Indonesia: Government committed to reducing plastic waste

Antara 8 Mar 18;

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The Indonesian government has committed to reducing plastic waste in its maritime areas, Expert Staff for Marine Ecology and Marine Resources of the Maritime Affairs and Fisheries minister, Aryo Hanggono stated.

"The government will reduce plastic waste up to 70 percent by 2025," he remarked here on Thursday.

Currently, he noted that a draft of the presidential regulation on the management of plastic waste at sea was being formulated to ensure coordination between the central and local governments.

He noted that banana peels took two weeks to decompose, while plastic bags took 10-20 years to decompose, and plastic bottles took hundreds of years to decompose.

In addition, he remarked that several studies also indicated that if no significant changes are brought about, the ratio of plastic to fish in the oceans is expected to reach three is to one by 2025, and the oceans will contain more plastic than fish by 2050.

Meanwhile, Executive Director of Kehati Foundation M. S. Sembiring pointed out that Indonesia has the largest biodiversity in the world.

Earlier, Minister of Marine Affairs and Fisheries Susi Pudjiastuti stated that the volume of marine biomass in the nation`s maritime areas had risen significantly after the implementation of the government`s policy to ban the entry of foreign ships into Indonesian waters.

"The volume of biomass in the sea has risen up to 300 percent. The production of capture fisheries has increased, as foreign ships have been barred from entering Indonesian waters," she remarked here on Wednesday (Feb 28).

According to Pudjiastuti, following a moratorium on the issuance of licenses to former foreign fishing vessels, more than seven thousand ships have left the Indonesian state waters.

The minister expressed belief that the issuance of licenses to foreign vessels to buy fishing concessions in the territorial waters of Indonesia was a wrong decision.

Pudjiastuti noted that the eradication of illegal fishing practices held significance, as a form of law enforcement and state sovereignty, since it benefits the country economically.

Reported by Muhammad Razi Rahman
M052/INE
(T.M052/A/KR-BSR/A014)
Editor: Heru Purwanto

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Man jailed for illegally importing hard corals from the Philippines

Channel NewsAsia 7 Mar 18;

SINGAPORE: A 39-year-old man was sentenced to two months' jail on Wednesday (Mar 7) for illegally importing hard corals.

Cheng Yee Yong was found guilty of bringing in a consignment of corals from the Philippines which had been declared as "plastic aquarium ornaments".

All hard corals are protected species listed under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), and a valid CITES permit is required for their import or export, which Cheng did not have.

He was caught after authorities acted on a tip-off, said the Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority (AVA) and the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) in a joint news release on Wednesday.

They worked with a logistics company to follow up on the case. At the importer's premises, AVA seized 75 hard corals and five soft corals wrapped in plastic bags lined with paper and concealed in ceramic mugs.

The corals are now under the care of Resorts World Sentosa.

Under the Endangered Species (Import and Export) Act, those convicted of illegally importing protected species can be fined a maximum of S$500,000 and jailed up to two years.

"The Singapore Government has zero tolerance on the use of Singapore as a conduit to smuggle endangered species and their parts and derivatives," said AVA and ICA.

Source: CNA/gs


Man jailed 2 months for illegally importing 80 corals
Charmaine Ng Straits Times 7 Mar 18;

SINGAPORE - A man was sentenced to two months' jail on Wednesday (March 7) for illegally importing corals.

Cheng Yee Yong, 39, committed the offence last year.

A total of 75 hard corals and five soft corals wrapped in plastic bags lined with paper and concealed in ceramic mugs were seized by the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) and the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA).

The two agencies had acted on a tip-off and worked with a logistics company to follow up on an imported consignment of corals from the Philippines, which had been falsely declared as "plastic aquarium ornaments".

The corals have since been placed under the care of Resorts World Sentosa, said AVA and ICA in a joint statement.

Assistant curator Jason Lim said in an official blog post by RWS that most of the corals were in "poor to moderate condition when they arrived".

"About 12 pieces were in particularly bad shape, some of them were already rotting away. Only four to five pieces of corals were in excellent condition," said Mr Lim in the blogpost published in April last year.

Most of the corals are known as chalice corals, which can fetch high prices of up to US$2,000 (S$2,629) due to their vibrant colours.

The blog post added: "Once the corals are in good shape, they will be transferred to our habitats to add to the vibrant ecosystems."

Under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (Cites), hard corals are protected species. In this case, the hard corals were imported without a valid Cites permit, said AVA.

The soft corals, while not protected under Cites, can only be imported with an AVA permit.

Offenders who violate the Endangered Species (Import and Export) Act may be fined up to $500,000 and/or face two years' jail.

"The Singapore Government has zero tolerance on the use of Singapore as a conduit to smuggle endangered species and their parts and derivatives," the statement added.

ICA said it will continue to conduct security checks on cargo, passengers and vehicles at the checkpoints to prevent attempts to smuggle in undesirable persons, drugs, weapons, explosives and other contrabands, while the AVA will continue to cooperate and collaborate with partner enforcement agencies to curb wildlife smuggling.

