Grace Fu Hai Yien
Singapore
“The Government takes a multi-pronged approach to address the disamenities from second-hand tobacco smoke. The National Environment Agency (NEA) works with Government agencies, Town Councils and community leaders to promote considerate behaviour and strengthen social norms.”
“The Government recently announced land-use changes in Lim Chu Kang to optimise our scarce land to meet our growing and evolving needs. We are at the initial planning stage and agencies are still working out the detailed development proposals.”
“Public Waste Collectors and Town Councils have trialled the collection and treatment of segregated food waste from households. However, participation rates are poor despite regular engagement and reminders.”
“The quality of incense offerings and the practice of burning incense are not regulated by law. Instead, the National Environment Agency (NEA) works with stakeholders, such as Town Councils, agencies and religious organisations, to encourage responsible burning of joss paper and incense.”
“The National Environment Agency (NEA) monitors public cleaning contractors through regular physical audits and remote monitoring, complemented by video analytics. NEA also regularly assesses the cleaning quality and outcomes of public cleaning contractors.”
“This question has been addressed in the Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment’s combined answer to Question Nos 15 to 18 on the Order Paper for 7 July 2026. [Please refer to "National Recycling Rates, Plans and Targets", Official Report, 7 July 2026, Vol 96, Issue 32, Oral Answers to Questions section.]”
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“Glue traps are an effective tool for trapping and removing rats when used responsibly and safely. The then-Agri-food and Veterinary Authority, in consultation with the National Environment Agency (NEA) and the Singapore Pest Management Association (SPMA), had issued guidelines to Pest Control Operators (PCOs) on the responsible use of glue traps. These include proper placement, limiting the sizes of traps and the appropriate response time for PCOs to attend to trapped animals. The National Parks Board (NParks), NEA and SPMA are currently reviewing the guidelines in consultation with animal welfare groups to reduce the likelihood of non-target animals being trapped and to render quicker assistance should they be accidentally trapped. When ready, the revised guidelines will be issued to the PCOs and published online.”
“Roller shutters, whether made of steel or aluminium, are relatively easy to operate if they are maintained well. The National Environment Agency (NEA) ensures that hawker stalls, including their roller shutters, are handed over in good working condition to stallholders when they commence their tenancies. Stallholders should subsequently carry out regular maintenance works, such as oiling their roller shutters. NEA also regularly engages stallholders on the ground and will work with stallholders to service and repair the roller shutters, where necessary.”
“Food safety is a joint responsibility. The Singapore Food Agency (SFA) does not regulate the safety of food products carried in by travellers for their personal consumption. Travellers should exercise caution when purchasing food products overseas and be aware of the potential food safety risks associated with bringing back and consuming those food products. For example, to minimise the risk of bacteria growth that can cause food poisoning, travellers should avoid carrying perishable food products. Travellers should refer to SFA's website for information on the permitted limits for food products carried in for personal consumption, as well as food safety tips on buying, handling and storing different types of food.”
“The National Environment Agency (NEA) has implemented targeted dengue prevention outreach efforts aimed at educating and protecting seniors. For example, NEA works with partners, such as the Ministry of Health (MOH), the Agency for Integrated Care's Silver Generation Office, social service agencies and senior activity centres to disseminate educational materials on dengue prevention and distribute insect repellent in dengue clusters. Primary healthcare providers play a crucial role in the management of dengue patients. Doctors are reminded to be vigilant for dengue fever among individuals with compatible symptoms. In addition, NEA and MOH work together with general practitioner (GP) clinics and polyclinics to engage individuals diagnosed or suspected to be infected with dengue, to help stop dengue transmission in the community. This year, educational materials, such as posters and brochures on preventing further dengue transmission and clinical aftercare will also be made available in GP clinics and polyclinics, particularly those located in key dengue clusters.”
“The Public Utilities Board (PUB), Singapore's National Water Agency, is currently rolling out Phase 1 of the Smart Water Meter (SWM) Programme, which would see some 300,000 premises fitted with the SWM by 2024. The SWM Programme enables PUB to better manage water demand and customers to better track and manage their water usage. Households on the SWM programme will have access to their daily and hourly water consumption data through the MySmartWaterMeter customer portal, which provides residents with suspected leak alerts and their water consumption patterns. Currently, there are no plans to use the SWM to monitor seniors and provide alerts to caregivers of seniors. PUB will review the findings of the SWM Programme at the end of Phase 1, before considering other applications.”
“As of 31 Mar 2024, the 25th, 50th and 75th percentile monthly stall rental of cooked food stalls were $1,500, $1,700 and $1,950 at Socially-conscious Enterprise Hawker Centres (SEHCs); and $1,350, $1,600 and $1,800 for non-subsidised stalls at similar hawker centres managed by the National Environment Agency. In general, stall sizes at SEHCs are larger and enjoy better amenities.”
“Singapore experiences high ultraviolet index (UVI) levels throughout the year due to our location near the equator. Based on our data, there is no significant upward trend in UVI levels over the past decade, both in terms of the number of days with extreme UVI levels and the duration of extreme UV levels each day. We do see seasonal variability, with the months of February, March and April generally having the highest number of days with high UVI levels. Over the years, the Government has already taken steps to protect the general public from the effects of UV radiation. Our urban environment is designed with adequate shade and greenery to reduce UV exposure outdoors. The public is advised to check the UV levels on the myENV app and weather information website, and take appropriate precautions to protect their skin and eyes, such as by wearing protective clothing, applying sunscreen and seeking shade especially during the peak UV hours of 11.00 am to 3.00 pm. The Government has also put in place sector-specific guidelines for various segments of the population. For example, the Ministry of Manpower regularly reviews Workplace Safety and Health measures to address the risks faced by outdoor workers. This includes encouraging employers to allow outdoor workers to take rest breaks under shade and reschedule outdoor work to less sunny parts of the day, where possible. For schools, the measures include avoiding physical outdoor activities during the peak UV hours to minimise students' exposure to UV radiation and advising students to take appropriate UV protection measures, such as using sunscreen. We will continue to monitor UVI levels and take additional measures where necessary.”
