ISSUES IN THE
Environment
Space in Singapore
Key insights to guide your giving
Disposable Waste
- 820 million plastic bags from supermarkets
- 473 million plastic disposable items like containers
- 467 million PET bottles like canned drinks1
but
- $157 billion worth of plastic is discarded after its first use2
- Only 4% of plastic waste was recycled in 20183
Why you should care
Single-use plastics tend to be a quick, cheap and convenient solution for urban lifestyles, but frequent use harms the ecosystem in multiple ways.
Globally, the manufacturing of plastics consumes the same amount of fossil fuels as the entire aviation industry.4 Some are dumped in the ocean,5 causing marine pollution and threatening marine organisms. By 2050, globally, there could be more plastics than fish in the ocean. In fact, globally, a person could be ingesting 5 grams of plastic every week through plastic micropollutants in air, water and food—equivalent the plastic of one credit card.6
In Singapore, as we filter all our water systems, most plastic waste found in the waterways do not make it to the ocean. Instead, it gets incinerated at waste-to-energy plants and the resulting ash is deposited at Semakau Landfill, which is projected to run out of space by 2035.7
What are the existing forms of support
In recent years, nation-wide campaigns have led to more collaborative efforts between government, industry and consumer groups that focus on reducing the use of disposables, including plastics.
This includes Bring Your Own Bag Singapore (BYOB) by ZeroWasteSG and PACT (Plastic ACTion) by World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Singapore, both supported by National Environment Agency (NEA). Over 270 food and beverage outlets have signed the PACT pledge and committed to reducing the amount of unnecessary plastics and recycling them.8
What more needs to be done
At an individual level, there is a gap between awareness of environment-friendly practices, and actual behavioural change. 4 in 5 Singaporeans agree that the excessive use of plastics is a problem, but close to half of them agree that engaging in environmentally friendly practices is inconvenient.9 To foster recycling culture, the recycling infrastructure needs to be improved.More effort is also needed to educate and foster mindset change through collective efforts from schools, corporates and individuals.
How you could help
Corporates can up their environmental efforts by ensuring the sustainability of their entire supply chain, from sustainable packaging to biodegradable composting. Innovative green packaging such as Greenpac and sustainable food packaging like TRIA are some examples. They can also be part of the Singapore Packaging Agreement, a joint initiative by NEA, industries and organisations to reduce unnecessary packaging–including plastic!
Individuals and corporates can support community efforts like Waterways Watch Society through fun and educational volunteering activities such as water way clean-up and kayak waterway clean-up. You can volunteer for these opportunities via Giving.sg. Plasticity is an initiative to tackle plastic waste through DIY Recycling. Volunteers use plastic waste as a resource to create new products together. They are also encouraged to change their lifestyles, such as bring their own reusable shopping bags, reusable containers to takeaway food, and avoid using disposables. For more tips on leading a zero waste lifestyle, check out Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources’ Towards Zero Waste.
1 Singapore Environment Council (2018). Consumer Plastic and Plastic Resource Ecosystem in Singapore.
2 Janissa Ng (2018). Plastics: Enough Trash Talk. WWF-World Wide Fund For Nature (Singapore) Limited.
3 National Environment Agency (2019). Waste Statistics and Overall Recycling.
4 Tan, E. (2018, April 23). Enough trash talk, Singapore. It’s time to stop passing the buck on plastics. Eco-business.
5 WWF-World Wide Fund For Nature (Singapore) Limited (n.d.). Plastics.
6 WWF-World Wide Fund For Nature (2019, June 12). Revealed: plastic ingestion by people could be equating to a credit card a week [Press Release].
7 Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources (2019). Zero Waste Masterplan Singapore.
8 WWF-World Wide Fund For Nature (Singapore) Limited (2019, June 03). Over 270 F&B outlets in Singapore phase out plastic straws.
