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1979
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OPENING OF SINGAPORE'S FIRST INCINERATION PLANT
Faced with a shortage of land for landfilling, Singapore took a bold step to build the first waste-to-energy (WTE) plant in Southeast Asia. On 30 July 1979, Singapore’s first WTE plant - Ulu Pandan Incineration Plant - was completed at a cost of $130 million, a hefty investment at the time.
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1982
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SINGAPORE DECLARED 'MALARIA-FREE'
Singapore was declared malaria-free by the World Health Organization (WHO) on 22 November 1982.
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1986
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COMPLETION OF STREET HAWKER RESETTLEMENT
From 1968 to 1986, the Government licensed and resettled street hawkers into purpose-built hawker centres and markets with proper sanitation and amenities. By February 1986, the resettlement work was completed and 18,000 street hawkers were re-sited into newly built hawker centres.
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1987
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COMPLETION OF THE SINGAPORE RIVER CLEAN-UP
The decade-long clean-up of Singapore River was completed on 2 September 1987.
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1990
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SINGAPORE'S FIRST ANNUAL CLEAN AND GREEN WEEK
Launched on 4 November 1990, the Clean and Green Week was a campaign to create awareness among Singaporeans that everyone is responsible for the environment. The Captain Green mascot was also introduced during the same week to advocate for an environmentally friendly lifestyle. became a year long campaign in 2007 and was consequently renamed Clean and Green Singapore.
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1991
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INTRODUCTION OF POLICIES ON POLLUTION AND PUBLIC HEALTH
In 1991, ENV introduced the (i) Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) (ii) emissions standards for diesel vehicles and implemented (iii) the Environment Public Health (Control of Noise from Construction Sites) Regulation that capped noise levels at construction sites.
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1999
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COMMENCEMENT OF SEMAKAU LANDFILL OPERATIONS (PHASE 1)
With space running out at Singapore’s last inland dumping ground at Lorong Halus, and competition for land was getting increasingly intense with rapid urbanisation, Singapore’s first offshore landfill - Semakau Landfill - began its operations on 1 April 1999. Not only does this 3.5 square-kilometre island hold the trash generated by Singapore, it is also home to a thriving biodiversity and the waters around it support some of Singapore’s richest coral reefs.
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2001
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LAUNCH OF SINGAPORE'S NATIONAL RECYCLING PROGRAMME
Launched in April 2001, the National Recycling Programme (NRP) required the public waste collectors (PWCs) licensed by NEA to provide recycling bins and recycling collection services to all HDB estates, private landed properties and condominiums/private apartments opted into the public waste collection scheme. The NRP adopted a collection system in which paper, plastic, glass and metal recyclables were collected for recycling. Recycling bags were used for HDB and only bins/bags were used for landed properties.
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2002
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FORMATION OF NATIONAL ENVIRONMENT AGENCY
On 1 July 2002, a new statutory board – the National Environment Agency (NEA) – was formed under ENV to focus on the implementation of environmental policies. It took on the operations of the Environmental Public Health Division, and the Environmental Policy and Management Division of ENV.
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2008
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INTRODUCTION OF THE MANDATORY ENERGY LABELLING SCHEME
The Mandatory Energy Labelling Scheme (MELS) was introduced on 1 January 2008 for regulated goods to help consumers compare the energy efficiency and make more informed purchasing decisions. The objective of setting Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS) is to raise the average energy efficiency of regulated goods in the market.
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2011
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RE-COMMENCEMENT OF BUILDING OF NEW HAWKER CENTRES
The Government announced that it will restart the programme of building new hawker centres after a hiatus of 26 years. It was announced that 10 new hawker centres will be built over the next 10 years, focusing on HDB towns currently facing an under-provision of eating options, subject to land availability.
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2012
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CLEANENVIRO SUMMIT SINGAPORE
The CleanEnviro Summit Singapore was launched in 2012 as a global platform for leaders, senior government officials and policymakers, regulators and industry captains to identify, develop and share practical solutions to address environmental challenges for tomorrow’s cities.
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2013
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OPENING OF CENTRE FOR CLIMATE RESEARCH
The Centre for Climate Research Singapore, the first research centre in the world dedicated to tropical climate and weather of Singapore and the wider Southeast Asia region, was officially opened on 27 Mar 2013. The Centre aims to advance scientific understanding and prediction of the weather and climate of Singapore.
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2014
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ENACTMENT OF TRANSBOUNDARY HAZE POLLUTION ACT (THPA)
To provide for strong legal action to be taken against conduct that causes or contributes to haze pollution in Singapore, given the experience with serious haze pollution episodes, including the one in Jun 2013, Singapore enacted the THPA.