“Food waste is one of the three priority waste streams under the Zero Waste Masterplan. We have implemented a range of efforts to holistically reduce the amount of food waste generated and improve the recycling rate for food waste. First, we have passed regulations under the Resource Sustainability Act to progressively require, from 2024, large commercial and industrial food waste generators, including hotels, shopping malls and food manufacturers, to segregate their food waste for treatment or conversion into useful products and to submit annual food waste reports. The reporting will help raise awareness on the amount of food waste generated and encourage building managers to work with their occupants to reduce food waste. Second, we are building up our food waste treatment capacity. A Food Waste Treatment Facility (FWTF) is being constructed as part of the upcoming Integrated Waste Management Facility at Tuas Nexus and will serve as an off-site treatment option for owners and operators of premises who segregate their food waste. When the FWTF is operational, the additional biogas produced will boost electricity generation. Third, in collaboration with industry stakeholders, the National Environment Agency has supported the development of the Singapore Standards on food waste management, as well as published food waste minimisation guidebooks to help the industry reduce food waste across the supply chain. Where there is unsold or excess food that is still suitable for consumption, consumers and food establishments can donate them to food distribution organisations, such as The Food Bank Singapore, Food from the Heart and Willing Hearts. As some of these measures have only been implemented recently, it is too soon to evaluate their overall efficiency.”
“The National Environment Agency (NEA) e-appointment booking system for parking during Qing Ming was upgraded this year to concurrently handle up to 800 applications, double that of last year. Additional applicants would be placed on a queue to await their turn. The e-appointment booking system experienced some technical issues when it was opened for booking on 4 March 2024. This led to intermittency and longer than expected queue time for some users in the first two hours after booking opened. Thereafter, most users were able to complete their bookings within five minutes. NEA will further improve on the e-appointment system for Qing Ming next year.”
“Singapore is committed to fulfilling our international obligations under the Paris Agreement to contribute to global climate action. After submitting our initial 2030 Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), in 2019, we recently raised our climate ambition to achieve net zero emissions by 2050 in October 2022. We also pledged to reduce emissions to around 60 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent in 2030 after peaking emissions earlier. Agencies are working towards these targets. The Government is concurrently developing Singapore's 2035 NDC, including plans to consult stakeholders.”
“The Sale of Food Act sets out requirements for food labelling in Singapore. The Singapore Food Agency (SFA) requires all prepacked food and beverages for sale in Singapore to carry a label with the product's name or description and its ingredients. Companies must also abide by the Health Promotion Board's (HPB's) Nutri-Grade measures for beverages, which covers labelling requirements and advertising restrictions. SFA and HPB monitor the market and conduct checks to ensure the accuracy of information provided to consumers. Enforcement action will be taken under the Sale of Food Act against any person who makes false or misleading claims. The Advertising Standards Authority of Singapore administers the Singapore Code of Advertising Practice (SCAP), which promotes ethical advertising and sets out guidelines to tackle false or misleading claims. Those who contravene the SCAP could face sanctions by the industry or investigations by the relevant authorities.”
“In December 2023, one Zika case was reported at Boon Lay Place. Although no further cases have been reported in the area, the National Environment Agency's (NEA)'s enhanced surveillance through monitoring mosquitoes collected from Gravitraps and wastewater testing revealed persistent Zika virus signals, which suggested possible Zika transmission. Since November 2023, NEA has been conducting intensive vector control operations at the Boon Lay area where dengue cases were also reported. These include indoor spraying of insecticides at residential premises to kill adult mosquitoes and larviciding at common areas to destroy any mosquito breeding. Such efforts will mitigate both dengue and Zika transmission, given that they are both spread by the Aedes aegypti mosquito. NEA officers and grassroots leaders have also conducted outreach activities in the vicinity to raise awareness on the need to remove stagnant water to prevent mosquito breeding. NEA will continue to monitor mosquito and wastewater samples from the area for further Zika virus signals. The Ministry of Health has also alerted doctors to be vigilant and to test for Zika among patients with clinically compatible symptoms, especially for individuals residing or working in the Boon Lay area. Zika is generally a mild and self-limiting disease. However, in rare cases, pregnant women who are infected can give birth to babies with certain birth defects, including microcephaly. We therefore take all cases of Zika detection seriously and urge residents, especially pregnant women, to monitor their health closely and take personal precautions to prevent mosquito bites, such as by spraying insecticides in dark corners, applying insect repellent and wearing long sleeves and pants.”
“Glass waste comprises around one per cent of total waste generated in 2022, with a recycling rate of 14 per cent. The recycling rate has been low due to the high cost of glass recycling, which weakens the economic incentive for generators of glass waste. The entry of new recycling companies in Singapore and increasing awareness on sustainability issues will help to raise the glass recycling rate. For example, Abraclean, a glass recycling company which started operations in 2022, started processing recycled glass abrasives into ship blasting materials. NEA's Recycle Right campaign also raises awareness on how glass can be recycled properly. We are exploring the feasibility of expanding the Extended Producer Responsibility approach to manage other packaging waste types, including glass containers.”