9 Ho, T. (2019, September 09). A Singapore Perspective on Plastic Pollution, IPSOS.
Threats to Biodiversity
Globally, up to
species are threatened with extinction.1
There are over 2,400 native vascular plant species, more than 410 species of birds, and over 330 butterfly species recorded in Singapore.2,3
Restoring ecosystems could provide up to one-third of the climate mitigation needed by sequestering carbon from the atmosphere4
Why Should you care
Climate change affects everyone. By the year 2100, Singapore could experience an increase in daily mean temperature of 1.4C to 4.6C, more intense and frequent heavy rainfall events, and rise of mean sea level of up to 1 metre.5
For a small island state like Singapore, healthy ecosystems are key in our adaptation, mitigation and strengthening of resilience against the negative effects of climate change. In particular, biodiversity is crucial because ecosystems with a rich diversity of flora and fauna are able to respond and adapt to extreme weather conditions.
What are the existing forms of support
The intensification of greenery and the conservation of rich natural heritage are important priorities in the “City in Nature” vision. It integrates nature further into the city by extending its natural capital, intensifying nature in gardens and parks, restoring nature into the city and strengthening connectivity between Singapore’s green spaces. This creates a more liveable city and at the same time conserving our biodiversity.
At the core of Singapore’s conservation of key habitats are the four Nature Reserves, which are buffered from urban development by various nature parks surrounding them. Singapore’s nature reserves and nature parks provide core and expanded habitats for native biodiversity, and clean air and water for the ecosystem. Green spaces in Singapore encompasses a range of habitats, ranging from parks and gardens, such as Singapore Botanic Gardens and Coney Island, to coastal and marine ecosystems such as Manda Mangrove and Mudflat. Multiple initiatives have been carried out to restore and conserve biodiversity in Singapore, guided by NParks’ Nature Conservation Masterplan.
The One Million Trees movement is a nationwide effort to plant a million trees across Singapore over the next 10 years, bringing the number of trees in Singapore to more than 8 million. This movement is a concerted effort to increase the number of trees planted throughout the whole of Singapore, including streetscapes, gardens, parks and park connectors, nature reserves and nature parks, and more. This will improve Singapore’s urban environment and enhance resilience towards climate change.
Natural designs and planting in parks and gardens contribute towards Singapore’s resilience to impact of climate change and support rich biodiversity. For example, naturalised waterbodies within our gardens and parks can help to mitigate flooding around coastal and riverine areas. Along our roads, Nature Ways that have multi-tiered forest-like structure, as well as greater adoption of vertical green energy, will make Singapore’s streets cooler, and more resilient to the effects of urbanisation.
Finally, Singapore is committed to combatting illegal wildlife trade. Singapore is a signatory to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) of Wild Fauna and Flora, and its public agencies continue to collaborate and maintain vigilance to tackle the illegal wildlife trade. An example is the recent large-scale destruction of seized ivory that was livestreamed by NParks.6 The recently launched Centre for Wildlife Forensics (CWF) is a further effort to strengthen our detection and diagnostic capabilities in identifying and analysing specimens involved in the illegal wildlife trade.
What more needs to be done
Efforts at the local and global policy level need to be supported by community stewardship and collective efforts among corporates and the general public. At its core is the ongoing effort to inspire communities to co-create and become stewards of nature, through better awareness and action.
Corporates could do more to ensure their supply chains are free from deforestation and loss in biodiversity and habitat.7 Individual and communities could work on constructive community actions towards caring for Singapore’s environment and engender a new way of living with and alongside nature.8
How you could help
You can start by making small changes in everyday life by supporting businesses and restaurants that do not use illegal or endangered wildlife in their supply chain, and do not intentionally keep any wildlife and endangered animals as exotic pets, such as hedgehogs and sugar gliders. Wild animals not domesticated and unsuitable to be kept in homes. They may suffer due to unsuitable living conditions, and poor diet because the owner is unaware of how to properly care for the animal. Demand for wildlife as pets fuel the illegal wildlife trade. When smuggled in, these animals are often found in poor and confined conditions, and often due to the journey.
