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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“The Singapore Food Agency (SFA)’s Annual Report and Singapore Food Statistics track the consumption of commonly consumed food items, which are hen shell eggs, chicken, pork, beef, mutton, seafood, vegetables and fruits. Such data inform our food resilience strategies. SFA does not track the consumption rate of other food items which do not have significant impact on our food resilience.”
“Similar questions were answered in this House in March 2017 and November 2022. Since then, we have not been informed of any new published studies on health costs associated with air pollution in Singapore. The Member may wish to refer to the answers given. [Please refer to (a) "Link between Better Air Quality and Reduction in Healthcare Costs", Official Report, 1 March 2017, Vol 94, Issue 36, Oral Answers to Questions section; and (b) "Studies on Annual Mortality and Cost Associated with Air Pollution from Human Activities", Official Report, 28 November 2022, Vol 95, Issue 76, Oral Answers to Questions section.]”
“As at 30 June 2023, 22 Zika cases have been reported in Singapore this year; 15 cases were in the cluster at Kovan which has closed and is currently under surveillance, and the remaining seven cases were isolated cases. The National Environment Agency is monitoring the situation closely and will continue to work with grassroots leaders on outreach efforts in and around the localities where Zika cases were reported. As the Zika virus is transmitted primarily by the same Aedes aegypti mosquito as dengue, Project Wolbachia, which suppresses the urban Aedes aegypti mosquito population in the community over time, has the potential to reduce the risk of Zika outbreaks as well. Project Wolbachia is intended to complement, and not replace, good housekeeping and basic preventive actions that prevent mosquito breeding. We are currently in the midst of the dengue season. I urge all residents to ensure that their homes and surroundings are free of stagnant water and to take precautions if residing in dengue cluster areas, such as spraying insecticides in dark corners, applying insect repellent and wearing long-sleeves and pants.”
“Deputy Speaker, please allow me to address the supplementary question from Member Dr Tan. First of all, I would like to reiterate that our air quality for 2021 and 2022 both met the 2020 air quality targets for PM2.5. So, that is an assurance to Dr Tan. And also, I would like to point out that for most of the medical studies, as far as I am advised by my colleagues, are dependent on the length of the exposure as well as the concentration of exposure. So, we have to apply those underlying conditions and look at whether they are relevant to the Singapore context. As I have mentioned, we have met the PM2.5 quality targets and, therefore, we do not have a prolonged over concentration or exposure to PM2.5 in Singapore. Having said that, I think the suggestion to review our targets continually, given new information coming from the medical and health scientific communities, is the right one. And this is what we have been doing and we will continue to do so.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, the concentrations of the key air pollutants in 2021 and 2022 are available on the Department of Statistics website, singstat.gov.sg. Information on air quality is also available through the Key Environmental Statistics published annually by my Ministry. In 2021 and 2022, Singapore's air quality was in the "Good" or "Moderate" range 99.5% and 100% of the days, respectively. Singapore has met the 2020 air quality targets for nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide, sulphur dioxide and fine particulate matter PM2.5. PM10 and ozone continue to be a challenge due to multiple factors, including the weather and complex chemical reactions between the pollutants and the environment – that refers to ozone. We will continue to review our air quality targets as well as policies to address local pollutant emissions. For example, the emission standards for motorcycles and existing industrial plants were further tightened this year.”
“We will definitely take up that suggestion as well. These are all important nodes of community support on the ground; it is actually the result of many, many decades of hard work of building up assets, such as RCs, CCs, I would not say well-equipped, but which are prepared to handle some of these local exigencies when the need arises. And these have been put to good use, whether it is for COVID-19 management and now, potentially for haze. I would definitely like to take up Member He's suggestion of using them in the case of prolonged and severe heat waves.”
“But this year, again, I think that there is common affirmation of the need to monitor the dry season carefully and also to act quickly to fight fires.”
