This is a full version of NEA’s reply issued to the media agency; published in Lianhe Zaobao, 5 Aug 2024.
Title: Everyone can play a part to reduce all types of disposables and use reusables
We thank Yang Wenhui for the suggestions to “改进纸皮回收与禁用泡沫塑料建议” (23 July 2024).
2 We agree with the writer that cardboard boxes should be flattened before disposal for recycling. The National Environment Agency (NEA) encourages the operators of trade premises to recycle cardboard boxes. They can request for the Public Waste Collectors to provide additional blue recycling bins to recycle the cardboard boxes. Residents are also encouraged to flatten their cardboard boxes before placing them in the recycling bins.
3 Biodegradables offer some environmental benefit in countries where waste is directly landfilled. In Singapore, all contaminated waste, including biodegradable food containers, is incinerated, and not left to landfill to degrade. Hence, the use of biodegradable products is not necessarily better for the environment in our context.
4 The use of any packaging material carries some environmental impact when it is eventually disposed of. Therefore, a more sustainable practice is to minimise packaging or to reuse it as many times as possible. On this note, we urge everyone to refuse excessive packaging, reuse it whenever possible; and in the end, dispose of it correctly whether in recycling bins or otherwise to avoid it being a litter problem and becoming potential mosquito breeding habitats.
5 In this Year of Public Hygiene, with a strong emphasis on the collective efforts needed by all stakeholders to uphold high standards of public hygiene, everyone is reminded that they have a critical role to play. A concerted effort by all, is crucial to build a clean and green Singapore.
Chan Chin Kai (Mr) (曾进皆)
Group Director (Resource Sustainability Group) (资源与永续发展司司长)
National Environment Agency (国家环境局)