Get out under the sun and play a part in combatting climate change, enhancing and restoring precious habitats for wildlife and species conservation. NParks’ One Million Trees movement is a nationwide effort to plant a million trees across Singapore over the next 10 years, bringing the number of trees in Singapore to more than 8 million. This helps to mitigate climate change and provide habitats for biodiversity to thrive. In tandem, their Garden City Fund is channeled towards supporting various programmes towards creating a greener and beautiful city.
Or get your hands dirty with rescue and research works. Nature Society (Singapore), for example, runs Horseshoe Crab Rescue & Research Programme and coastal clean ups, and have multiple volunteering and donation opportunities. Go even further ‘upstream’ and support organisations like Conservation International, which works on science, policy work and partnerships with countries, communities and companies to mitigate the climate crisis and create a cleaner, healthier planet for everyone.
1 United Nations, Sustainable Development Goals (2019). UN Report: Nature’s Dangerous Decline ‘Unprecedented’; Species Extinction Rate ‘Accelerating’.
2 Singapore Botanic Gardens (2019). Flora of Singapore (Vol. 1).
3 National Parks Board (n.d.). Species List.
4 Griscom, et. al. (2017). Natural Climate Solutions. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 114 (44), 11645-11650.
5 National Climate Change Secretariat (n.d.). Impact of Climate Change And Adaptation Measures.
6 Co, C (2020, August 11). Ivory worth S$18 million to br crushed; new centre to bolster Singapore’s fight against wildlife trade. CNA.
7 Liu, V. (2019, September 03). Urgent call for Singapore to help safeguard region’s biodiversity. The Strait Times.
8 National Parks Board (n.d.). City in Nature.
Energy Security
The energy sector has come a long way over the last 50 years and now faces new challenges from climate change.
Today,
of Singapore’s fuel mix for electricity generation comes from natural gas, the cleanest form of fossil fuel.1
Despite being alternative energy disadvantaged, Singapore is ranked
Why Should you care
Power generation is one of the key contributors to global climate change. The effects of climate change are global and far-reaching, including rising temperatures, more annual rainfall and rising sea levels, leading to an existential crisis affecting all aspects of our lives.
Today, almost all electricity used in Singapore—from switching on your air-conditioner to industrial use—comes from burning natural gas which produces the least amount of carbon emissions per unit of electricity among all fossil fuels. However, with the growing urgency of climate change, we need to change the way we use and produce energy to lower our overall carbon emissions.
What are the existing forms of support
Singapore’s effort towards a low-carbon and climate resilient future is fronted by the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Climate Change (IMCCC). Through its Long-Term Low Emissions Development Strategy, Singapore aspires to half our emissions by 2050 from its peak of 33MtCO2e through transformations in industry, economy and society, adoption of low-carbon technologies, and international collaborations.3
Solar energy is one of the “key switches” for Singapore to create a cleaner, affordable and more reliable energy future. Efforts are underway to ramp up the national solar capacity towards achieving the 2030 solar target of at least 2GWp. This is over 5 times the present capacity of over 380MWp.4 Singapore will also continue our efforts to improve our energy efficiency in all sectors.
A key way in which this has been done is through solar panel installation on industrial and residential land and roof spaces. JTC’s solar initiatives, SolarLand programme and the SolarRoof programme, will be extended to optimize the use of over 740,000sqm of industrial land and roof space, which is equivalent to about 103 football fields.5 The Government is also encouraging more corporate partners on rooftop solar panel installation, such as the partnership between CapitaLand and Sembcorp to install the solar rooftop on Capitaland’s industrial facility at Penjuru.6 Under its SolarNova program, HDB is also targeting to more than double its solar capacity to power 135,000 homes to achieve net-zero energy consumption.7
The Government has also launched an enhanced Industry Energy Efficiency Package to provide funding support for companies to adopt more energy efficient technologies, and will continue to empower households to better manage their electricity consumption by providing them with more information.8
What more could be done
The balance between energy security, affordability and environmental sustainability, also known as the Energy Trilemma, points us towards the need for more sustainable energy alternatives. While Singapore has made good progress, we can certainly do more as individuals, business owners, and corporations by maximising our use of clean energy and using energy more efficiently.