“Indeed, the Member is correct to say that we have recently met. This is the Ministerial Standing Committee comprising Ministers from the southern region of ASEAN. Representatives from Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and of course, Singapore attended. We had a very good, useful meeting. The ASMC, which is hosted in Singapore, gave a comprehensive prediction, forecasts of the weather, that has been well accepted and also supported by the respective meteorological services centres in the respective countries. So, I think that is the general agreement about the likelihood, the risk level of a drier El Niño setting in the next few months. There are also good discussions about fire detection and monitoring. I would say that there is a common intention and objective to help manage fires, forest fires, as well as the transboundary haze that may arise from the fires. And we have a good understanding about the assistance that Singapore has offered to the countries as well, should the need arise. We had a good discussion also on the ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Transboundary Haze Pollution Control (ACC THPC). Indonesia, as the Chair for ASEAN this year, would like to see progress, so we had a good, fruitful discussion at this meeting last month. We hope that we can come to a conclusion leading to the launching of the ACC THPC later this year. So, good progress has been made. Our discussion with the Indonesian government has always been very positive. Over the last few years, significant effort has been put in on the Indonesian government's part on monitoring, as well as on supervisory, regulatory, as well as building up capability for firefighting. Of course, we are helped by good weather in the last few years.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, there are steps that members of public can take in the event of haze. First of all, if you are unwell and you are elderly, you may wish to stay home and reduce your outdoor activities. You may also draw the curtains of your house and have natural ventilation available. A mask is always helpful, especially if you are going outdoors for a prolonged period of time. Having said that, I would like to take up the Member's suggestions about working with PA to create spaces for the vulnerable segment of the population to seek rest for some period of time. One of the suggestions that we are thinking about is to have some of the RC centres, as well as study rooms at Community Centres (CCs), for example, that are air-conditioned to be made available to some segments of this population. So, we would very much like to thank the Member for that suggestion.”
“MOH has also advised all Public Healthcare Institutions (PHIs) on capacity mitigating measures in view of a potential increase in hospital admissions due to haze-related illnesses. MOH has also worked with PHIs, including nursing homes, to ensure that they have adequate air-purifying equipment and medical supplies. Members of the public have been advised to refer to MOH's health advisories and to make preparations, such as ensuring that they have air purifiers in good working condition and N95 masks for prolonged outdoor activities during haze. To stay up to date on the latest air quality situation, members of the public can visit NEA website, MyENV app and the haze microsite at haze.gov.sg.”
“The ASEAN Specialised Meteorological Centre (ASMC) hosted by the Meteorological Service Singapore (MSS) has assessed that an El Niño event is likely to be established over the next one to two months. The ASMC has also forecasted that a positive Indian Ocean Dipole is likely to develop between July and August 2023. Both climate phenomena will bring drier and warmer weather that could intensify the dry season in Singapore and the region, leading to potentially more hotspots and an increased risk of transboundary haze. We expect this year's dry season to be the hottest and driest since 2019. The Inter-Agency Haze Task Force led by the National Environment Agency (NEA) has been coordinating and updating our national action plans in preparation for possible transboundary haze. The Ministry of Health (MOH) has worked with retail pharmacies to ensure sufficient stock of N95 masks. MOH maintains a stockpile of N95 masks and is prepared to release masks to retail pharmacies, should the need arises. There are also plans by the Inter-Agency Haze Task Force to work with the People's Association (PA) to distribute masks to low-income and vulnerable residents in the event of a severe haze episode. All classrooms of primary and secondary schools, MOE Kindergartens and special education schools are equipped with air purifiers to enhance the well-being of students during a haze episode. Preschools are similarly required to ensure sufficient air purifiers to accommodate children in the event of haze. MOH has advised medical practitioners on how to manage and treat patients with haze-related conditions, such as asthma or Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, my response will address Question No 7 on today's Order Paper, as well as Mr Yip Hon Weng's question1 for the Sitting on 6 July 2023. And if Member Mr Yip is satisfied with the answer given, he may wish to withdraw the Parliamentary Question. With your permission, please.”
“I understand that the Member is asking us to share information on mitigation measures and also on the costs involved in mitigation measures. We will definitely take up that suggestion because it is important for not just PUB but the community and the public also to protect our sewerage system and also potentially NEWater production system. So, we will definitely take up that suggestion.”
“Deputy Speaker, may I seek clarification from the Member? Is the Member asking for more education engagement or the stiffening of the penalties?”
“The penalties for the illegal disposal of hazardous substances into the public sewerage system are set out under the Sewerage and Drainage Act and Sewerage and Drainage (Trade Effluent) Regulations. Penalties are set to be commensurate with the impact of the discharge on the public sewerage system and NEWater production. Repeat offenders will face harsher penalties. The penalties are reviewed and updated regularly. All workers maintaining the sewerage system are required to don Personal Protective Equipment when performing their work. Companies which do not comply will be impacted when tendering for future Public Utilities Board (PUB) projects, including possible debarment. In addition, PUB has put in place an island-wide network of real-time sensors in the public sewerage system to detect hazardous concentrations of toxic substances in used water. This provides PUB with the triggers to respond quickly to incidents and ensure the safety of workers.”