Travellers are reminded not to bring live animals, birds and insects into Singapore without a proper permit. More information on bringing in animals from overseas can be found on AVA's website or its mobile app, SG TravelKaki.

Those who wish to alert the AVA on suspected cases of illegal wildlife trade can do so using their online feedback form or call 6805-2992. All information shared will be kept strictly confidential, it said.

"The public has a role to play in tackling illegal wildlife trade. Consumer demand is the impetus for poachers of endangered animals. The public can help reduce demand by not buying wildlife parts and products," the statement added.

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Indonesia: BMKG Warns Flood, Landslide as Heavy Downpours Increasing

Tempo 7 Mar 18;

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Meteorological, Climatological and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) predicts heavy rains will increase on March 7-10, 2018 in some region of Indonesia including Jakarta. The citizen in many areas should be aware of strong winds that lead to damaged trees or fallen billboards.

BMKG Meteorology Deputy Mulyono Rahadi stated the current atmosphere up to the next few days is indicated to be increased. "Assessed by the wet airflow from the Indian Ocean to the Indonesian territory," he said in a statement received by Tempo on Tuesday, March 6.

The condition has caused heavy rainfall intensity in some parts of Indonesia including West Sumatra, Bengkulu, South Sumatra, Lampung, Banten, Jakarta, West Java, Central Java, Yogyakarta, and East Java. Heavy rains will also occur in Southern Central Kalimantan, South Kalimantan, Central Sulawesi, Southeast Sulawesi, South Sulawesi, Maluku, and West Papua.

BMKG calls the people living in those areas to be wary of floods or landslides. People should also be aware of the possibility of rain accompanied by a high wind which can lead trees or billboards to fall or collapse, and do not take shelter under the trees when the rain accompanied by lightning.

KARTIKA ANGGRAENI

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The return of Indonesia’s forest fires

Pamela Victor The ASEAN Post 7 Mar 18;

Late last month, Indonesia saw the return of its infamous forest fires that occur each year producing toxic, choking smog in the form of haze as the rainy season trails off. The fires this time have broken out in the four provinces of South Sumatra, Riau, West Kalimantan and Central Kalimantan.

Twenty-three of the 90 hotspots recorded across the country were in West Kalimantan, where thick smoke blanketed the provincial capital Pontianak and disrupted flights. In Riau, one of the hardest-hit regions during the particularly disastrous 2015 season, fires have destroyed 6.4 square kilometres of land, an area double that of New York’s Central Park.

This situation prompted the archipelagic nation to declare an "alert emergency" status - just one level below the most severe warning in all four affected provinces. Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, spokesman for the National Disaster Agency (BNPB) stated that this status will allow firefighters and the central government to have better access to resources in order to combat the forest fires.

These state of emergencies in Riau and Central Kalimantan will be effective until May while in South Sumatra and West Kalimantan it will run until October and December, respectively.

Causes and effects of forest fires

Forest fires are not unfamiliar in the Southeast Asian region, yet alone Indonesia. The most common root of the problem is the practice of forest clearance via the slash and burn method – where the forest is set on fire as a more economical way of clearing land for new cultivation.

Peat soil, which characterises much of the areas affected, is highly flammable, causing localised fires to spread while making them difficult to stop, producing sizable amounts of carbon dioxide. Currently, we do not know for sure who is to blame for these new forest fires. However, environmental group, World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Indonesia - who have been highlighting the issue for years in the country – says that it is caused by the “collective negligence” of companies, smallholders and government.

According to an analysis of World Resources Institute data based on the September 2015 fires -which recorded the highest amount of carbon produced - more than one-third of the fires in Sumatra occurred on pulpwood concessions. A good proportion of the rest are on or near land used by palm oil producers.

Citing a report by the World Economic Forum, Lindsey Allen, executive director of the conservation organization, Rainforest Action Network stated that “…many of these fires are a direct result of the industrial manipulation of the landscape for plantation development.”

Indonesia’s tropical forests are some of the most diverse ecosystems in the world. With the recurring forest fires, deforestation and loss of forest cover is inevitable. This in turn, endangers various flora and fauna, some that are already on the brink of extinction.

As for the effects on the population, there are many cases of respiratory tract infections and even some fatalities. In the case of the 2015 forest fires, it was estimated that more than 100,000 premature deaths were caused by it. As a result, the economy of the country has been affected by the loss of natural and human resources.

After the 2015 incident, financial damage to the region’s economy was estimated at 2 percent of Indonesia’s GDP, according to the World Bank. Some US$935 million was lost in relation to agricultural produce and trade - just in the Riau province alone.

Concerns

With Indonesia set to host the Asian Games in 2018, the issue of forest fires is a major concern to the government given the propensity of fires in the province. The games are scheduled to take place during the dry season in Jakarta and Palembang and will accommodate roughly tens of thousands of athletes and visitors from around Asia.