How you could help
1 Energy Market Authority (n.d.). Fuel Mix for Electricity Generation.
2 OECD/International Energy Agency (2018). CO2 Emissions from Fuel Combustion- 2018 Highlights. Cited in National Climate Change Secretariat (2020). Singapore’s Emission Profile.
3 National Climate Change Secretariat (2020). Charting Singapore’s Low-Carbon and Climate Resilient Future.
4 Energy Market Authority (2020). Singapore Energy Statistics 2020.
5 Choo, Y.T. (2020, Jul 21). JTC launches tender to help companies adopt solar energy. Straits Times.
6 Low, Y. (2020, Apr 22). Singapore achieves 2020 solar target, enough to power 60,000 households a year. Today Online.
7 Michelle Ng (2019, Dec 30). HDB increases solar target, enough to power 135,000 four-room flats by 2030. The Straits Times.
8 Singapore Econoomic Development Board (2018). Enhanced Industry Energy Efficiency Package for the Adoption of Energy Efficiency Technologies.
Haze
Why Should you care
The haze has become an almost annual occurrence in Southeast Asia since 1982.
Haze results in higher risks of health issues, such as respiratory tract infection and cardiovascular diseases, especially for seniors and other vulnerable populations.4 It might also cause symptoms akin to Seasonal Affective Disorder such as depression and psychological distress.5
Economically, severe haze sees up to S$74.11 million increase in water usage and up to S$20.13 million for power usage.6
Destroying forests also means indirectly destroying our supply of fresh air, water, medicines, as well as homes to millions of people and wildlife.
What are the existing forms of support
Singapore deters companies from environmental pollution through the Transboundary Haze Pollution Act 2014 which criminalises conduct that contribute to haze pollution in Singapore.7 In 2003, Singapore also ratified the ASEAN Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution to reduce haze pollution in Southeast Asia.8
What more needs to be done
While efforts at the governmental and community level continue across borders, progress has been slow. The solution depends on robust forest governance and policies that are essential to preserving the country’s natural capital, and on choices of what we serve at our dining tables.
Expansion of oil palm and pulp and paper plantations have resulted in extensive deforestation and degradation of forests and peatlands in Indonesia and Malaysia, leaving large areas of land vulnerable to fires. This vulnerability is further exacerbated by slash-and-burn agricultural practices, leading to large scale uncontrollable forest fires and transboundary haze.
Oil palm and pulp and paper plantations use the slash-and-burn method due to the relatively cheaper cost, shorter waiting time and more fertile land as compared to using chemicals and machinery. This gives quick economic gains for the farmers, especially with distributors and producers wanting to maximise profits and quick returns.
Producers must adopt certified sustainable production standards that will ensure production is carried out without negative consequences on the environment, alongside helping to boost productivity and hence profitability of the industry.9
There are various research and innovation works underway to improve the transboundary haze situation, but this needs to be supported by change in consumer behaviour among corporates and the general public.
How you could help
Corporations should strive towards eliminating deforestation and forest degradation from their supply chains. The Accountability Framework Initiative was recently launched to provide companies with detailed guidance to support effective and measurable improvement trajectories towards meeting their commitments. For example, companies directly involved in the palm oil supply chain can seek support from Support Asia for Sustainable Palm Oil (SASPO) for capacity building resources to adopt sustainable sourcing policies.
Consumers can look to eco-labels, such as the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) for assurance that a product was sourced responsibly, with care for environmental and social standards.