“In the event of a leak in Public Utilities Board (PUB)’s pipe network, PUB will quickly isolate the leak and carry out repairs. Customers experiencing a disruption in water supply will be informed and PUB will provide immediate support, such as water wagons and water bags. The vast majority of such water pipe leaks do not affect residents’ homes. Where it does, PUB will investigate and provide additional assistance on a case-by-case basis.”
“Government agencies, including the Ministry of Health, the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) and the Singapore Food Agency (SFA), work closely in a multi-pronged approach to reduce gastroenteritis (GE) incidents in preschools and nursing homes. Compared to the same period last year, the total number of GE incidents for the first six months of the year has roughly halved to 16 GE incidents. Out of these, only three incidents involve preschools and a nursing home. SFA has no plans to require all caterers to take up medical insurance coverage for consumers. This will raise overall compliance costs when most of the industry have a good track record. Nevertheless, consumers can tap on healthcare subsidies, MediShield Life and MediSave, where applicable, to pay for medical expenses. Parents can also use their MediSave to pay for healthcare expenses for their children.”
“In 2021, the National Environment Agency (NEA) and the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) conducted a study on the ventilation in migrant worker dormitories using carbon dioxide measurements as a proxy. The study found that almost all of the carbon dioxide measurements taken at the congregational, recreational and living areas of migrant worker dormitories were below 1,100 parts per million. Dormitory operators are required under the licensing conditions of the Foreign Employee Dormitories Act to ensure that there is adequate ventilation for daily living activities and sufficient air circulation within rooms. Carbon dioxide levels below 1,100 parts per million, generally, indicate adequate ventilation. This threshold is based on the Singapore Standard 554 Code of Practice for Indoor Air Quality for Air-Conditioned Buildings and the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers.”
“The appointed Public Waste Collector (PWC) for the Ang Mo Kio-Toa Payoh sector has been working to set up its proprietary recycling bin sensor system. The trial, which was initiated and funded by PWC, will help reduce the incidence of bin overflow through sensors that prompt the collection of recyclables once the recycling bin is filled to a certain level. The trial has been delayed due to procurement, logistics and manpower challenges resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. PWC intends to commence the trial later this year, and the National Environment Agency (NEA) will work with PWC to evaluate the outcome of the trial. NEA requires PWCs to ensure that recyclables are collected in a timely manner. Since April 2020, PWCs have increased the frequency of recyclables collection for the 660-litre recycling bins at HDB estates from once to at least three times a week. If more recyclables are accumulated, the collection frequency can be further increased. Side-loading recycling bins, with more than three times the capacity of front-loading bins, have also been introduced in estates where there is space to accommodate the larger bins and side-loader trucks. Everyone can do their part to help prevent overflowing recycling bins. This includes flattening cardboard cartons before depositing them in the bins, which will help to make better use of available bin space. We should also avoid placing non-recyclables, such as general trash, styrofoam and soft toys, in the recycling bins. Regulated electrical and electronic products, such as ICT equipment and large household appliances, should be recycled at e-waste collection points instead. The public can refer to the RecycleRight website (www.go.gov.sg/recycleright) to check what can and cannot be deposited in the recycling bins.”
“To mitigate the risk of bycatch arising from the commercial use of fishing nets, the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) requires licensed fishing vessels and commercial fishery players to obtain a fishing gear licence. SFA is studying the need and effectiveness of other measures to better address concerns over abandoned, lost or discarded fishing gear. To protect our marine biodiversity, the National Parks Board works closely with local fishing communities to promote sustainable and responsible fishing. This includes encouraging members of the public to practise catch-and-release fishing and to avoid fishing at areas with rich marine biodiversity, such as intertidal flats and coral reefs. Signages are also placed at popular 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, including marine parks as well as national parks and nature reserves.”
“I thank the Member Saktiandi for his supplementary questions. I would like to look at each one of them in turn. First of all, it is about our determination to be a hub for carbon trading. We see carbon trading as part of the carbon services sector and also a part of the wider green economy growth that is very much part of our economic objectives. So, I cannot go into the specific situation that he has mentioned about what IRAS is doing, because that obviously is not within my Ministry's work, but I can assure him that we are working across many agencies and Ministries to develop the green economy, carbon services in general. And similarly, when it comes to job creation, I am sure that we are also looking forward to more jobs for our people, but specifically, with regards to carbon trading, I would encourage him to ask the Parliamentary Question of our economic agencies.”