“The National Environment Agency had provided funding support for quieter construction and noise control equipment since 2014, including through the Quieter Construction Innovation Fund (QCIF) from 2019 to 2021. $1.5 million in grants have been disbursed under the QCIF to support contractors and suppliers in defraying the cost of adopting quieter methods and construction equipment, such as jack-in piling machines, hydraulic crushers, quieter generators and rebar bending machines.”
“More than 90% of participants said that they were encouraged to lead a more sustainable lifestyle after participating in the activities. To support individuals and businesses who want to start ground-up projects that advance environmental sustainability and engage the community, the SG Eco Fund has awarded $9.3 million to support more than 200 initiatives, including education and outreach on sustainable practices. More than 300,000 people were engaged through these initiatives. Singapore has made good progress in developing a sustainable economy since our Green Plan was launched in 2021. The Member may refer to the Ministry of Trade and Industry and MSE's Committee of Supply speeches delivered on 1 and 4 March 2024 for the latest updates and initiatives to build a more sustainable economy. [Please refer to: "Committee of Supply – Head V (Ministry of Trade and Industry)", Official Report, 1 March 2024, Vol 95, Issue 128, Budget section; and "Committee of Supply – Head L (Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment)", Official Report, 4 March 2024, Vol 95, Issue 129, Budget section.]”
“Since the launch of the Singapore Green Plan 2030 in 2021, the Ministry for Sustainability and the Environment (MSE) and its Statutory Boards have been engaging stakeholders across different segments of the society, including individuals, businesses, schools, Non-Government Organisations (NGOs) and community groups to promote environmentally sustainable practices. The National Environment Agency (NEA) has embarked on various public education initiatives to encourage households to reduce waste, including through its Say YES to Waste Less and Recycle Right campaigns. Some assuring trends have been observed: according to NEA's 2023 survey on household recycling, 72 per cent of households reported that they recycled their waste materials in 2023, compared to 64 per cent in 2021. A higher proportion of respondents were also aware of common items that can be deposited in the blue recycling bins and recycling chutes. The Public Utilities Board (PUB), Singapore's National Water Agency, engages diverse partners, including schools, grassroots organisations, public agencies, NGOs, businesses and building owners, to promote water conservation. In 2023, PUB engaged more than 400 partners and 2,000 participants for its anchor event of Singapore World Water Day. My Ministry has also co-delivered and co-created several initiatives with our stakeholders and the larger community. These include Go Green SG, a nation-wide sustainability movement to rally citizens, organisations and the community to take collective action towards a more environmentally sustainable Singapore. The inaugural Go Green SG in 2023 saw over 70,000 participants across more than 300 activities organised by 160 partners.”
“The World Health Organisation and Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations have indicated in their reports in 2022 that there is insufficient data to fully understand the impact of microplastics on human health. From 2022 to 2023, the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) collected data on microplastics levels in drinking water and food products that have been previously reported to contain microplastics. Thus far, the levels of microplastics in the surveys have not raised any cause of concern and were in line with findings published by other countries, such as the US, Germany and the UK. SFA will continue to monitor microplastics levels and international scientific developments on the topic.”
“Earlier, I said that from 2025 onwards, interior paint with formaldehyde will not be allowed for sale in Singapore. It should be from 2026 onwards. Thank you very much.”
“Mr Chairman, may I have your permission to make a correction, please?”
“This is the Singapore we deserve, the Singapore we can build, and the Singapore we must leave for generations to come. [Applause.] 7.15 pm”
“Senior Minister of State Koh will update on our food security and coastal protection efforts later. As Dr Lim alluded to, the Green Plan is a living plan that will evolve over time with more ambitious targets and aspirations. In 2022, we announced that the public sector will commit to achieve net zero emissions around 2045. Last year, we raised our target for restoration and enhancement of forest, coastal and marine habitats from 30 hectares to 80 hectares by 2030. We are closely monitoring the progress of our initiatives to ensure that they remain relevant to our long-term sustainability goals. Mr Chairman, as the world grapples with daunting, long-term challenges like climate change, let us not lose sight of the fundamental necessities for a good and healthy life – a clean environment, safe food, clean air and clean water. As committed under Forward SG, the Government will continue to spearhead efforts towards our shared vision of a clean, green and resilient Singapore. But we can do so only through collective action with our businesses and our people. My hope is for Singapore to be a clean country and not just a cleaned country, and I echo the comment made by Ms Rahayu Mahzam. I hope to see businesses operate with pride, offering not only clean spaces for Singaporeans, but also implementing responsible practices that safeguard the food we eat, the air we breathe, and the water we drink. I hope to see communities become engines of positive change, fostering a culture of shared ownership and partnering the Government in building a new social compact. I hope to see Singaporeans treat our streets, our parks and our public spaces like extensions of our own homes, going the extra mile to keep our surroundings clean as Singapore is our home.”