Organizations like PM.Haze has actively encouraged individuals to be more conscious with their purchases, for example by downloading EcoCart for their online shopping. The plug-in informs consumers if they have chosen a product containing unsustainable palm oil and suggests more sustainable alternatives.
1 World Health Organization (2018). Ambient (outdoor) air pollution. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/ambient-(outdoor)-air-quality-and-health.
2 Oh, T. (2019, September 18). Prolonged haze expected, as doctors report more cases of respiratory problems. Today. https://www.todayonline.com/singapore/more-cases-respiratory-problems-expected-if-hazy-conditions-persist-say-doctors
3 SASPO (2018). 10 Singapore businesses announce commitments to sustainable palm oil [Press Release]. http://saspo.org/downloads/press-release/10%20Singapore%20businesses%20announce%20commitments%20to%20sustainable%20palm%20oil.pdf
4 Roth, S. (n.d.). Why we should care about Indonesian haze – for our own health. Asian Development Blog. https://blogs.adb.org/blog/why-we-should-care-about-indonesian-haze-our-own-health
5 Gomez, B. (2019, September 25). Grey winters of haze: The psychological impact on lives — Brendan Gomez. Malay Mail. https://www.malaymail.com/news/what-you-think/2019/09/25/grey-winters-of-haze-the-psychological-impact-on-lives-brendan-gomez/1794057
6 Agarwal, S. (2019, September 23). A burning issue: Calculating the cost of the haze. Today. https://www.todayonline.com/commentary/burning-issue-calculating-cost-haze
7 Transboundary Haze Pollution Act 2014 . https://sso.agc.gov.sg/Act/THPA2014
8 Haze Action Online (n.d.). ASEAN Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution. http://haze.asean.org/asean-agreement-on-transboundary-haze-pollution-2/
9 World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) (2012). Profitability and Sustainability in Palm Oil Production: Analysis of Incremental Financial Costs and Benefits of RSPO Compliance. https://www.rspo.org/file/BUSINESS%20CASE_Profitability%20and%20Sustainability%20in%20Palm%20Oil%20Production.pdf
Water Scarcity
Singapore is globally-ranked as the most water-stressed country in the world, along with six other countries.1
million gallons
By 2060, the demand will double.
Why Should you care
Although Singapore is located right on the equator and in the tropics with abundant rainfall, it is water-scarce due to limited land area for water storage, the absence of groundwater resources due to unsuitable earth layers, and a lack of other natural water resources.2
Climate change might lead to more erratic weather and dry spells. This could reduce our ability to draw water from the Johor River. Our imported water, which can meet half of Singapore’s daily demand for drinking water, is under threat and steadily depleting. As we produce more water by desalination and NEWater, our energy needs are also expected to rise. These energy-intensive water treatment processes will quadruple our energy demand and contribute to an increase in carbon emissions.
These issues will become more pressing as our population and economy continue to grow. Water demands would increase with population growth and growing non-domestic demands, for instance from water-intensive businesses like petrochemicals, electronics and pharmaceuticals.
What Are The Existing Forms Of Support
Singapore has managed to overcome these constraints with the 4 National Taps; water from local catchments, imported water from Malaysia, NEWater and desalinated water. Our technology investments gave us NEWater and desalinated water which are weather resilient sources that saw us through one of Singapore’s driest periods in early 2014.
Newly announced in Budget 2020, the new HDB Green Towns Programme will have recycling rainwater as one of its key focus areas.3 HDB developed an Urban Water Harvesting System to harvest rainwater for usage like washing common areas and irrigation, which is expected to reduce the use of potable drinking water by more than 50% . The system has been piloted in selected housing precincts such as Punggol eco-town, and will be scaled up to more precincts.
What more could be done
Given the abundance of clean potable water in every home, Singaporeans today might hold a somewhat complacent mindset that water security is a given and well taken care of in Singapore.