“Since 2021, the Government has been implementing regulatory sandboxes for carbon credit projects to support the development of regulatory processes and infrastructure that are integral to carbon markets and the broader green finance ecosystem. We conduct such sandboxes in collaboration with like-minded countries and/or private sector partners in accordance with Article 6 of the Paris Agreement on international carbon credits. Singapore is catalysing the development of credible carbon markets. Singapore actively co-facilitated Article 6 negotiations at COP26 and COP27, and participates in platforms such as the Voluntary Carbon Markets Integrity Initiative to drive the harmonisation of rules and standards. We supported the World Bank and the International Emissions Trading Association to anchor the Climate Action Data Trust in Singapore, which connects registries to promote transparency and market confidence. We are actively fostering international partnerships and have signed memoranda of understanding (MOUs) with more than 10 countries to facilitate access to high quality international carbon credits, or ICC. Concurrently, we are working on the establishment of an ICC registry and consulting various stakeholders on environmental integrity criteria and whitelist of ICC that carbon tax-liable companies may use to offset up to 5% of their carbon tax liability. Taken together, we are building our reputation as a trusted carbon services and trading hub, with over 100 ecosytem players now based in Singapore and are working with industry to enable further growth.”
“Elderly patrons who are physically able to return their used trays and crockery should do so. Enforcement action will not be taken against persons who have genuine difficulties returning their trays due to frailty or physical disability. We encourage their accompanying family members or caregivers to return the used trays and crockery on their behalf. If they are dining alone and no assistance is available, cleaners will help to clear the trays and crockery left behind by them.”
“The National Environment Agency will also be pressing on with its outreach and engagement efforts, such as the Say YES to Waste Less and Recycle Right campaigns, to increase public awareness on how to recycle right and encourage Singaporeans to be more resource conscious. To encourage and facilitate households to Recycle Right, the recent Bloobox initiative provided households with recycling boxes to set up recycling corners at home. We need to embrace sustainability and proactively incorporate the 3Rs of Reduce, Reuse, Recycle into our daily routines. We will need everyone's collective efforts in order to achieve our national recycling rate targets.”
“In 2022, as the COVID-19 pandemic tapered off, the amount of waste generated in both the non-domestic and domestic sectors increased, as economic and social activities picked up. Singapore's overall recycling rate also increased from 55% in 2021 to 57% in 2022. However, the domestic recycling rate dropped slightly from 13% in 2021 to 12% in 2022. Other than increased waste generation, the decrease in recycling rate was due to a decrease in quantities of recyclable paper/cardboard and textile/leather exported for recycling. Due to a weakened demand from export markets for such recyclables and higher freight and fuel costs compared to pre-COVID-19 levels, recyclers are more selective on the types of recyclables that they collect for export. On the other hand, the entry of new recycling companies dealing with certain waste streams in Singapore has raised the recycling rate of waste streams, such as glass. Recycling remains a key priority for Singapore as it enables us to reduce carbon emissions and achieve a circular economy and extend the lifespan of our Semakau Landfill. We are focusing efforts on three priority waste streams to reach our recycling targets. On e-waste, our first Extended Producer Responsibility scheme was implemented in 2021. With a network of more than 700 collection points deployed island-wide, the scheme provides a convenient avenue for households to recycle regulated consumer e-waste. On packaging waste, a beverage container return scheme will be implemented in 2025 to increase the recycling of plastic bottles and metal cans. On food waste, new commercial and industrial premises that generate large amounts of food waste will be required to segregate their food waste for onsite treatment from 1 January 2024.”
“The Singapore Food Agency (SFA) has successfully completed the tender exercise to engage an external vendor to administer the Aquatic Animal Health Services (AAHS) and will launch the service in the third quarter of 2023. Through aggregating services, such as veterinary consultations and diagnostic analyses for animal health screening, SFA, through AAHS, will help local farms to strengthen their biosecurity management, prevent disease outbreaks and adopt sustainable farming and management practices. SFA will assess the impact of AAHS through key indicators, such as the frequency of disease outbreaks of common pathogens and fish mortality due to diseases in the farms.”
“The Ministry has no plans to review the proposed solutions under The Earthshot Prize nor to partner any of the finalists. However, if there are proposals which are deemed to be applicable to Singapore, we are open to exploring such reviews or partnerships.”