“More Singaporeans are observed to use reusable carrier bags for their grocery shopping. The Ministry of Education (MOE) has also been instilling sustainable living habits in our students through the Eco Stewardship Programme, where schools have implemented the "4Cs" approach of curriculum, campus, culture and community to allow students to learn about sustainability in a more integrated and applied manner. We are also powering on with our "Energy Reset". Thanks to the Ministry of Transport (MOT) and the Land Transport Authority's (LTA’s) efforts, about two in three new car registrations in 2023 were cleaner energy cars, and one in three HDB carparks are now equipped with electrical vehicle charging points. The Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) and the Energy Market Authority (EMA) are making good progress in greening our national grid, issuing the first Conditional Approvals for low-carbon electricity imports from Cambodia, Indonesia and Vietnam. To foster an inclusive transition to a green economy, the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) announced Greenprint, a digital solution to help businesses simplify and standardise the reporting of sustainability data. Greenprint will launch in phases in 2024 and focus initially on automating basic climate reporting for SMEs, before scaling its automation capabilities to support larger corporates. To secure our "Resilient Future", my Ministry is pressing on with our efforts to ensure that our environment remains liveable, our food supply remains reliable and our coastlines remain well-protected in the face of extreme weather patterns. Senior Minister of State Khor recently updated this House on the measures we are taking to increase Singapore’s heat resilience, which should address Ms Poh’s queries on the topic.”
“Businesses must play an active role by implementing adequate earth control measures to prevent silt from being washed into our waterways and reservoirs, and refrain from disposing hazardous substances into our public sewerage system. On the Government’s part, the Public Utilities Board (PUB) will look to introduce additional measures to safeguard our waterways, reservoirs and sewerage system. This includes tightening controls on silt discharges into our waterways and reservoirs, and illegal discharges of dangerous and hazardous substances into our public sewerage system. More details will be released later. Chairman, even as we draw focus on the "hygiene" factors in the year ahead, we are not taking our eyes off longer-term challenges, such as climate change. Dr Lim Wee Kiak and Ms Poh Li San asked for an update on the Singapore Green Plan. We are making good progress to achieve our targets. Dr Lim asked about the progress of specific initiatives and targets. I will not go into details of each target under the Green Plan but focus on providing an overview of our key achievements. I invite Dr Lim to separately file questions on specific initiatives and targets to the respective Green Plan Ministries. On "City in Nature", the Ministry of National Development (MND) and the National Parks Board (NParks) are pressing on with conserving and extending our natural capital throughout the island. Senior Minister of State Tan Kiat How will provide further details during MND’s COS. On "Sustainable Living", my Ministry rolled out the Disposable Carrier Bag Charge last year, requiring large supermarket operators to charge for disposable carrier bags. Since its implementation, supermarket operators have observed a 50% to 80% reduction in the use of disposable carrier bags.”
“From 2025 onwards, interior paints with formaldehyde will not be allowed for sale in Singapore. [Please refer to clarification later in the debate.] Further details will be released. To Mr Pillai’s question on how we are safeguarding indoor air quality in buildings, NEA currently does not mandate minimum indoor air quality standards for buildings. Instead, NEA takes the approach of promoting greater business responsibility in maintaining high levels of indoor air quality and providing guidance on best practices. NEA, the Building Construction Authority (BCA) and the Ministry of Health (MOH) have jointly issued a set of guidelines on improving ventilation and indoor air quality in buildings, which Mr Pillai had mentioned earlier. These guidelines encourage premises managers to install carbon dioxide monitors to assess the adequacy of ventilation in their premises. NEA has also published a detailed guide for premises managers on how to implement carbon dioxide monitoring. Mr Pillai also asked for an update on the implementation of the Code of Practice (COP) for the Control of Legionella Bacteria in Cooling Towers. The COP was replaced by the Code of Practice for Environmental Health (COPEH) and related Guidelines in 2021. Under the EPHA, we require all cooling towers to be registered with NEA to enhance the traceability and control of potential outbreaks. As Legionella is primarily spread via inhalation of contaminated water aerosols, the EPHA requires building owners to regularly submit water sampling results to NEA to ensure that the water quality in their cooling towers complies with stipulated regulatory limits. Last but not least, clean water. Ensuring a supply of clean water is a collective responsibility shared by both the Government and businesses.”
“Establishments with poor food safety performance and lower grades will face more frequent inspection. Poor performance during these inspections could lead to downgrading. This new SAFE Framework is a better version from the one we announced in 2021. SFA incorporated the feedback it has received from the industry and kept the intent of recognising food establishments with a consistent record of good food safety performance, and spurring others to achieve and maintaining high grades of food safety. More details will be released later this year. With a risk-based approach, we are also removing licensing requirements and fees on food establishments with minimal food safety risk. This helps to reduce regulatory compliance and increase operational efficiency. I announce that by 1 January 2025, all market stalls and vending machines selling non-food items or low-risk food items, such as canned food and packet biscuits, will not need to be licensed. More than half of existing market stall licensees and around two in five existing vending machine licensees will benefit from this new policy. The safety of food from these stalls and vending machines will continue to be regulated through standards imposed by SFA on the importers and suppliers of these food items. Another aspect of public hygiene is the quality of indoor air which Mr Pillai spoke about. Formaldehyde is a chemical that can be found in some building products, such as paints. Prolonged exposure to formaldehyde can lead to negative health effects, such as respiratory discomfort and an increased risk of certain cancers. To protect our people from such exposure, we will be progressively introducing limits on formaldehyde in building products, starting with interior paints.”
