A year ago, it would have been hard to imagine the impact of COVID-19 on the world. In our city state, the pandemic has changed our lifestyles and possibly also transformed our outlook on life. For NEA, it has meant reinventing our processes and pivoting at a moment’s notice as the circumstances around us changed swiftly. Despite the many challenges brought upon by the virus, it also offered opportunities in equal measure. It taught us resilience and agility, forced us to create and innovate and more importantly, it brought us all together as a nation battling against a common enemy.
Even as NEA’s priority shifted towards public health and cleanliness, we have continued our focus on Singapore’s national agenda on sustainable development. This year’s launch of the Singapore Green Plan (SGP) 2030 by the Government signals our commitment to contribute to the whole-of-nation shift towards sustainability. Although NEA’s scope is diverse, much of our work is geared towards fulfilling the objectives of the SGP 2030.
Under the Sustainable Living pillar, Singapore aims to be a Zero Waste Nation powered by a circular economy. To support targets to reduce the amount of waste sent to our landfill by 30 per cent by 2030, NEA introduced a regulated electrical and electronic waste (e-waste) management system that ensures the proper collection and handling of e-waste, and the extraction of valuable resources from e-waste. The approach we adopted ensures that producers bear the responsibility for the collection and treatment of their products when they reach end-of-life. We have since appointed a Producer Responsibility Scheme Operator, to manage the collection and treatment of regulated e-waste.
As part of our wider strategy to create value, NEA is focused on spearheading technological innovations and fostering industry partnerships. To achieve long-term net zero emissions, NEA and PUB, Singapore’s National Water Agency (PUB), announced in September 2020 the construction of Singapore’s first integrated solid waste and water treatment facility. Collectively known as Tuas Nexus, the co-location and integration of NEA’s Integrated Waste Management Facility and PUB’s Tuas Water Reclamation Plant is an innovative and sustainable solution, and marks a new chapter for solid waste and used water treatment in Singapore, based on a circular economy approach.
The SGP 2030 has sparked a national movement to ensure a sustainable future for Singapore, and NEA is committed to taking the lead. Moving forward, we will achieve even more.
Mr Lee Chuan Seng
Chairman