Currently, to curb the forest fires, officials are preparing planes for cloud seeding and helicopters for water bombing. The BNPB will also be deploying soldiers, police, firefighters and volunteers to combat the fires. However, in order to ensure forest fires do not get out of hand, especially as the country gears up for the international games, the government must tighten controls and fast track certain infrastructure programs such as the proposed peatland rewetting systems. Apart from that, adequate monitoring should also be carried out so that carbon-rich peatlands that fall within private and public concessions are protected and preserved.

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Indonesia: Pangolin smugglers jailed for three years

Antara 8 Mar 18;

Bengkalis, Riau (ANTARA News) - The Bengkalis Class II District Court here on Wednesday sentenced two smugglers of 101 protected pangolins (Manis javanica) for three years and one month subsidiary in prison in addition to a penalty of Rp100 million.

"The suspects, with the initials A and B, have been found guilty of smuggling and trading the protected animal species. They will be imprisoned for three years in accordance with Article 21 No.2b of Law No.5 of 1990 on Conservation of Natural Resources," Zia Ul Jannah, a judge, stated during a hearing in Bengkalis, Riau Province.

Jannah noted that the 101 pangolins were rescued and later released by the Natural Resources Conservation Office (BBKSDA), while a boat used to transport the animals will be handed over to the treasury agency.

During the previous hearing, the general prosecutor had called on the judges to award a sentence of four years and six months subsidiary in jail and a penalty of Rp100 million to the two suspects.

During the final hearing at the district court, some officials of the conservation agency`s law enforcement as well as a representative of World Wildlife Fund Anid Wikasari were present.

According to Marhot Pohan, an official of the Conservation Office, the two suspects were couriers assigned to transport the pangolins from Paknik River in Riau to the Malaysian-flagged boats.

For every transaction, the suspects would have received Rp200 thousand to Rp800 thousand.

On Oct 24, last year, a joint task force of the Navy`s Western Fleet Quick Response 1.6 raided the two suspects in the Roro-Pakning waters and later seized the 101 pangolins.

"Bengkalis is one of the entry points of the global black market for protected animals. These pangolins, for instance, were planned to be smuggled into Malaysia, China, and Vietnam," Wikasari remarked.

Hence, following the trial, the Conservation official and the environmentalist expressed hope that the penalty will serve as a deterrent for other smugglers planning to conduct illegal activities.

Once the law enforcement apparatus succeeds in deterring the smugglers, the pangolins will be safeguarded from becoming extinct, she added.

Reported by Asripilyadi, Gianini Sonnevil
(Uu. KR-GNT/INE)
(UU.KR-GNT/A/KR-BSR/A/H-YH)
Editor: Heru Purwanto

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Europe struggles to stem biodiesel import flood

Sybille de La Hamaide Reuters 8 Mar 18;

PARIS (Reuters) - Rising biodiesel imports from Argentina and an expected surge in shipments from Indonesia threaten to cripple output in the European Union, the world’s top producer of the renewable fuel.

An employee checks a bottle of Ester at the factory of Avril Group subsidiary Saipol, where biodiesel under the Diester brand and vegetable glycerin used for numerous industrial applications are manufactured, in Bassens, near Bordeaux, France February 13, 2018. REUTERS/Regis Duvignau
The European Union slashed import duties on Argentine biodiesel last September after Buenos Aires mounted a successful challenge at the World Trade Organisation, weeks after the United States imposed steep duties on the fuel.

The bloc is now considering whether to cut duties on Indonesian biodiesel.

Argentine soybean-based fuel is now entering the EU at much lower prices than rapeseed oil, the main material used by European producers, who say they cannot compete and in some cases are being pushed to the verge of bankruptcy.

Between August last year and January, 852,000 tonnes of biodiesel - around four times the capacity of a large EU plant - worth $617 million, were exported from Argentina to the bloc, customs data showed. Earlier in 2017, nearly all exports were heading to the United States.

Raffaello Garofalo, head of the European Biodiesel Board (EBB), said the impact of Argentine imports was already worse than expected.

“There is huge economic damage and we risk seeing many European renewable fuel producers close down in the face of these unfair import floods,” he said.

The EU is the world’s largest producer and consumer of biodiesel, a fuel made mostly from vegetable oils, which is renewable and aimed at reducing carbon emissions.

EU production of biodiesel was 11.9 million tonnes in 2017, up from 11.7 million a year earlier. But consultancy Strategie Grains, which initially said output would be stable this year, has cut its 2018 estimate to 11.6 million tonnes because of the Argentine imports.

Imports of Argentine biodiesel into the EU could hit 1.5 million tonnes in 2018, with a similar volume from Indonesia if the EU cuts its duties, Strategie Grains said.