“The PWM also entails a cumulative wage increase of up to 85% from 2022 to 2028, ensuring that our cleaners’ wages continue to rise alongside improvements in their competencies and skillsets. Base salaries of local cleaners have risen to between $1,570 and $2,210 in 2023, and will increase each year until 2028. Next, on safe food. SFA takes a risk-based approach in regulating food safety, where licensing requirements and food safety grading criteria are calibrated based on food establishments’ risk profiles. This focuses our inspection resources on where risks are higher and encourages businesses to implement sufficient measures to ensure food safety, while keeping compliance costs low. Let me provide an update on our food safety grading system. Under the existing grading system, food establishments are graded between A and D, based on an annual audit. This provides a snapshot of an establishment’s food safety standards at the point of inspection. However, it does not adequately reflect whether these standards are consistently maintained. For better food safety assurance, we are moving towards a new Safety Assurance for Food Establishments (SAFE) framework, where establishments will be graded based on their food safety track record and prevailing food safety management systems. It will also harmonise the grading systems for both retail and non-retail food establishments, which are currently regulated by two different frameworks. In line with our risk-based approach, establishments involved in significant food handling with a large scale of distribution, such as food manufacturers and caterers, will need to meet additional requirements to attain higher grades compared to those of smaller scale.”
“This includes making sure that establishments have sufficient and properly maintained bins, and that any waste generated is properly bagged, conveyed to the bin centre in a timely manner, and not left overnight. We will step up on enforcement where necessary. Senior Parliamentary Secretary Baey will speak more on our approach. Mr Chairman, our cleaning industry has been a cornerstone of our environmental cleanliness efforts, forming the backbone of our clean-up initiatives. 7.00 pm With an ageing population and a shrinking workforce, the industry faces shortages and reductions in manpower. It is important for us to uplift our cleaning industry, to ensure that they are adequately equipped and resourced to uphold high standards of environmental cleanliness. We have seen several efforts, led by the industry, in supporting our cleaning workforce. Temasek Polytechnic launched their Enviro Tech Innovation Hub (ETIH) last year, with the support of NEA, together with the Environmental Management Association of Singapore and industry players, such as cleaning companies and tech partners. The ETIH will develop training programmes to upskill our cleaning industry and testbed cutting-edge technology solutions to increase productivity, such as the usage of IoT sensors and devices to manage cleanliness performance. We are actively upskilling our cleaners, so that their capabilities and skillsets evolve in tandem with the industry’s needs. Mr Louis Ng mentioned the PWM earlier. We introduced enhanced training requirements under the PWM for the cleaning industry in December 2022, which has allowed cleaners to acquire new and relevant skills, such as how to operate emerging technologies and digitalisation tools used in cleaning operations.”
“Complementing enforcement are our efforts to harness the spirit of collective responsibility as part of Forward SG, for all stakeholders to play a role in upkeeping good public hygiene practices for the betterment of our society. Senior Parliamentary Secretary Baey will elaborate on this. Let me first touch on environmental cleanliness. The Government has been working closely with our businesses to keep our public spaces clean. In 2021, we launched the Environmental Sanitation (ES) regime under our Environmental Public Health Act (EPHA) to promote higher cleanliness standards and place greater accountability on businesses to keep their premises clean. The ES regime sets out mandatory baseline cleaning and disinfection standards for premises with high footfall and vulnerable occupants, such as coffee shops, food courts, schools and eldercare facilities. It also requires premises to appoint a trained and registered individual to develop and implement an ES programme in accordance with prescribed standards. Our agencies have been working diligently with business owners to ensure that minimum cleanliness standards set out under the ES regime and others under the EPHA are met. Several Members – Ms Poh Li San, Mr Gan Thiam Poh, Ms Hany Soh and Mr Murali Pillai – have raised questions on toilets in coffeeshops and other public spaces. NEA and SFA have been conducting enforcement blitzes on public toilets, including those in coffee shops and hawker centres, to ensure that they are properly maintained and cleaned according to requirements under the EPHA. NEA and SFA have also been conducting checks to ensure proper disposal of food waste by food establishments, to provide clean, pest-free dining environments for Singaporeans.”
“In this COS debate, I will provide an overview of our efforts to enhance public hygiene and update on the Singapore Green Plan; Senior Minister of State Amy Khor will talk about our efforts in green procurement, energy efficiency and waste management; Senior Minister of State Koh Poh Koon will speak about how we are enhancing our food security, protecting our coasts and strengthening the resilience of our hawkers; and Senior Parliamentary Secretary Baey Yam Keng will delve into the operational and technological aspects of our environmental cleanliness initiatives, as well as our community engagement efforts. First, public hygiene. What comes to mind is environmental cleanliness, keeping our surroundings free from litter and clutter and the iconic “Keep Singapore Clean” campaign. Public hygiene is more than that. It forms the very foundation of our well-being – safe food, clean air and clean water. Collectively, all facets of public hygiene come together to create a thriving urban environment and protect our physical and mental health. Sustaining high levels of public hygiene requires the active participation of all of us. The Government, businesses, communities and individuals must all work together to contribute to a clean environment, safe food, clean air and clean water. This is the social compact that will strengthen our sense of collective responsibility to one another. MSE will designate 2024 as the Year of Public Hygiene. The Year of Public Hygiene will see greater emphasis on delivery of public environmental services, resourcing the environmental industry with capability building and technology adoption, and augmenting our enforcement efforts.”
“Thank you, Mr Chairman. In our early days of Independence, Singapore stood at critical crossroads, with limited resources, an uncertain economic future and pressing public health concerns. Back then, our forefathers recognised the importance of safeguarding a clean and green environment to protect the health of our people, fuel economic growth and pave the way for a brighter future. A public cleaning regime was put in place, where our cleaning workforce swept the streets and removed refuse daily. We cleaned up the Singapore River, which was heavily polluted from human and economic activities. Street hawkers were rehoused into hawker centres, equipped with proper facilities to ensure food safety and hygiene standards. Today, we again stand at crossroads of political, economic, social and environmental changes. This is why the Government launched the Forward Singapore exercise last year, to re-examine our values and aspirations, and to forge a new social compact for the road ahead. Forward SG underscored the crucial role of collective responsibility in shaping our shared future. It also highlighted the importance of ensuring that the basic needs of all Singaporeans continue to be met. This includes a clean and liveable environment, with reliable access to safe food and water. My Ministry will work with all segments of our society to build a clean, green and resilient home for our current and future generations.”
