This is a full version of NEA’s reply issued to the media agency; published in Lianhe Zaobao, 4 Nov 2024.
We thank Mr 刘木添 for his letter, “交流站：中小企业产品包装的合规困扰” that was published on 25 October 2024.
2 Packaging waste, including plastics, makes up about one-third of domestic waste disposed of in Singapore in 2023. Mandatory Packaging Reporting (MPR) aims to raise companies’ awareness of the amount of packaging waste they are generating and the potential for reduction of packaging used in products.
3 The Packaging Partnership Programme (PPP), administered by the Singapore Manufacturing Federation in partnership with National Environment Agency (NEA), was launched in 2021 to support companies in adopting sustainable packaging practices. The PPP facilitates the sharing of best practices through webinars, site visits, conferences and resources. Some notable best practices include improving packaging design to ensure efficient use of materials or improved recyclability, switching from single-use packaging to reusables, and introducing packaging collection for reuse. More information can be found in the 3R Guidebook for Packaging at go.gov.sg/3r-guidebook-packaging.
4 The PPP also provides training to companies on the preparation of the MPR report and development of their 3R (reduce, reuse, recycle) plans. The MPR training sessions have been well-received by the industry, with seven sessions conducted to date. Companies have the flexibility to adapt the best practices and methodologies covered in the training to suit their needs for reporting of packaging use.
5 We thank Mr 刘for his feedback and will continue to study ways to enhance the MPR scheme so that it serves as a useful tool for companies to reduce their impact on the environment. Companies may also refer to materials on NEA’s website at go.gov.sg/nea-mpr or email us at Packaging@nea.gov.sg for assistance.
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)