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MEWR launches grant for organisations supporting Year of Climate Action: Amy Khor

Channel NewsAsia 6 Mar 18;

SINGAPORE: The Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources (MEWR) will launch the Climate Action SG Grant, which helps organisations defray costs of organising programmes that support the Year of Climate Action.

"Upon application, each eligible organisation can be provided with up to S$5,000 on a reimbursement basis," Senior Minister of State for the Environment and Water Resources Amy Khor revealed in her Committee of Supply debate speech on Tuesday (Mar 6).

Channel NewsAsia has reached out to MEWR for more details on the grant.

This comes as companies have reached out in support of the Year of Climate Action, with over 110 firms including DBS, SembCorp, CDL and Ricoh making pledges, she said.

"These companies recognise it is possible to do good and do well at the same time," she said. "We hope more companies will voluntarily pledge and take climate action."

Moving on to non-governmental organisations (NGO), Dr Khor said NGOs and business leaders have formed the Climate Action SG Alliance to advocate climate action and raise public awareness on climate issues.

"We agreed that climate action collaboration and co-ordination across all stakeholders could be stronger," Dr Khor said.

"NGOs have always been passionate about sustainability, and many took the initiative to work together even before this year began. We will reinforce and support their ground-up efforts."

As for individuals, Dr Khor said more than 21,000 have made Climate Action pledges online. In addition, the Year of Climate Action video on MEWR's Facebook page has received over 167,000 views.

"My ministry will intensify engagement to galvanise action amongst NGOs, businesses, communities, households and individuals," she said.

COMMUNITY EFFORTS

In another green initiative, Dr Khor announced that MEWR will launch a bulb replacement programme for one- and two-room HDB households to encourage the use of energy efficient light bulbs and reduce energy use.

When it comes to implementation, she added that the agency is working with retailers, community NGOs and companies that want to engage in corporate social responsibility to finalise the details.

In addition, the National Environment Agency will organise an Energy Savings Challenge this year to raise awareness about energy efficiency and conservation.

"MEWR will support community efforts to educate the public about climate change and encourage climate action," she said. "Community engagement in climate action is a challenging long-term journey that goes beyond 2018."

Source: CNA/hz


Masagos on climate change: Caring for environment must be in Singapore’s DNA, like conserving water
Channel NewsAsia 6 Mar 18;

SINGAPORE: In light of the global existential issue of climate change, the Ministry for Environment and Water Resources (MEWR) wants to embed in Singapore’s DNA the instinct to care for the environment, like our national consciousness for conserving water, said Minister Masagos Zulkifli on Tuesday (Mar 6).

“This will ensure that Singapore remains the best liveable city for our children. And the best choice for companies to base their businesses here because we have successful climate action policy and also active citizenry,” he added.

Said Mr Masagos: “Singapore is vulnerable, from rising sea levels to increasing rainfall intensities to longer dry spells ... We need to take climate action now, for the sake of our next generation. If the previous generation left us a clean and green city, we must make our legacy a sustainable city, as we pass on this treasured and precious land to our children.”

As an example of climate change’s impact on Singapore, he pointed to how 2018 started with a "January Singapore winter" and intense rainfall, recalling: “On 8th January, half the month’s average rainfall fell over four hours in Singapore but little rain fell over Linggiu. In February, high tides caused temporary flooding even without rain. With rising sea levels, we could experience more of such phenomena.”

Singapore adopts a whole-of-Government approach through the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Climate Change chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean, with support from the the National Climate Change Secretariat.

A Public Sector Sustainability Plan was launched last year, but Mr Masagos warned that “the Government however cannot deal with climate change alone”.

“Everyone needs to join forces to reduce our carbon footprint. This is why Singapore designated 2018 as our Year of Climate Action,” he said.

ADAPTING TO CLIMATE CHANGE

To cope with climate change, Singapore has and will continue to invest “billions of dollars” in infrastructure such as raising coastal roads, enhancing stormwater systems and diversifying water supply, said Mr Masagos, adding that “all these will take time and hence we have started early”.

Aside from wide-ranging efforts to look after Singapore's water supply and conservation, mitigation for flash floods must also be factored in.

“PUB (Public Utilities Board) has set higher drainage standards since 2011 - up to 45 per cent capacity increase - but our drains cannot be built to accommodate every extreme rainfall event,” Mr Masagos explained. “This would entail massive land take and much higher costs.”

Continuous drainage improvement works at Stamford Diversion Canal, Stamford Detention Tank and Bukit Timah First Diversion Canal will be completed in 2018, and work will commence at another 22 locations this year, adding to existing works at 73 locations.

“As flash floods cannot be completely eliminated, we will help members of the public better cope by providing timely situation updates, including SMS alerts about water levels. Those who wish to receive alerts from more than one water level (sensor) can write in to PUB,” said Mr Masagos.

To safeguard against rising sea levels, over 70 per cent of Singapore’s coastline is protected by hard walls or stone embankments.