“As at 31 December 2023, 2,8001 or 1.6% of non-resident households had utility bills in arrears of six months or more that were in excess of their security deposit. Measures taken to recover utility bills arrears include sending SMS reminders, issuing formal notices, imposing late payment charges and disconnecting and restricting services where significant arrears have been accumulated. The security deposit for non-resident households is generally twice that of resident households and are periodically reviewed by utility service providers, the Public Utilities Board and Energy Market Authority, to mitigate the risk of unrecovered arrears.”
“The Public Utilities Board (PUB) has implemented a suite of measures to control midges at Pandan Reservoir. These include removing midge eggs along embankments and floating structures, applying biological larvicide within the reservoir, releasing insectivorous fishes into the reservoir and fogging around the reservoir dyke and surrounding vegetation. The intensity of these measures is continuously adjusted based on PUB's monitoring of eggs, larvae and the adult midge population. These mitigation measures have proven to be effective in keeping the midge population low in Pandan Reservoir, with no major midge outbreaks occurring since 2019.”
“Singapore imports seafood from about 90 countries. Our diversified import sources have helped to maintain seafood availability. The Singapore Food Agency (SFA) will continue to partner the industry to open up new sources and widen the range of seafood products. Recent initiatives to support the further development of local aquaculture include the launch of the Aquatic Animal Health Service in August 2023 to help farms strengthen biosecurity to prevent and control diseases. SFA, the National University of Singapore and Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory signed the Aquapolis Agreement in November 2023 to strengthen research and development collaboration in aquaculture, in the areas of fish breeding and genetics, health and feed utilisation.”
“PUB has a comprehensive sampling and monitoring programme to ensure the safety of the potable water supplied by PUB. This includes piped water supplied to buildings, public sites and schools, which may be fed into water coolers. The water supplied by PUB complies with the Environmental Public Health (Water Suitable for Drinking) 2019 Regulations and is well within the World Health Organisation Guidelines for Drinking Water Quality. Building and facilities owners are responsible for ensuring the proper installation and maintenance of water coolers on their premises. PUB and the Singapore Food Authority (SFA) will jointly investigate any water quality feedback received from the public.”
“Under the Sale of Food Act and Environmental Public Health Act, food businesses and delivery platform operators are responsible for ensuring that the food they deliver is transported in a manner that does not compromise food safety. In addition, all food delivery service providers are encouraged to adopt the Singapore Standard (SS) 672: 2021 Guidelines on delivery of ready-to-eat food, which include recommendations on ensuring that food items are maintained at the correct temperatures during transport. Consumers can also do their part by checking and storing the food products under proper conditions upon receipt of their delivery.”
“As the Enterococcus levels can fluctuate, beachgoers are encouraged to refer to the BSWI and associated health advisories on the NEA website or the myENV app if they intend to engage in water activities at these recreational beaches. An elevated level of Enterococcus bacteria is just one factor that causes deterioration of water quality and must be read together with other water quality parameters to assess the impact on marine biodiversity. As there have not been any significant changes to the other water quality parameters, NParks currently does not expect any significant impact on marine ecosystems and biodiversity due to the elevated Enterococcus levels at Sembawang and Pasir Ris Parks. NParks will continue to monitor the habitats and biodiversity along our shores. My Ministry and NEA are working closely with other agencies, such as PUB, NParks and the Singapore Food Agency, to investigate and address possible sources contributing to the elevated Enterococcus levels observed at the two beaches.”
“The National Environment Agency (NEA) collects water samples along seven popular recreational beaches on a weekly basis. The water samples are analysed for the level of Enterococcus bacteria, given the known health risks of ingesting coastal water with elevated levels of Enterococcus. NEA publishes two beach water quality assessments: the annual beach grading exercise and the weekly Beach Short-term Water Quality Information (BSWI). In NEA's annual beach grading exercise, to assess the suitability of recreational beaches for primary contact water activities, the weekly results over a three-year period are benchmarked against criteria contained in the World Health Organisation's Guidelines on Recreational Water Quality (2021). In addition, as Enterococcus levels can fluctuate due to the currents, tidal influences and other factors even when the beach is graded "Good" by the annual beach grading exercise, NEA publishes the BSWI to provide the public with additional information on beach water quality over the preceding three weeks. On 5 February 2024, NEA issued an advisory that two recreational beaches, Pasir Ris and Sembawang Parks, have been graded "Fair" in the annual beach grading exercise, due to increased occurrences of elevated Enterococcus level. The public are advised against swimming and engaging in other primary contact water activities at these beaches. The other five recreational beaches, namely Changi, East Coast Park, Punggol, Seletar Island and Sentosa Island, have been graded "Good" and are suitable for all kinds of water activities.”
“The Government is committed to take the lead in support of our nation's sustainability agenda. Government events are key public touchpoints and have the potential to influence behaviour change. We have published a Best Practice Guide to advice public agencies on organising environmentally-friendly events. This includes encouraging the selection of caterers who have obtained the Singapore Food Agency's Farm-to-Table (FTT) Recognition Programme or equivalent certification that take into account whether the produce is grown sustainably. Depending on the composition of participants, Government events also generally feature a reasonable range of choices for different nutritional, cultural and religious requirements, including vegetarian options.”
