MPs raise concerns about pests, karung guni men's earnings as Parliament passes law to reduce plastic usage

SINGAPORE — Given that many residents use plastic bags to hold their trash, discouraging the use of these bags could result in people disposing of waste directly into the rubbish chute, potentially causing the breeding of pests, one Member of Parliament (MP) pointed out on Wednesday (March 22).

This, as well as how a beverage container return scheme could affect the earnings of karung guni men, were among the issues raised by MPs as Parliament passed amendments to a Bill that will see new measures to address packaging and food waste.

These new measures are:

• A disposable carrier bag charge at supermarkets
• A beverage container return scheme
• A food waste reporting framework for industrial and commercial premises

Nine MPs spoke during the debate on amendments to the Resource Sustainability Act, which took place over two days.

Their concerns were addressed by Dr Amy Khor, the Senior Minister of State for Sustainability and the Environment.

During her opening speech on Tuesday, Dr Khor said that the new measures are intended to get people to be more mindful of their consumption habits and adopt sustainable practices.

“They are a call for everyone to act, participate and take a stake in Singapore’s zero waste journey,” she said.

WHY IT MATTERS

The Resource Sustainability Act was passed in 2019 as part of the country’s Zero Waste Masterplan, which sets out the strategy to reduce the amount of waste sent to the landfills by 30 per cent, by 2030.

Dr Khor had said on Tuesday that the amendments to the Act marked “the next step” in Singapore’s sustainability agenda.

The new measures also come as Singapore aims to raise its domestic recycling rate to 30 per cent by 2030, up from a 10-year low of 13 per cent in 2021.

WHAT THE NEW MEASURES ARE

With the passing of the Bill, customers will have to pay at least 5 cents for each plastic bag that they take from large supermarket operators. The charge will take effect from July 3 this year.

The beverage container return scheme will see a 10-cent deposit added to the price of drinks, with the amount refunded when an empty bottle or can is returned. The scheme will begin from April 2025.

The food waste reporting framework will require building managers to submit food waste reports to the National Environment Agency (NEA).

New buildings that submitted their application for planning approval on or after Jan 1, 2021, will have to comply with the requirements from Jan 1, 2024.

The requirements will commence progressively for existing buildings from the second half of 2025.

KEY CONCERNS RAISED

Improper disposal of household rubbish

Some MPs such as Mr Yip Hon Weng of Yio Chu Kang Single Member Constituency pointed out that many Singaporeans rely on plastic bags to dispose of their household rubbish.

Mr Yip said that discouraging the use of plastic bags could result in people throwing food waste directly down rubbish chutes and lead to the breeding of pests.

He asked if the authorities will step up enforcement of regulations to target those who fail to properly bag their rubbish before disposal.

In her response, Dr Khor said she is mindful of the fact that people use plastic bags to dispose of waste.

She said that the decision to impose a disposable carrier bag charge was made after consultations with people who offered differing views.

Impact on karung guni men (informal waste collectors)

Several MPs such as Mr Louis Ng of Nee Soon Group Representation Constituency (GRC) and Ms Poh Li San (Sembawang GRC) raised the concern that the beverage container return scheme could erode the income of karung guni men, who are usually the low-income and elderly who collect cans for a living.

They asked how such waste collectors could be supported. Ms Poh suggested that these seniors be appointed as operators to manage collection stations under the scheme.

Dr Khor said that the NEA will work with the scheme operator to cater to such waste collectors.

For example, the scheme operator could have return depots which accept beverage container returns in bulk from such waste collectors.

Packaging from online deliveries

The issue of excessive packaging due to online deliveries was highlighted by Ms Carrie Tan (Nee Soon GRC) and Mr Don Wee (Chua Chu Kang GRC).

Mr Don wanted to know if the disposable carrier bag charge would also apply to online grocery deliveries by affected supermarkets.

In reply, Dr Khor said that it would not as customers do not have a choice in using their own bags in such instances.

Ms Tan asked if the Government could look into reducing packaging in the online retail space which are “especially generous” with packaging.

She suggested that the Government introduce a “sustainable packaging” mark to encourage online retailers to reduce their packaging. The mark would indicate to customers if the packaging used by merchants is second hand, compostable or recycled.

Dr Khor said that the authorities will study how to address such waste from e-commerce platforms.

Meanwhile, the Government will work with supermarket operators to develop guidelines on reducing packaging for online purchases, said Dr Khor.