New $1.76m Food Waste Fund to help businesses in current challenging economic climate while supporting efforts to build an environmentally sustainable future.

Singapore, 7 May 2020 – To continue efforts to secure Singapore’s climate resilient future and help companies transition towards a Zero Waste economy amidst the current challenging economic conditions, the National Environment Agency (NEA) today announced a $1.76 million Food Waste Fund that will cover the capital cost of food waste treatment solutions for organisations in Singapore. The fund will be open for applications from 18 May 2020 till 28 February 2021.

2          The Food Waste Fund covers the capital cost of food waste treatment systems, accompanying equipment such as bin lifters and infrastructural improvements, and is capped at $100,000 per applicant. It is open to organisations, including companies, non-profit organisations, and managing bodies such as MCSTs. The fund will be disbursed in two stages with the first fifty per cent of the approved grant disbursed upon installation and commissioning of the food waste treatment system.

3          For example, organisations can tap on the Food Waste Fund to valorise food waste and convert homogeneous food waste into other valuable products such as animal feed. The cost of modifying processing lines or procuring food waste recycling equipment can be offset under the fund.

4          Industry associations including Singapore Food Manufacturing Association, Singapore Hotel Association and Singapore Manufacturing Federation are supportive of the Food Waste Fund and have indicated that it will benefit companies that are keen to integrate food waste management practices into their businesses. The industry associations commented that the shorter disbursement period of the food waste fund, as compared to existing funding schemes, was attractive as applicants will be able to claim the full grant within a six-month period.

Reducing Food Waste

5          Food waste is one of the three priority waste streams under Singapore’s recently launched Zero Waste Masterplan. We are making good progress in reducing food waste overall, with the amount of food waste disposed of in 2019 continuing on a declining trajectory and being one of the lowest in recent years, while the food waste recycling rate increased to an all time high of 18%.  However, more needs to be done as food waste still accounts for about 10 per cent of the total waste generated in Singapore and its recycling rate remains relatively low, even if it is improving. The food that are not recycled are also disposed of at waste-to-energy (WTE) plants, and this is not sustainable over the long-term. Besides the effort and resources that go into collecting and disposing of it, food waste can also contaminate recyclables and compromise recycling efforts.

6          Semakau Landfill, which is Singapore’s only landfill, is projected to run out of space by 2035. In view of this, there is a need to progressively reduce the amount of waste sent for incineration and eventual landfilling. From 2024 onwards, owners and operators of premises that generate large amounts of food waste will be required to segregate their food waste for treatment. The Food Waste Fund is also aimed at incentivising and helping companies to adopt food waste segregation and treatment ahead of the mandatory requirements. In addition, NEA has also developed a new food waste segregation and treatment guidebook to help businesses practice segregation of food waste in their operations.

7          Tackling food waste requires a holistic approach, and the Food Waste Fund is one initiative by NEA to encourage the treatment and recycling of food waste. The preferred way to manage food waste is still to avoid wasting food at the onset. NEA encourages businesses to reduce food waste at source and has worked with industry stakeholders to publish food waste minimisation guidebooks for food retail establishments, supermarket and food manufacturing establishments to reduce food waste in their business operations. These efforts will help in the collective fight against climate change by conserving resources, reducing waste sent for incineration and extending the lifespan of our only landfill.

8          Organisations can find more information and apply for the fund from 18 May onwards by visiting the NEA Food Waste Fund webpage (www.nea.gov.sg/food-waste-fund). 

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