“As at 31 December 2023, 6,300 (or 0.5%) of all resident households had water bills in arrears for six months or more, with the median duration of arrears being less than one month. Eligible households receive U-Save rebates from the Government to help offset their utility expenses. As announced at Budget 2024, eligible households will receive two-and-a-half times the amount of regular U-Save rebates, or up to $950, in Financial Year 2024. Resident households that require additional financial assistance can tap on various community and social assistance schemes. Note: Figures stated above are rounded off to the nearest hundred.”
“The National Environment Agency (NEA)'s Project Wolbachia field studies in the initial four sites, including the expansions in 2020, had achieved more than 90% reduction of the local Aedes aegypti mosquito population. Data from 2019 to 2022 also indicates that residents living in areas with at least one year of releases were up to 77% less likely to be infected with dengue. In addition to monitoring the impact of Project Wolbachia on the Aedes aegypti mosquito population and dengue cases, community surveys revealed strong support for Project Wolbachia, with 96% of residents being accepting of releases in their neighbourhoods. Following positive results, NEA will expand Project Wolbachia to five additional residential areas in the first quarter of 2024, bringing the coverage of male Wolbachia-Aedes releases from 26% to 35% of all households in Singapore. NEA does not have any plans to expand Project Wolbachia to industrial estates at the moment and will focus on residential estates where dengue clusters are most prevalent. NEA has not observed any negative impact from Project Wolbachia from its trials. Prior to carrying out the trials, NEA had carried out risk assessments and deemed the technology safe, posing no risk to human health and an insignificant risk to the ecology, including to other mosquito species. NEA's observations are also consistent with other research findings from around the world. We will continue to conduct field studies to further understand the environmental factors affecting the efficacy of Project Wolbachia, improve our deployment strategy and enhance its cost-effectiveness.”
“The Government does not track the indoor temperature settings of buildings and facilities in Singapore. The Member may refer to the Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment's response to the Adjournment Motion on "Building a Heat-resilient Singapore", delivered on 7 February 2024, for more information on Singapore's plans for heat resilience, including efforts to deal with the urban heat island effect. [Please refer to "Building a Heat-resilient Singapore", Official Report, 7 February 2024, Vol 95, Issue 122, Matter raised on Adjournment Motion section.]”
“For larger construction projects situated near residential or noise-sensitive premises, NEA requires contractors to submit noise management plans prior to the commencement of work. Furthermore, occupiers of specified construction sites with contract sums exceeding $10 million are required to appoint an Environmental Control Officer for Specified Construction Sites, whose role includes facilitating compliance with environmental requirements, such as managing noise and water pollution. The Government also encourages the industry to strengthen their commitment to environmental standards through the Green and Gracious Builder Scheme (GGBS), which accredits contractors who adopt good practices to reduce their environmental impact during construction, including efforts to minimise noise and water pollution. Based on the current tendering process, construction companies must be certified under GGBS in order to participate in public sector construction tenders with project values of $5 million and above. Members of the public that spot any potential environmental violations from construction sites may submit their feedback through the various reporting channels, including the myENV and OneService mobile applications, as well as NEA and PUB's 24-hour hotlines.”
“Building contractors must comply with environmental pollution control measures, including regulations relating to noise and illegal discharges into waterways, as set out in the Environmental Protection and Management Act, the Environmental Public Health Act and the Sewerage and Drainage Act. These regulations are enforced by the National Environment Agency (NEA) and Public Utilities Board (PUB). From 2021 to 2023, NEA carried out 1,577 enforcement actions against building contractors for violations related to construction noise, and five enforcement actions for illegal discharge of trade effluent. In the same period, PUB took 402 enforcement actions against building contractors for improper or inadequate implementation of earth control measures (ECMs), which are required to prevent the discharge of silt into our waterways. On surveillance, NEA requires contractors to install noise meters at the nearest residential or noise-sensitive premises, to monitor noise generated from their worksite and ensure compliance with the permissible noise limits. Contractors that violate the no-work rule on Sundays and public holidays are also required to install video surveillance equipment to deter further non-compliance and facilitate enforcement. For illegal discharges into waterways, all construction sites of 0.2 hectares and above are required to install closed-circuit televisions (CCTVs) to monitor the treated water discharge. The visual feed from the CCTVs is analysed in real-time with automatic alerts to relevant parties, including PUB, for prompt actions. PUB also conducts regular site inspections on construction sites to ensure that ECMs are properly implemented. Our agencies take proactive measures to prevent environmental violations.”
“The Farm-to-Table Recognition Programme (FTTRP) recognises food businesses that procure locally farmed produce. Consumers can identify and support farm establishments that use locally-produced ingredients by looking out for the Farm-to-Table logos. Since its launch in March 2023, 50 companies have joined the programme. We welcome more food businesses, including coffee shops and hawker centres, to join FTTRP. To encourage greater traction of FTTRP, Government procurement has incorporated a weighted criterion for sustainable initiatives through the efforts of the Singapore Food Agency (SFA). Food caterers recognised under FTTRP would receive additional points that increase their chances of securing Government catering contracts. Complementing the FTTRP, SFA helps farms to adopt more productive technologies under the Agri-food Cluster Transformation Fund. SFA also supports industry-led initiatives, such as the Alliance for Action on Local Produce Demand Offtake and Consumer Education, that has since formed a supply and demand aggregator for farms and retailers. Such measures can help farms build up the capabilities and scale to provide quality products at competitive prices.”