“We raised minimum reclamation levels by one metre in 2011, to at least four metres above mean sea level,” Mr Masagos stated. “We will build Changi Airport Terminal 5 at 5.5 metres above mean sea level. To address Singapore’s long-term protection needs, the Building and Construction Authority is conducting a Coastal Adaptation Study to recommend a national framework.”

Pest problems could also escalate with climate change. Mr Masagos noted that while the number of dengue cases in 2017 was five times lower than in 2016, there was a “significant” increase in mosquitoes caught.

“We cannot become complacent,” he said. “Climate change may worsen the spread of mosquito-borne diseases such as Zika and Chikungunya. We are studying how male Wolbachia-carrying Aedes mosquitoes can be used to suppress the mosquito population. We will conduct further studies this year to strengthen our planning for an eventual suppression trial.”

And in terms of everyday habits, Singaporeans can do their part by disposing food waste properly at home and returning trays in hawker centres, to prevent attracting rodents and houseflies.

MITIGATING CLIMATE CHANGE

Mr Masagos also talked about reducing emissions of greenhouse gases. Singapore enhanced the Energy Conservation Act last year, to use more solar energy and build more “green” buildings.

“Good” transport policy also has an impact on climate change, said Mr Masagos as he referred to the “car-lite” initiatives.

“By 2030, eight in 10 households will live within 10 minutes of a train station. We have frozen the growth of our car population starting last month. All this will reduce our fossil fuel use and carbon footprint,” he declared.

The Vehicular Emissions Scheme announced last year will promote cleaner new vehicles, on top of enforcement against smoky foreign vehicles at checkpoints. “My Ministry is reviewing how to reduce vehicular pollution from older, more polluting vehicles. We will announce our recommendations in due course,” said Mr Masagos.

He then spoke about how the carbon tax will encourage companies to evaluate opportunities to switch to more energy efficient technologies and more sustainable processes.

Said Mr Masagos: “An NEA (National Environment Agency) poll showed that close to 70 per cent of the public was supportive of a carbon tax.”

“We aim to strike a balance between providing sufficient incentive for companies and Singaporeans to reduce their carbon emissions, and giving them enough time to adjust. Our carbon tax will be applied uniformly without exemptions.”

“We will introduce a fixed-price credits-based system where companies will purchase and surrender credits to pay the carbon tax,” he explained. This will allow the Government and companies to build capability to operate in a linked market with other carbon pricing jurisdictions.

“Organisations and companies have begun leading change,” said Mr Masagos. “The World Bank will stop financing upstream oil and gas projects from 2019. I’m happy that ExxonMobil, a major investor here and a leader in energy efficiency, and one of the companies affected by our carbon tax, has recently pledged to take climate action on MEWR’s webpage.”

“Many firms, including many of our SMEs, have made their climate action pledges on MEWR’s webpage. I’m glad we are taking this journey together.”

JOINING THE GLOBAL FIGHT

Mr Masagos reiterated Singapore’s strong support for the United Nations’ stance on climate change, announcing he will lead a delegation there in July to undertake Singapore’s first Voluntary Review of the Sustainable Development Goals.

Singapore will also convene a Special ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Climate Action on 10 July 2018, in conjunction with the Singapore International Water Week – CleanEnviro Summit Singapore – World Cities summit joint event.

“We will continue to plug ourselves into the global movement on climate change, and work with partners to shape the international agenda,” Mr Masagos declared.

“As the saying goes, ‘If we are not at the table, we will be on the menu’. To get a seat at the table, we must be credible. This means that Singapore must fulfil our international obligations and show leadership on climate action.”

Source: CNA/jo

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Compulsory e-waste management system to be enforced by 2021

Channel NewsAsia 6 Mar 18;

SINGAPORE: The Ministry of Environment and Water Resources (MEWR) will implement a mandatory electrical and electronic waste management system by 2021, Senior Minister of State Amy Khor announced on Tuesday (Mar 6).

The system will cover five main categories of products - information and communications technology, like mobile phones and computers; solar panels; batteries; lamps and large household appliances like refrigerators, air-conditioners, washing machines and dryers.

“Together, these products make up close to 90 per cent of e-waste in Singapore,” said Dr Khor.

The system works through an Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) approach - used in countries like Sweden and South Korea - where manufacturers and importers are required to take back a proportion of the products they put on the market. Together with Producer Responsibility Organisations (PROs) licensed by the National Environment Agency (NEA), they must organise the collection, transport and proper treatment of e-waste.

Producers of electrical and electronic equipment may work together to form their own PROs.

Dr Khor explained: “For example, PROs will work with large electrical and electronic retailers to set up in-store e-waste collection points. All retailers must also provide free one-for-one take-back service for their products.”

Companies such as Courts, Harvey Norman and Gain City are coming on board, she said.

“We will set collection targets in consultation with the industry and review them before implementing a penalty framework eventually,” added Dr Khor, noting that European Union member states, for instance, are currently required to collect 45 per cent of electronic goods sold on the market, by weight.

