Singapore

Specific Measures:
To encourage businesses to minimise their contribution to plastic waste, Singapore’s National Environment Agency (NEA) will require businesses to submit packaging data on specified packaging imported or used, and plans to reduce, reuse and/or recycle packaging under the Mandatory Packaging Reporting (MPR) Scheme. From 2021, producers of packaged products, such as brand owners, manufacturers and importers, as well as retailers such as supermarkets, with an annual turnover of more than $10 million will have to collect and submit packaging data and plans to reduce, reuse or recycle packaging. Some of the 3R initiatives that were implemented by the companies include using packaging materials made from recycled content or reducing the overall weight of packaging in their products. The MPR Scheme raises companies’ awareness of the environmental impact of packaging that they supply to the market and spurs them to reduce packaging and packaging waste. It also lays the foundation for an Extended Producer Responsibility Scheme for packaging waste eventually.

1. The Resource Sustainability Act, which also provides legislative effect to the EPR scheme for e-waste, was implemented on 1 Jul 2021. Under the scheme, producers of electrical and electronic products are made responsible for the collection and proper treatment of their products supplied, at their end-of-life. A Producer Responsibility Scheme Operator was appointed to manage the collection and proper treatment of e-waste on behalf of the producers. Under the EPR scheme, e-waste must be sent to licensed e-waste recycling facilities for proper treatment and materials recovery. Products such as ICT equipment, large home appliances, batteries, bulbs/lamps, electric mobility devices and solar panels are regulated under the scheme.
2. Since 2021, the Singapore Manufacturing Federation (SMF) has partnered the NEA to implement the industry-led Packaging Partnership Programme (PPP). The PPP is a capability development programme that supports companies in their journeys towards adopting sustainable packaging waste management practices. Efforts include supporting companies in fulfilling their regulatory requirements starting with the MPR Scheme, as well as enabling the exchange of best practices in sustainable packaging waste management.
3. The Singapore Green Labelling Scheme (SGLS) is an environmental standard and certification mark administered by a non-governmental organisation, the Singapore Environment Council. The Scheme helps the public to identify environmentally preferred products that meet certain standards. SGLS categories that contribute to sustainable/circular product design include “Products with Recycled/Sustainable Content”.

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Specific Measures:
■ Closed-loop recycling
Others

Brief description:
Singapore is working towards becoming a Zero Waste Nation and has launched a Zero Waste Masterplan. The Masterplan outlines Singapore’s strategies to reuse and recycle resources, turn trash into treasure, as well as produce and consume sustainably. To support our circular economy approach, we are investing in research and development and collaborating with the industry to develop and promote innovative solutions to turn our waste into resources. As part of efforts under the Zero Waste Masterplan, Singapore introduced the Mandatory Packaging Reporting (MPR) Scheme in 2021.
Producers of packaged products, such as brand owners, manufacturers and importers, as well as retailers such as supermarkets, with an annual turnover of more than $10 million will have to submit packaging data and plans to reduce, reuse or recycle packaging. This will make companies more aware of their packaging use and encourage them to minimise waste and reduce business costs.

■ Regulatory Measures (ex: production ban, Ban on use..etc):
Brief description:
NEA has been working with stakeholders to reduce the use of disposables at hawker centres managed by NEA. NEA has disallowed the usage of disposables for dine-in meals at all new hawker centres, and at existing hawker centres which have adopted the use of common crockery and centralised dishwashing services under the Productive Hawker Centres programme. In addition, NEA does not allow new cooked food stallholders at existing hawker centres to provide disposables to patrons for dine-in meals. To reduce the use of bottled water, water dispensers have been installed in hawker centres, sport centres, and some bus and MRT stations. Through the Environmental Protection and Management Act (EPMA) and the Environmental Public Health Act (EPHA), the NEA regulates the disposal of all types of waste in Singapore and administers strict anti-littering regulations.

■ Economic Measures (levy, tax, subsidies…etc.)
Brief description:
Since 3 July 2023, larger supermarket operators with annual turnover of more than $100 million are required to charge at least five cents for each disposable carrier bag provided at their retail outlets licensed to operate as supermarkets. The charge applies to disposable carrier bags regardless of material types.

The disposable carrier bag charge is an important step in our journey towards a Zero Waste Nation. It forms part of our efforts to reduce packaging waste, a priority waste stream under the Zero Waste Masterplan.