However, government efforts in ensuring a sustainable and resilient supply of need to be supported by behavioural change among corporates and the general public. Small changes in everyday behaviour and practising water saving habits would ensure that we have a continuous supply of clean water for our future generations and guarantee our national survival and economic prosperity.
How you could help
Individuals can practice water saving habits to conserve water. For more tips, check out PUB’s Water Saving Habits.
Support or partner efforts that raise awareness of water conservation, such as during PUB’s World Water Day campaign. For more information, visit Make Every Drop Count.
Incorporate conserving water as part of your business sustainability practices. Hilton Hotels and Resorts have reduced their water consumption by 22% since 2008 by setting and tracking measurable water reduction targets. They have since saved more than 417 million gallons of water through deploying water efficient laundry and cleaning technologies. Refer to PUB’s Water Efficiency Management Plan to better understand water usage in your businesses.
1 Maddocks, A., Young, R. S. & Reig, P. (2015, August 26). Ranking the World’s Most Water-Stressed Countries in 2040. World Resources Institute.
2 Tortajada, C. & Buurman, J. (2017). [Singapore Handbook of Public Policy] Water policy in Singapore.
3 Ministry of Finance (2020). Singapore Budget 2020.
Food Security
Why Should you care
Food security is an issue that affects everyone. It has wide-ranging implications on our food supply, affordability, and the quantity and quality of the food we consume.4
Given our land area and limited natural resources, it is essential for Singapore to import food. Doing so diversifies food security risks and provides a range of food options to our local market. However, this makes us vulnerable to fluctuations in food availability due to global food supply disruptions, and leads to a higher carbon profile for the food we consume.
The global food production has increasingly been adversely impacted by climate change. The increased temperature due to global warming has led to more diseases, while extreme weather events like heavy rains, erratic monsoons, floods and prolonged droughts are affecting crop production.
As a majority food importer, Singapore is vulnerable to global trends that impact food supply and safety around the world. Global supply chain disruptions due to geopolitical tension or trade protectionist policies could threaten our ability to feed ourselves.
Lastly, importing these food—some as far as halfway round the world—means that food transportation to reach our plates come with large emission profile. Singapore officially contributes to 0.11% of global emission5—excluding emission created outside the nation—which belies the heavy carbon cost that comes with world-wide food supply network. This adds to the already harmful method of production such as animal-based agriculture6, which is a leading cause of deforestation, biodiversity loss, water pollution and greenhouse gas emission.
What are the existing forms of support
Globally we are seeing encouraging moves towards a more sustainable food system. Some farms, such as those in Brazil, are becoming increasingly sustainable, and palm oil plantations are increasingly committing to no deforestation, no peat development, and no exploitation. There is also an increasing use of clean and renewable energy in food production. This means Singapore has more choice to selectively import our food from sustainable resources.
Local food production is key to reduce our reliance on imports and serve as a buffer during supply disruptions to import sources. The Singapore Food Agency (SFA) has set the “30 by 30” goal7, which is to produce 30% of our nutritional needs locally by 2030, up from our current production of less than 10%.
To achieve this, SFA provides funding support for the local agri-food industry to harness technology to grow more, such as through the Agriculture Productivity Fund.8 The “30 by 30 Express” Grant Call is also launched to crowdsource innovative proposals to accelerate local productions in the near term amidst disruptions in global food supply chains due to COVID-19.
Generous funding under the Singapore Food Story R&D Programme is also provided to stimulate research in sustainable urban food productions, future foods, and food safety science and innovation.9
What more can be done
Consumers have a part to play in sustaining a vibrant agri-food ecosystem, to create an enabling environment for farming and its supporting industries to thrive. Choosing to buy local produce will help to spur our farms to embrace technology and become more productive to meet the increased demand—now you can identify them easily with the recently-launched ‘SG Fresh Produce’ logo on retail shops and supermarket shelves.
