminated by food waste, it is difficult to recycle.

Recyclable plastic is usually collected, baled, and sent overseas, in a process which takes weeks. But if it is contaminated, there may be decomposition and health issues, Mr Tay added.

“Plastic collectors in Singapore are specific in the type of plastics they can recycle and they can accept,” he said.

During the SEC Annual Conference, held at the One Farrer Hotel and Spa, 14 companies and organisations were also recognised for their sustainable business practices, as part of the 21st annual Singapore Environmental Achievement Awards.

The top award went to technology firm HP PPS Asia Pacific, which is working with suppliers to replace wood pallets used to ship its products with straw ones. This opens up a market for straw waste and also reduces air pollution from burning unwanted straws, the SEC said.