“The National Environment Agency received 2,260 cases of noise complaints in 2018 from renovation and construction work in landed houses, 2,199 cases in 2019, 2,311 cases in 2020, 3,851 cases in 2021 and 3,572 cases in 2022. Firm enforcement action is taken if the maximum permissible noise levels stipulated in the Environmental Protection and Management (Control of Noise at Construction Sites) Regulations are exceeded. My Ministry does not collect information on the number of days taken for renovation and construction work in landed houses.”
“The National Environment Agency focuses on building hawker centres in new or underserved housing estates and considers factors, such as residential catchment and the availability of comparable dining options in the vicinity. Hawker centres would not be commercially viable if they do not have a sufficient customer base from residential dwellings and commercial facilities in the vicinity. Bishan Town already has the existing Shunfu Market and Food Centre, as well as a variety of coffee shops and food courts. Bishan residents can also visit hawker centres in neighbouring towns, such as Block 341 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 1 and Block 210 Lorong 8 Toa Payoh. The Government will continue to monitor and review the adequacy of facilities providing food options in Bishan Town.”
“Excessive vehicle noise is caused by a variety of factors, including vehicle design, illegal modifications, poor maintenance and inconsiderate driver behaviour. The National Environment Agency (NEA) received 190 cases of feedback on noisy vehicles in 2020, 175 cases in 2021 and 85 cases in 2022. New vehicles must adhere to NEA's noise emission standards upon registration. Vehicles on the roads must meet in-use noise emission standards, which ensure that they are well-maintained and do not emit excessive noise. Enforcement action was taken against nine vehicles in 2020, 76 in 2021 and 66 in 2022 for failure to comply with the noise emission standards. The Land Transport Authority (LTA) enforces against illegal exhaust modification, including those which may create excessive noise. LTA enforced against 1,650 cases of illegal exhaust modifications in 2020, 1,781 cases in 2021 and 1,215 cases in 2022. To further reduce excessive noise from vehicles, noise standards for new motorcycles, passenger cars and aftermarket exhaust systems were tightened on 1 April 2023 and will be tightened for new commercial vehicles on 1 April 2024. LTA is unable to provide a further breakdown of "noise-related modifications" and "non-noise-related modifications" as LTA does not collect such information.”
“The Singapore Food Agency (SFA) has in place a food safety system, based on science and risk analysis, to mitigate the risk of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) across our food supply chain. Meat and egg products can only be imported from sources accredited by SFA and must comply with our food safety standards and requirements. SFA also has a robust veterinary drug residue monitoring system and samples food products to ensure compliance. At our food farms, SFA monitors the use of veterinary drugs and works with local farmers to implement good animal husbandry practices, prevent disease incursions and manage diseases. This reduces the use of antibiotics. SFA only allows the responsible use of antibiotics, with veterinary oversight and consultation, for treating diseases in food-producing animals and not for the purpose of promoting growth. Certain antibiotics, such as those listed in the World Health Organization's list of critically important antimicrobials for human medicine, are prohibited for use in our local farms. Addressing the threat of AMR requires a multi-sectoral approach and SFA will continue to work with the Ministry of Health and other relevant Government agencies, research institutions, the agri-food sector and consumers to achieve this.”
“This question has been addressed in the reply to Question 2 for Oral Answer on the Order Paper for 9 May 2023. [Please refer to "Collection Rate of Bloobox for Recycling Campaign", Official Report, 9 May 2023, Vol 95, Issue 103, Oral Answers to Questions section.]”
“Slip-resistant floor tiles, as well as railings for staircases and ramps, have been installed at hawker centres under the Hawker Centres Upgrading Programme and for all new and redeveloped hawker centres. The National Environment Agency replaces worn out floor tiles and installs additional safety railings at the Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment owned hawker centres as and when necessary. For the Housing and Development Board owned centres, such maintenance works are under the responsibility of Town Councils.”
“The Public Utilities Board (PUB) has a comprehensive leak detection programme to pick up leaks as early as possible. PUB deploys a network of sensors that monitor the water pressure, flow and acoustics to allow early detection of leaks in our water pipes. PUB also conducts leak detection checks on its pipeline network at least once a year, and more frequently for pipelines that are near construction activities or that had experienced leaks previously. The rate of water losses through pipe leakage in Singapore, at about 8% of total water demand, is among the lowest in the world. PUB also responds promptly to feedback of water seeping from the ground. If there is a water pipe in the vicinity, PUB will utilise leak noise data loggers to survey and identify any leak along the water pipe, followed by leak locators to pinpoint the exact location of the leak. Excavation will then be carried out to expose and repair the water pipe. If there is no water pipe in the immediate vicinity, PUB will collect water samples to ascertain its source. Should the water quality of the samples match that of PUB-supplied water, PUB will widen the survey area to locate the potential leak. Otherwise, the seepage is likely due to groundwater and PUB will work with the relevant agencies or landowners to channel the groundwater to the nearest drain.”