More could be done in terms of industry adoption of sustainable certifications and mindful consumerism. There are several key certifications for sustainable products, such as Marine Stewardship Council, Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil as well as verified Organic certifications. However, adoption by brands and businesses in Singapore reportedly remains low for various reasons such as cost and lack of consumer demand for sustainable products.10
How you could help
Go local with your food! Dine out at farm-to-table eateries and those using local produces to promote more environmentally friendly choices to your friends and family. In your professional capacity, cater for events with locally sourced low-carbon food. Or organize a fresh produce market during your company’s Family Day or festive celebrations!
Get involved in local community gardens developed by NParks. Each of the 1,300 locally run, neighbourhood gardens are a great place to get your hands dirty and learn more about small scale food production that can feed the neighbourhood. You could also consider supporting local farmers such as Bollywood Veggies or start-ups such as Edible Garden City. If you prefer to donate, think about getting involved in local community funding for Edible Community Gardens with partners such as the Community Foundation of Singapore.11
Lastly, support organizations doing work to educate the population on this issue such as Centre for Responsible Future’s EarthFest, which is Singapore’s first sustainability festival that seeks to inspire people and organisations to make more environmentally sustainable choices.
1 Zero Waste Singapore (2015). Singapore Waste Statistics from 2003 to 2014.
2 Singapore Food Agency (2019). The Food We Eat.
3 Ibid
4 Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2006). Food security.
5 National Climate Change Secretariat (2020). Singapore Emission Profile.
6 Global Livestock Coalition (2020). Unsustainable Livestock Production.
7 Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources (n.d.). Speech by Mr Masagos Zulkifli, Minister for the Environment and Water Resources, at the Committee of Supply Debate 2019, on 7 March 2019.
8 Singapore Food Agency (n.d.). Agriculture Productivity Fund.
Food Waste
million kilograms
of food waste2 – roughly equivalent to 2 bowls of rice per person per day.
Only 18% of food waste is recycled.3
Why Should you care
Food waste is one of the largest waste streams generated in Singapore.
As a child, we often hear the warning “Don’t waste food!”., This actually goes beyond unfinished meals. Of course, poorly managed food waste can cause pest and odour problems, contaminate recyclables and hamper recycling effort. But the issue is far more insidious and multifaceted than a simple case of wasted resources and efforts.
Food waste can come from commercial preparation and distribution of food. To make food look better for the plate, restaurants commonly do cosmetic filtering by discarding food or food parts that are ‘ugly’ but otherwise perfectly edible. It could also be due to inefficient industry processes such as storing food for too long or inefficient refrigeration leading to spoiled food.
Food waste from individuals and commercial settings that are not sent for treatment are incinerated, contributing to an increasingly overused landfill at Semakau which is expected to be fully filled by 2035.
What are the existing forms of support
There has been ongoing efforts to tackle food waste at various levels. In 2019, the National Environment Agency (NEA) rode the momentum of the Year of Zero Waste to introduce various awareness campaigns and community engagements, including working with hawker centres and supermarkets, and galvanizing Food Waste Reduction Ambassadors in the community.5
A landmark policy move was the passing of the Resource Sustainability Act in late 2019, which was a legislation to address priority waste streams including food waste. By 2024, large commercial and industrial food waste generators are required to segregate their food waste for treatment either on-site or off-site.6 In relation to this, Food Waste Fund was recently introduced to help companies cover the capital cost of food waste treatment solutions and put in place practices to minimize food waste.7
At the grassroot level, neighbourhoods such as Nee Soon South and Tampines have successfully piloted community fridges at void decks where residents and community partners can place their food donations into the fridges for the consumption of those in need.
In the ground up space, initiatives such as Foodscape Collective bring together a community of enthusiasts to create sustainable and resilient food system. They actively work with businesses, government and community partners to raise awareness and run activities such as composting and excess food redistribution.