NEA will also license e-waste recycling facilities, to ensure high safety and environmental standards during disassembly and processing. E-waste contains small amounts of hazardous heavy metals such as mercury and cadmium.

“The mandatory e-waste system will help both the environment and the economy,” said Dr Khor. “EPR systems have generated new business opportunities and jobs in the e-waste management and recycling industries in other countries. In France, for instance, more than 3,000 e-waste recycling jobs were created since EPR was implemented in 2005.

“We will integrate and support smaller industry players so they can benefit from our national system, including the karang guni men who provide collection services.”

MEWR will also study practices in other countries to design a cost-effective system, and consult relevant stakeholders to work out legislation and implementation details, said Dr Khor.

In the coming months, NEA will also conduct market sounding on the industry’s interest for the formation of PROs and will call for ideas on feasible service models for the EPR framework.

A GROWING PROBLEM

Singapore generates about 60,000 tonnes of e-waste annually - a figure expected to increase with rising affluence and technological advancements.

“That is like every person in Singapore throwing away 73 mobile phones every year,” said Dr Khor.

“E-waste contains heavy metals and hazardous substances that can seriously harm the environment and public health if not properly handled. Some heavy metals can also be extracted from properly recovered e-waste and re-used, which is more sustainable than mining for virgin metals.”

An NEA study uncovered that around 6 per cent of residents place their e-waste in e-recycling bins. The e-waste recycling rate by businesses is estimated to be higher, but “more needs to be done”, said Dr Khor.

NEA also found out that in the hands of scrap traders and rag-and-bone men, e-waste either ends up refurbished for sale if reusable, or dismantled and traded.

Many of these collectors do not have the capability to maximise resource recovery from e-waste and, only recycle components of significant value, said NEA in a media release. In Singapore, e-waste that is not recycled is incinerated, which results in the loss of resources as well as in carbon emissions that contribute to global warming and climate change.

The processing of e-waste by these collectors can also result in workplace hazards and poor environmental practices - including the venting of refrigerants from refrigerators and air-conditioners to the environment, and discarding of potentially hazardous unwanted components with general waste. Heavy metals in the e-waste also contaminate the incineration ash which is landfilled at Semakau Landfill.

A regulated system is therefore needed to ensure that consumers are provided with convenient means to recycle their e-waste, and the e-waste collected is channelled to proper recycling facilities where safety and environmental standards are adhered to.

Source: CNA/jo


E-waste management system to be up by 2021
SIAU MING EN Today Online 7 Mar 18;

SINGAPORE — By 2021, consumers will find it easier to recycle their electrical and electronic waste (e-waste) by either dropping them off at collection points located within retail stores or having them picked up via the retailers’ take-back services.

Announcing this during the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources Committee of Supply debate in Parliament on Tuesday (Mar 06), Senior Minister of State Amy Khor said her ministry will implement a mandatory e-waste management system by 2021.

This will ensure that electrical and electronic products are disposed of in an environmentally-friendly way, and that useful materials can be safely recovered.

Producers will be responsible for the collection and proper treatment of e-waste through the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) approach. They will have to fulfil collection targets set by the National Environment Agency (NEA) and ensure that the unwanted electronic equipment they collected are sent for proper recycling and disposal.

This approach is adopted by countries such as Sweden and South Korea.

Dr Khor said collection targets will eventually be set in consultation with the industry. The targets will be reviewed before implementing a penalty framework.

The authorities will study the practices in other countries to design a “cost-effective system”, she added.

“By aggregating e-waste and enabling more efficient collection and processing, there will be greater value captured from e-waste, which is one of the more valuable waste streams. This will help offset the cost of operating the e-waste management system,” said Dr Khor.

Singapore generates about 60,000 tonnes of e-waste every year, but there is no national data on how much of this amount is recycled. About half of this is generated by households and a consumer survey found that only 6 per cent — about 1,800 tonnes — is sent for recycling.

The upcoming e-waste management system will cover about 85 per cent of the total e-waste generated here. These e-waste can be grouped into five categories, namely, information and communications technology equipment such as mobile phones and computers, solar photovoltaic panels, batteries and lamps, as well as large household appliances like refrigerators and washing machines.

Dr Khor was responding to questions on the e-waste situation here, such as updates on plans for a national e-waste management system, raised by Dr Chia Shi-Lu (Tanjong Pagar) and Mr Louis Ng (Nee Soon).

Dr Khor said the mandatory e-waste management system will help the economy as well, with the EPR system elsewhere generating new business opportunities and jobs in the e-waste management and recycling industries. In France, for instance, more than 3,000 jobs were created in the sector after the system was implemented in 2005.

“We will integrate and support smaller industry players so they can benefit from our national system, including the ‘karang guni’ men who provide collection services,” she added, referring to the rag-and-bone men.

The consumer survey by NEA had found that more than a third of household e-waste are handed over to deliverymen by consumers collecting their new appliances. This sometimes end up with “informal collectors” like the rag-and-bone men.