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Specific Measures:

Specific Measures:
To address the issue of marine plastic litter and microplastics, Singapore has in place stringent legislation and regulations on pollution control and waste management and a comprehensive waste and water management system to minimise waste at source and prevent discharge of litter into the sea. The prevention and reduction of marine pollution is achieved through (i) management of pollution from land-based sources; and (ii) management of water pollution and quality in inland water bodies and coastal areas.

Singapore’s approach is detailed below:
(a) Comprehensive waste management system

1. Control of waste disposal. Through the Environmental Protection and Management Act (EPMA) and the Environmental Public Health Act (EPHA), Singapore’s National Environment Agency regulates the disposal of all types of waste in Singapore and administers strict anti-littering regulations. This includes the discharge of trade effluent, oil, chemical, sewage or other polluting matters into drains, as well as hazardous substances into inland waters and conducting regular water quality monitoring of inland water bodies and coastal areas to meet international standards
2. Anti-littering as well as waterways clean-up measures, which ensure that land-based litter, including plastic waste, is prevented from being washed into the ocean
3. Integrated and comprehensive solid waste management and collection system to minimise waste at source and collect all waste for proper disposal. Recyclables, which are segregated and collected separately at source via a commingled system, including plastics, are sorted, baled and sent for recycling. The remaining incinerable waste is sent to Waste-to-Energy (WtE) plants for proper treatment before disposal of inert residual ash waste at Semakau Landfill, which is designed with impermeable geomembrane to prevent marine pollution.

Specific Measures:
NEA is also studying the feasibility of both mechanical recycling and chemical recycling of plastics. In the latter, NEA is studying the development of a Plastic Recovery Facility (PRF) to sort and recover plastics from domestic waste, to be used as feedstock for downstream chemical recycling or pyrolysis plants. The output of chemical recycling plants can be used by the petrochemical sector to manufacture new chemicals and plastics as secondary material. This will help us to close the loop for plastics and bring us closer to achieving a circular economy for plastics. In 2023, NEA called for a Request for Information (RFI) to assess private sector interest in developing and managing a Plastic Recovery Facility (PRF) on a commercial basis.

Recycling bins are provided at every HDB block, landed property, opt-in condominium, and various trade premises all over Singapore to serve as a convenient means for households to recycle, thereby reducing the amount of plastic waste being sent for disposal. To encourage households to set up recycling corners and build a habit of recycling at home, NEA also distributed recycling boxes (Bloobox) to households in Singapore in 2023.

Organisations can also apply for NEA’s 3R Funds to implement waste minimisation and recycling projects, aimed at reducing waste disposed of at waste disposal facilities. The 3R Fund will co-fund up to 80 per cent of qualifying costs, subject to a cap of $1 million per project or per applicant.

Specific Measures:
Damming up of tidal rivers to form reservoirs as source of water supply has minimised litter from flowing out into the sea. Vertical gratings, litter traps and float booms installed where appropriate as part of the drainage network to trap debris and litter.

Specific Measures:
Recreational beaches under Singapore’s National Environment Agency’s purview are cleaned throughout the year with frequencies ranging from four times a week to once in two weeks depending on the public usage and accessibility of the beach. The cleaning frequency has been increased to twice a day for selected beaches during monsoon periods as more marine litter is washed ashore.

Singapore’s Public Hygiene Council (PHC) also coordinates and facilitates public clean-up activities at the recreational beaches. Clean-ups are also regularly conducted by non-profit or interest groups such as, but not limited to, International Coastal Cleanup Singapore (ICCS), Our Singapore Reefs, Little Green Men Singapore, Green Nudge, Stridy, SG Beach Warriors, Nature Society (Singapore), Restore Ubin Mangroves and Seven Clean Seas.

PHC also has dedicated “CleanPods”, which are community-based resources equipped with metal tongs for litter picking, buckets for collecting litter as well as garden carts for the transportation of tools and disposal of trash at selected beach locations. Using the CleanPod shared resources allow organisations, schools and communities to reinforce the value of ownership for Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and educational opportunities. It also helped to reduce wastage of litter picking tools.

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Specific Measures:
Singapore is taking various steps to address ALDFG through licensing levers and ground-up initiatives. To mitigate the risk of bycatch and reduce fishing related debris, Singapore Food Agency (SFA) is reviewing the use of nets by the small fisheries industry in Singapore, which only number 17 licensees who conduct small-scale, inshore fishing. We will continue to study whether further measures are needed, such as the requirement to label and report lost fishing gear for all local commercial fishing vessels. The fishing nets could also originate from recreational fishing or even waters overseas. In addition, to help protect our marine biodiversity from ALDFG, National Parks Board (NParks) encourages members of the public to adopt sustainable fishing practices, such as catch-and-release fishing.