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2016
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LAUNCH OF PROJECT WOLBACHIA
NEA launched Project Wolbachia in 2016, where male Aedes-aegypti mosquitoes infected with the Wolbachia bacteria were released at selected sites. When female Aedes mosquitoes which are not infected with the bacteria mate with the males, they produce eggs which do not hatch, thus reducing the population of Aedes-aegypti mosquitoes - the main vector of dengue here.
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2017
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LAUNCH OF ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES INDUSTRY TRANSFORMATION MAP
The Environmental Services Industry Transformation Map was launched in Dec 2017, containing strategies and initiatives to ensure a vibrant, sustainable and professional industry that will provide services and solutions to help achieve our Zero Waste vision and a clean and liveable Singapore.
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2018
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INTRODUCTION OF CARBON PRICING ACT
Singapore is the first country in Southeast Asia to introduce a carbon price. The carbon tax, at S$5 per tonne of greenhouse gas emissions, was introduced in 2019 through the Carbon Pricing Act (CPA). The carbon tax will incentivise emissions reductions across all sectors and support the transition to a low-carbon economy. There are no exemptions for covered facilities, to maintain a transparent, fair, and consistent price signal across the economy.
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2019
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ORCHARD ROAD PRECINCT DESIGNATED AS A NO SMOKING ZONE
Since 1 Jan 2019, public areas within the Orchard Road precinct have been designated as a No Smoking Zone, where smoking is only allowed in designated smoking areas to protect non-smokers from the harmful effects of second-hand tobacco smoke.
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2020
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LAUNCH OF CLIMATE SCIENCE RESEARCH PROGRAMME OFFICE
NEA launched the Climate Science Research Programme Office (CSRPO) in Nov 2020, as part of efforts to strengthen climate science capabilities in Singapore to tackle the potential impact of climate change. The CSRPO is set up under the Centre for Climate Research Singapore (CCRS), the research division of NEA’s Meteorological Service Singapore (MSS).
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2020
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SINGAPORE'S HAWKER CULTURE ATTAINS UNESCO STATUS
On 16 December 2020, Hawker Culture in Singapore was successfully inscribed as Singapore’s first element on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, with the unanimous support of the Intergovernmental Committee for the safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage. The inscription reflected our Hawker Culture’s significance in Singaporeans’ multicultural identity as a people, and as a nation, and affirms our commitment to safeguard it for future generations.
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2021
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START OF NATIONWIDE E-WASTE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
Singapore’s first nationwide electrical and electronic waste (e-waste) management system started on 1 July 2021. The new system was introduced to make it more convenient for consumers to recycle their e-waste, while ensuring e-waste is managed effectively, efficiently and in an environmentally sustainable manner.
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2021
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COMMENCEMENT OF CLEAN TABLES INITIATIVE
To raise the cleanliness standards at public dining places, NEA rolled out the Clean Tables Campaign in Feb 2021 and mandatory Clean Tables Regime in Sep 2021 to nudge diners to return their dirty crockery and trays and keep the tables clean. NEA took an advisory approach in hawker centres from 1 June to 31 August 2021, during which officers were deployed to remind diners to clear their dirty trays, crockery and litter, and visual cues such as posters and banners were progressively installed. Enforcement against table littering commenced on 1 September 2021 at hawker centres, and 1 January 2022 at coffeeshops and food courts.
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2021
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COMMENCEMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL SANITATION REGIME
On 30 Jul 2021, NEA launched the Environmental Sanitation (ES) Regime which specifies mandatory baseline ES standards for specified high-risk premises with vulnerable occupants and high footfall, and places greater accountability on premises managers to meet these baseline standards. Assisted by Environmental Control Coordinators (ECCs) or Environmental Control Officers (ECOs), premises managers must ensure that they have in place a sector-specific ES programme, which specifies cleaning and disinfection frequencies and protocols to address incidents involving bodily discharge.
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2022
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EXTENSION OF SMOKING PROHIBITION TO MORE RECREATIONAL SITES
From 1 Jul 2022, smoking is prohibited at all remaining public parks and gardens, Active, Beautiful, Clean Waters (ABC Waters) sites, and 10 recreational beaches.
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2023
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COMMENCEMENT OF DISPOSABLE CARRIER BAG CHARGE AT SUPERMARKETS
From 3 Jul 2023, larger supermarkets operators with annual turnover of more than $100m have to charge at least 5 cents for each disposable carrier bag. The charge is kept low to moderate the cost impact to shoppers while encouraging them to be mindful of the number of disposable carrier bags they take.
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