Such e-waste regulations were first announced by Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Masagos Zulkifli during a pre-Budget consultation session last month.

For consumers, they will be able to find in-store collection points at all large retailers of covered electrical and electronic equipment once the e-waste management system is in place by 2021. They can also expect retailers to provide free one-for-one take back services during delivery.

Before that, consumers will soon be able drop their e-waste at major retailers like Courts, Harvey Norman and Gain City, which have agreed to provide recycling bins. These retailers already offer take-back services, most at no additional charge, when they deliver new appliances to customers.

Within the e-waste management system, the producers will also have to work with Producer Responsibility Organisations (PROs) to meet their obligations. These PROs — which will be licensed by NEA — can be commercial companies or made up of the producers.

Their role is to develop and implement a system to collect and recycle e-waste, collect and transport e-waste to licensed recyclers, report the volume of e-waste collected and recycled to NEA, and develop public education programmes, among other things.

Under the General Waste Disposal Facility licensing framework introduced last year, the NEA is in the process of licensing all recycling facilities, including the e-waste recycling facilities, by this August.

NEA will also consult stakeholders on recycling standards, which will be included in the licensing conditions by 2021.

E-waste streams contain small amounts of hazardous heavy metals such as mercury and cadmium. When not properly handled, the release of such substances into the environment could pose long-term health and environmental problems, said the NEA.


Environment and waste management initiatives
NEA study shows only about 6% of residents place e-waste in e-recycling bins
Cheow Sue-ann The New Paper 7 Mar 18;

The amount of e-waste generated here annually is about 60,000 tonnes - akin to every person in Singapore throwing away 73 mobile phones a year, said Dr Amy Khor.

The Senior Minister of State for the Environment and Water Resources (MEWR) yesterday said that only about 6 per cent of residents place their e-waste in e-recycling bins, based on an e-waste study by the National Environment Agency (NEA).

To deal with rising e-waste, the Government wants retailers to make it easier for people to recycle products such as mobile phones and computers, batteries, and household appliances like refrigerators and washing machines.

Under the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) programme, producers, including manufacturers and importers, will be required to work with NEA-licensed Producer Responsibility Organisations (PROs) on the collection, transport and proper treatment of e-waste.

This will be accompanied by a set of collection targets to be set in consultation with the industry along with a penalty framework.

The targets will ensure each producer reduces a proportionate amount of e-waste based on the amount it puts out.

Companies such as StarHub, Courts, Gain City and Harvey Norman already provide such e-waste collection services.

All retailers must also provide free one-for-one take-back service for their products.

Dr Khor said this will incentivise businesses to "design products that last longer and can be more easily recycled".

StarHub, which has been running Renew, an e-waste recycling programme since 2013, has seen a considerable rise in recycling - from 6.5 tonnes in 2013 to 92.7 tonnes last year.

Its spokesman said StarHub has received many requests to have the Renew bins placed on various sites.

But National University of Singapore Professor Seeram Ramakrishna, estimates that less than 1 per cent of e-waste was recycled in 2016.

He said: "If proper recycling procedures are not put in place, the e-waste will go into landfills and incinerators. "The toxic materials can reach other systems and have long-term negative health effects."

Tackling e-waste is a key area of focus for Singapore's Year of Climate Action, which will see new packaging reduction policies and water conservation programmes.

Packaging waste, including products such as one-time use items like straws and other disposables like plastic bags, makes up about a third of total domestic waste here, and has remained fairly constant over the last few years, said Dr Khor.

The voluntary Singapore Packaging Agreement (SPA), a joint initiative by the Government, industry and NGOs to reduce packaging waste, has cumulatively reduced almost 39,000 tonnes of packaging waste since its inception in 2007.

REPORTING FRAMEWORK

Building on this, MEWR will put in place a mandatory reporting framework for packaging waste management by 2021, when it will mandate that businesses report on the type and amount of packaging they put on the market and their plans for reduction.

The ministry will also be launching a Climate Action SG Grant, which NGOs and grassroots organisations can apply for to defray some of the costs of organising programmes in support of the Year of Climate Action.

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Higher water prices help spur drop in households’ usage

SIAU MING EN Today Online 6 Mar 18;

SINGAPORE – Higher water tariffs last year helped spur households to cut water consumption from 148 litres to 143 litres per person per day – the sharpest drop in at least a decade.

Last year’s per capita domestic water consumption means Singapore has already surpassed its 2020 target of 147 litres per day, and is within reach of its 2030 target of 140 litres per day.

National water agency PUB attributed the drop to water tariff hikes, the adoption of water-efficient fittings and appliances, as well as the wetter weather last year compared to the preceding year.

Last July, the first phase of the 30 per cent increase in water prices took effect. The second round of increases will kick in this July. The increases were due to higher operational costs and investments in water infrastructure. Before last year, water prices had remained unchanged for 17 years.