NParks also works closely with local recreational fishing communities to promote responsible fishing; for instance, to avoid fishing in areas with rich marine biodiversity, such as intertidal flats and coral reefs. Signage is also placed at fishing spots to educate fishers and encourage best practices. The use of nets and wire mesh traps for fishing is also restricted in public parks, national parks and nature reserves under the Parks and Trees Act and its regulations

These efforts are supported by various nature groups and ground-up initiatives who regularly monitor our shorelines and reef environments to document and remove marine debris, including fishing related debris.

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Specific Measures:
Singapore’s initiatives to engage domestic stakeholders include:

Partnering with the People, Private and Public (3P) sectors on initiatives that reduce the generation of water and land-based solid waste, including plastic waste and co-delivering these solutions with the 3P sectors where feasible. These initiatives include:

1. Convening Citizens’ Workgroups on recycling right and reducing the excessive consumption of disposables, where citizens come together to learn and brainstorm innovative and contextually relevant solutions to these issues;
2. Partnering the People’s Association PAssion Wave to promote Project Blue Wave in support of NEA’s Clean and Green Singapore campaign. The Project aimed to bring together Singaporeans to build a sense of ownership of our environment through public education and sea- and land-based litter picking activities. The Project was also done in collaboration with The Plastic Project, a social enterprise which upcycles marine litter into useful daily products.
   1. Since 2021, the Singapore Manufacturing Federation (SMF) has partnered the NEA to implement the industry-led Packaging Partnership Programme (PPP). The PPP is a capability development programme that supports companies in their journeys towards adopting sustainable packaging waste management practices. Efforts include supporting companies in fulfilling their regulatory requirements starting with the MPR Scheme, as well as enabling the exchange of best practices in sustainable packaging waste management. Prior to the PPP, there was the Singapore Packaging Agreement, a voluntary agreement undertaken by government, industry and non-governmental organisations to reduce packaging waste from 2007 to 2020.
   2. Recycling bins are provided at every HDB block, landed property, opt-in condominium, and various trade premises all over Singapore to serve as a convenient means for households to recycle, thereby reducing the amount of plastic waste being sent for disposal. To encourage households to set up recycling corners and build a habit of recycling at home, NEA distributed recycling boxes (Bloobox) to households in Singapore in 2023.
   3. NEA partners training providers to conduct a Zero Waste Manager course, which aims to support businesses in building waste management competencies. The course encourages companies to formalise waste reduction responsibilities, and to appoint and train Zero Waste Managers to lead waste management and reduction efforts on their premises, especially those covered under the Mandatory Waste Reporting (MWR) scheme.

Specific Measures:
To encourage businesses to minimise their contribution to plastic waste, Singapore’s National Environment Agency (NEA) requires businesses with an annual turnover of more than $10 million to submit packaging data on specified packaging imported or used, and plans to reduce, reuse and/or recycle packaging under the MPR Scheme. The MPR Scheme raises companies’ awareness of the environmental impact of packaging that they supply to the market and spurs them to reduce packaging and packaging waste.

NEA’s Zero Waste Manager course encourages companies to formalise waste reduction responsibilities, and to appoint and train Zero Waste Managers to lead waste management and reduction efforts on their premises, especially those covered under the Mandatory Waste Reporting (MWR) scheme.

Organisations can also apply for NEA’s 3R Funds to implement waste minimisation and recycling projects, aimed at reducing waste disposed of at waste disposal facilities.

Specific Measures:
The nationwide “Say YES to Waste Less” (SYTWL) campaign aims to encourage the public to lead a sustainable lifestyle by reducing the use of disposables.

Since the SYTWL campaign was launched in 2019, the number of partners who have supported the goals of the campaign has increased from 59 to more than 140 businesses and organisations in 2024. Collectively, they cover more than 2,000 retail outlets in Singapore, and have put in place different measures to encourage consumers to reduce food waste and the consumption of disposables, particularly carrier bags, bottles and take-away containers, in line with the campaign. These measures include tapping on technology to generate less waste, incentivisation and timely reminders to customers to opt out of disposables.

To promote SYTWL actions and encourage the public to lead a sustainable lifestyle by reducing waste such as disposables and food wastage, educational content is disseminated through various touchpoints, such as out-of-home, social and digital media channels. Outreach and engagement activities are also conducted within the community and schools.