“The Member may wish to refer to the Singapore Food Statistics published annually by SFA for further available details. While we are implementing initiatives in support of our 30 by 30 vision, the actual production output of our farms depends on consumer demand for their products. Whenever we choose to purchase local produce, we help to improve the commercial viability of our farms. Local production is just one part of our overall strategy to ensure our food security over the longer term and SFA will continue to implement a multi-pronged approach to strengthening Singapore's food security, which includes efforts to diversify our import sources.”
“The 30 by 30 vision is an ambition to grow the capability and capacity of our local agri-food sector to produce 30% of our nutritional needs locally by 2030. The agri-food sector is nascent and, like other sectors, has been hard hit by headwinds, including manpower and supply chain disruptions and increasing costs of production arising from COVID-19, geopolitical tensions and climate change. These challenges have delayed the development of farm infrastructure and plans to scale up production. The Singapore Food Agency (SFA) has been supporting our local farms to address these challenges and to facilitate their capability and capacity development. For example, SFA has committed $60 million to the Agri-food Cluster Transformation Fund to co-fund the adoption, test-bedding and development of productive, resource-efficient and sustainable farming technologies and systems to help farms increase their productivity. SFA also supports the industry in achieving greater offtake for local produce via various initiatives, including launching the Farm-To-Table Recognition Programme in March 2023 to encourage food businesses to procure local produce and supporting an industry-led Alliance for Action on Local Produce Demand Offtake and Consumer Education. As of 2022, there are 257 licensed food farms in Singapore. Local farms produced 609 million pieces of eggs, 4,400 tonnes of seafood and 19,900 tonnes of vegetables, or around 29%, 8% and 4% of our food consumption for those items respectively. SFA expects production output to gradually increase over the next few years, as more productive farms become operational. We do not track the other categories of foods as they are not grown locally in large quantities.”
“In the past five years, the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) has taken 18 enforcement actions against caterers and companies for failing to affix a "consume by" timestamp, and 29 enforcement actions against caterers and companies for affixing time-stamp labels with false or misleading information on the "ready-to-eat" or "consume by" time. SFA has not taken any enforcement actions against caterers or companies for serving food beyond four hours from the time the food is cooked, based on the timestamp.”
“The Declaration's intent is to strengthen the resilience of agriculture and food systems to the impacts of climate through closer collaboration and partnerships. We also participated actively in key discussions like the Informal Ministerial Meeting on the Follow-up of the UN 2030 Water Conference, which continued discussion on key issues, such as strategies to improve global water quality and sanitation. Third, Singapore launched initiatives and platforms to facilitate cooperation towards the SDGs. These include the Financing Asia's Transition Partnership (FAST-P) blended finance initiative, which aims to mobilise up to US$5 billion, or S$6.7 billion, for Asia's energy transition; and agreements on carbon market cooperation with countries, such as Costa Rica, Fiji, Rwanda, Senegal and Papua New Guinea. The COP-28 Singapore Pavilion also hosted more than 70 events that drew over 6,000 visitors and served as a platform for facilitating partnerships in sectors, such as finance, water and food, transport and nature-based solutions to address sustainable development challenges. Singapore's active participation at COP-28 is a testament to our support for global efforts to implement the SDGs. Singapore supports the UAE Consensus and will work to implement its outcomes, including through the Singapore Green Plan 2030, which is our whole-of-nation blueprint aligned with the UN's 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda.”
“At the United Nations (UN) Climate Change Conference 2023 (COP-28), the UAE COP-28 Presidency announced four paradigm shifts: (a) fast-tracking the energy transition; (b) transforming climate finance; (c) putting nature, people, lives and livelihoods at the heart of climate action; and (d) ensuring inclusivity. The four paradigm shifts were aimed at galvanising the global community at COP-28 to close the implementation gap needed to keep the temperature goals of the Paris Agreement within reach. These shifts are aligned with Singapore's climate ambition and the UN 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda. Singapore's participation at COP-28 helped to further the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in several ways. First, we supported the UAE COP-28 Presidency and the global shared climate agenda by, inter alia, co-facilitating ministerial consultations on climate mitigation and co-chairing the joint contact group for the First Global Stocktake of the Paris Agreement. These efforts contributed to the successful adoption of the UAE Consensus. The UAE Consensus calls on countries to transition away from fossil fuels, accelerate the phasedown of unabated coal power, phase out inefficient fossil fuel subsidies and triple renewable energy and double energy efficiency globally by 2030. These are important initiatives that will better position the world towards achieving SDG 7 on Affordable and Clean Energy and SDG 13 on Climate Action. Second, Singapore contributed to global efforts in strengthening resource resilience in key areas, such as food and water, in line with SDG 2 on Zero Hunger and SDG 6 on Clean Water and Sanitation. Singapore was among 159 countries that signed the COP-28 UAE Declaration on Sustainable Agriculture, Resilient Food Systems and Climate Action.”
“The median stall rental at Socially-conscious Enterprise Hawker Centres (SEHCs) is generally comparable to that at similar hawker centres managed by the National Environment Agency (NEA), taking into account stall sizes and amenities. In 2023, the median monthly stall rent at SEHCs and non-subsidised stalls at NEA-managed hawker centres were $1,700 and $1,625, respectively. Median rents at SEHC and NEA hawker centres have remained stable since the commencement of the SEHC centres.”