What more could be done
More could be done to foster an environment that allows and encourages more food to be donated to charities. Responding to calls from food service organizations, Singapore Food Agency is considering to introduce Good Samaritan Food Donation Act to encourage companies and organisations to donate healthy food that would otherwise go to waste. Similar law is already implemented in countries such as Italy and the United States and help ease business concerns over donation of excess food.
Better food labelling policy can also help reduce food wastage. Food organizations and green advocates are calling for better distinction between Best Before, Used By, Expiry Date—which are currently being used interchangeably in Singapore. This lack of clarity means that food that has reached its ‘use-by’ date—referring to food with reduced quality and flavour but still fit for consumption—often end up being wasted, as they are no longer allowed to be sold or distributed in Singapore. A more conscious labelling could lead to more food that are still safe to consume but has gone slightly past their ‘best before dates’ to be donated to food charities.10
How you could help
If you are an individual, the best way of reducing food waste is to avoid generating it in the first place. Buy, cook and order only what you can finish. Check expiry dates of food products and consume them before they go bad—of course always observe for signs of spoilage! Also, do not shy away from ‘ugly food’ and make the most of trimmings, edible seeds or pits (Fun fact: do you know you can grow new plants from trimmings?)
If you work in a corporate or any institutional setting, you can help your organisation evaluate their supply chains efficiency and eliminate waste where possible. Or go one step further and challenge your company to reduce waste throughout their operations. For example, Sodexo’s11 WasteWatch has been monitoring food waste levels and causes and effectively using this data to implement targeted operational and behavioural changes in the company.12
If you are a grocer or restaurant, consider going waste-free and support the ugly food movement to reuse food waste. But you do not have to be a food and beverage establishment to do something about food waste. Whether you are manufacturers, distributors, retail stores, hotels, even schools, you can consider donating excess food and leftovers to communities in need.
Actively partner and support non-profits and ground-up movements to redistribute unsold or excess food, especially to communities in need. The Food Bank Singapore works to re-distribute food destined for incineration and has a host of exciting volunteering activities for corporate groups, including visiting their warehouse to sort, pack and transport donated food. Or help out at SG Food Rescue’s Community Fridge Re-stock who help to re-distribute food to those in need.
1 National Environment Agency (n.d.). Food Waste Management
2 Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources (n.d.). Food Waste
3 National Environment Agency (2019). Waste Statistics and Overall Recycling
4 UglyFood (n.d.). Cosmetic filtering
5 National Environment Agency (2019). Everyone urged to adopt 3 easy habits to reduce food waste.
6 National Environment Agency (2020). More Than 300 F&B Businesses Required To Segregate Food Waste For Treatment Under New Legislation
7 National Environment Agency (2020). Food Waste Fund.
8 Kwan, J. and A. Tan (2019, Aug 28). The Straits Times. Good Samaritan Laws may help reduce food waste.
9 Singapore Food Agency (2020, Feb 27.) Best before and sell by date difference.
10 Ong, A. (2019, Sep 14). ChannelNewsAsia. Commentary: Reduce waste by redistributing food surplus to low income.
11 Sodexo (2018). Reducing food waste in schools.
12 Sodexo (n.d.). WasteWatch powered by leanpath.
Credit Mentions List
Frances Loke
Programme Manager, Conservation International Singapore
Jeannie Kwok
Hazel Quek
Dr Shawn Lum
Director, Nature Society (Singapore)
Benjamin Tay
Executive Director, People’s Movement to Stop Haze (PM.Haze)
Chitra Venkatesh
Head of Education and Outreach, World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Singapore
National Parks Board
Tay Sok Leng
Head, Business Strategy and Development, Singapore Environment Council
Eileen Bakri
Head, Marketing Communications and Outreach, Singapore Environment Council
Roshith Rajan
Eugene Heng
Founder and CEO, Waterways Watch Society
Darryl Chan
The information provided on this page is as of 26 November 2020.