Other partners comprise social enterprises, interest groups, non-governmental organisations, and Community Development Councils, who have also committed to various programmes and initiatives to reduce the use of disposables and/or food wastage.

The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) had organised maritime environmental outreach programmes, including talks on marine conservation, coastal clean-up, and online content, to raise awareness on the importance of protecting the marine environment. The refreshed Singapore Maritime Gallery also organise programmes and feature a collaborative space for community and nature groups to exhibit their works to promote sustainability and biodiversity.

NEA works with the Ministry of Education to include sustainability knowledge and activities in the national school curriculum, covering topics such as anti-littering and solid waste management.

These aim to instill a sustainability mindset, help young Singaporeans understand the impact of their actions on the environment, and inculcate the values of care, respect, and responsibility for the environment. Using real-world examples and case studies, participants learn about pollution-related issues in the sciences and humanities, including the impact of marine litter.

In addition, since 2021, NEA has promoted the Youth for Environmental Sustainability (YES) movement, as a platform to engage youths, build their knowledge and skills, and develop their capabilities to lead ground-up projects. Areas covered under YES training programmes include waste management, recycling and zero waste.

Scope: ■ National
Brief Description:
In 2018, NEA released the findings of a life-cycle assessment (LCA) study of the environmental impact of commonly used disposables in Singapore – carrier bags as well as food packaging used for dine-in and take-away meals. The LCA study found that each type of packaging material results in different environmental impact such as global warming, high water consumption or land user change. A more sustainable approach would therefore be to tackle the excessive consumption of all types of disposables. The results of the study were used to inform policies on the use of disposables, such as disposable carrier bags.

Specific Measures:
■ Conduct monitoring/scientific research

Scope: ■ Local ■ National
■ Macro Plastics ■ Microplastics (<5mm) ■ Ocean ■ Rivers
Brief Description:

1. Extension of additional membrane bioreactor technology systems at water reclamation plans planned to further reduce the amount of microplastics discharged into the sea
2. Marine debris research was done better understand the level of marine debris along Singapore’s shores which are less frequented by the public (i.e. non-recreational beaches), and adopted an integrated, citizen-science approach to collect the data and share information for use by stakeholders and the public
3. A consultancy study was conducted to assess the levels of plastic debris and microplastics at Singapore’s inland waterways and coastal waters, and its contribution at recreational beaches.

On (b), the marine debris research project was done by Singapore’s National Parks Board (NParks) and the National University of Singapore (NUS). The study, which started in 2016, provided baseline data on marine debris on Singapore's shores. The project concluded successfully on 15 Jan 2021.

On (c), the consultancy study on plastic debris and microplastics was conducted by Singapore’s National Environment Agency (NEA) which commenced in 2021 and successfully completed in Mar 2024. The key findings of the study were shared at the CleanEnviro Summit Singapore in Jun 2024.

Specific Measures:
Singapore has been an active participant in initiatives on marine litter. For example, Singapore participated in the United Nations Environment Programme’s (UNEP) work on marine litter and microplastics, including the Ad-Hoc Open-Ended Expert Group (AHEG) on Marine Litter and Microplastics, which seeks to follow-up on the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) Resolutions 4/6 and 4/9 on Marine Plastic Litter and on Addressing Single-Use Plastic Products Pollution. Singapore also participates actively in discussions under the UNEA to develop a new international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, which will also address plastic pollution in the marine environment. Singapore also participated in the G20’s work under the Japanese G20 Presidency to establish the 2019 G20 Implementation Framework for Actions on Marine Plastic Litter. These platforms have allowed Singapore to contribute to global efforts to address marine litter and play apart in developing international best practices and guidelines to address marine litter.

Target Regions:
■ South East
Specific Measures:
Regionally, Singapore, alongside other ASEAN member states, adopted the Bangkok Declaration on Combating Marine Debris and the ASEAN Framework of Action on Marine Debris, to protect the marine environment and strengthen regional cooperation on marine debris issues at the 34th ASEAN Summit in June 2019. As a follow-up to the Framework of Action, Singapore worked with ASEAN Member States to develop an ASEAN Regional Action Plan on Combating Marine Debris (RAP). The RAP was endorsed and adopted by the ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on the Environment (AMME) in May 2021.

Singapore is also active in marine litter initiatives organized by the Coordinating Body on the Seas of East Asia (COBSEA). Singapore’s participation at these regional platforms has also allowed us coordinate efforts with our neighbours and address marine litter collectively as a region.