While the drop in domestic water consumption last year “may be instinctively attributed to higher water prices”, the extent of their impact would require more observations and data, said PUB.

Announcing this figure at the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources Committee of Supply debate on Tuesday (March 6), Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Masagos Zulkifli said he was “encouraged” by the drop in Singapore’s household water consumption.

He reiterated that it is not enough that the Government pumps billions of dollars into infrastructure here to ensure Singapore’s water supply. “Policies to manage demand are as important. The right pricing policy is needed to ensure good management of this precious resource,” he added.

While Singapore’s household water consumption has generally declined – per capita consumption was 165 litres in 2003 – it is still far off from some cities in Spain, Germany and Estonia, where the level is below 100 litres.

Singapore now uses 430 million gallons of water a day. The domestic sector accounts for 45 per cent and the non-domestic sector accounts for the rest.

SAVE WATER, SAVE THE POLAR BEAR

To encourage households to be even more water efficient, PUB is exploring a nationwide roll-out of Automated Meter Reading (AMR) technology.

The technology has been piloted in 500 households in Punggol since 2016, with households achieving water savings of about 5 per cent.

Residents receive hourly updates on water consumption via an app and are alerted to leakages or unusually high usage. This is more effective at detecting leaks than the existing method, where a PUB officer visits homes every two months to record meter readings.

Residents can also compete with their neighbours to reduce water usage and the winner receives vouchers.

Ms Jacqueline Chan, who resides in a five-room flat with four other family members, including her 18-month-old toddler, said the technology alerted them promptly to a leak in a faulty water closet.

Since the leak was fixed in November 2016, the family’s water usage has been reduced by more than half – from 35 cubic metres to 15 cubic metres per month.

“I check the app almost every day… Apart from the leak, we have also switched to using a more water-efficient washing machine, and washing our clothes only when the load is full,” said Ms Chan, who lives at 199C Punggol Field.

The 33-year-old said she has also started taking shorter showers.

As showers remain the largest source of water use in homes (27 per cent), PUB will be installing the first batch of smart shower devices for some 300 Build-To-Order flats at West Rock@Bukit Batok in the first quarter of this year. This is part of a plan previously announced to install the devices in 10,000 new homes over the next two years.

A six-month pilot in 2015 involving 500 homes helped save five litres of water per person each day, or about 3 per cent of the households’ monthly total.

The device shows real-time water usage and depicts ice melting around a polar bear as more water is used.

Other measures include raising the minimum water efficiency standards for water fittings in homes. From April next year, it will be mandatory to install water fittings with at least two-tick efficiency ratings – instead of the one tick now – in all new premises and existing ones undergoing renovation.

MEASURES FOR NON-DOMESTIC SECTOR

Singapore’s total water usage is expected to double by 2060 and the non-domestic sector is expected to make up 70 per cent of total demand.

Measures targeting industry include requiring large consumers to have at least one certified water efficiency manager.

There is also a Water Efficiency Fund companies may tap to conduct feasibility studies and water audits, among other measures. ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY KELLY NG

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OCBC Bank funding six green projects in Singapore with S$87,000

RACHEL MUI Business Times 6 Mar 18;

OCBC Bank on Tuesday announced that it will be providing S$87,000 to fund six ground-up proposals that address environmental sustainability issues in Singapore.

Launched in July 2017, the #OCBCCares Fund for the Environment has committed to provide S$100,000 annually to support projects that enhance the city-state's environmental landscape, "an area where private-sector sponsorship remains relatively thin", the bank said.

"The fact that we can fund six projects at an amount less than our fund commitment is positive indication that initiatives to protect our environment need not be expensive missions... we hope other organisations can also come aboard to support this cause," said OCBC's head of corporate communications, Koh Ching Ching.

The fund received 28 proposals for amounts ranging from S$2,000 to S$150,000. In addition, applicants hailed from diverse backgrounds and ages ranging from 20 to 69.

Notably, out of the proposals received, half were about reducing waste or enhancing recycling efforts. OCBC said that this is not surprising, given that Singapore's solid waste output has increased significantly over the years.

According to statistics from the National Environment Agency (NEA), the amount of waste sent for disposal rose from 7,023 tonnes per day in 2006, to 8,559 tonnes per day in 2016, representing a 22 per cent surge in waste disposal over the decade.

Separately, OCBC added that the process from the launch of the fund to the selection of the final projects took eight months. This included a training workshop to equip potential applicants with project management, financial planning, budgeting know-how and presentation skills, the bank said.

Shortlisted applicants then went through consultation sessions and interviews with members of the evaluation committee, which was chaired by senior lecturer at the National University of Singapore's department of biological sciences, N Sivasothi, and included representatives from the NEA, National Parks Board, PUB and OCBC Bank.

The #OCBCCares Fund for the Environment will be calling for new entries in July 2018. The fund is open to individuals and interest groups with feasible initiatives dealing with environmental sustainability, OCBC said.

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