“There are four groups of stakeholders regulated under the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) scheme for e-waste: producers, which are manufacturers and importers of electrical and electronic products; the Producer Responsibility Scheme (PRS) operator; large retailers of electrical and electronic products; and e-waste recyclers. Producers are required to submit data to the National Environment Agency (NEA) on the weight of products supplied annually. Producers who supply above a prescribed threshold are required to join the PRS and pay fees to the PRS operator, who will collect e-waste disposed of by the public for recycling by licensed e-waste recyclers. NEA conducts audits on the data submitted by producers. The PRS operator must meet licensing requirements and service standards. NEA monitors key aspects of its operations, such as the deployment of e-waste recycling points, timely collection of e-waste and management of public feedback. NEA audits the data submitted by the PRS operator on the amount of e-waste collected and sent for recycling. Retailers are required to provide in-store e-waste collection services and free one-for-one takeback of old appliances when consumers purchase new appliances. NEA conducts inspections of retailers' premises and, together with the PRS operator, monitors their collection performance. NEA also audits the recycling data submitted by e-waste recyclers and inspects their premises to ensure that they recycle e-waste in an environmentally sustainable manner and meet material recovery targets. The Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment will continue to monitor and audit the management of e-waste by the above stakeholders under the EPR.”
“The requirement for food handlers to wear a mask or spit guard has been in place since April 2020. Following the easing of national COVID-19 mask-wearing requirements in August 2022, the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) has conducted multiple industry engagements and issued repeated advisories through media statements and posters to remind food establishment operators of this food safety requirement and to raise public awareness. SFA’s publicity on enforcement action serves as further reminders to licensees on their responsibilities. All food handlers in retail food establishments are required to pass the Workforce Skills Qualifications (WSQ) Food Safety Course Level 1 as part of licensing requirements. From 1 July 2023, this requirement will be extended to non-retail food establishments. Food handlers are also required to renew their food safety training certification periodically through attending refresher courses. To support the training of food handlers, SFA has approved 79 training providers for the WSQ Food Safety Course Level 1 to ensure that training courses are readily available. SkillsFuture Singapore also offers course subsidies to eligible individuals and small and medium enterprises sending their employees for WSQ Food Safety Courses.”
“The findings from the pilots are inconclusive and do not provide further insight into the differences in contamination rates at each location. Although there have been similar studies in other countries, such as Greece and the United States of America, on reducing contamination, it is not feasible to make a fair comparison. Different countries have different waste collection methodologies and control measures. Hence, solutions that work overseas may not be applicable to our local context. We have implemented and are working on various initiatives to recover cleaner waste streams to raise recycling rates and reduce contamination rates. These include Extended Producer Responsibility schemes for e-waste and beverage containers to segregate recyclables. We have also required large food waste producers to segregate, treat and report food waste generated. As such, the Ministry has no immediate plans to expand the transparent recycling bin pilots.”
“The National Environment Agency (NEA) has been taking a calibrated approach in implementing the Project Wolbachia pilot as the technology is nascent. Each phase of the pilot is designed with clear objectives and builds on the learnings from earlier phases, including the impact on the mosquito population, such as the dynamics between the Wolbachia-Aedes mosquitoes and wild-type mosquitoes, and dengue cases. Last year, NEA expanded the project to eight additional sites as part of a multi-site field study to understand the impact of the technology on dengue transmission in different local environments. Thus far, Project Wolbachia has covered more than 300,000 households, or about 30% of all HDB blocks and 9% of all landed homes across Singapore, benefiting one million residents. NEA will continue to rigorously evaluate Wolbachia technology and work with commercial partners and international experts to calibrate the increase in Wolbachia-Aedes mosquito production and release capacity as we work towards expanding to more sites in the coming years.”
“These questions will be addressed with similar Parliamentary Questions on the Bloobox at the Parliament Sitting on 9 May 2023. [Please refer to "Collection Rate of "Bloobox" for Recycling Campaign", Official Report, 9 May 2023, Vol 95, Issue 103, Oral Answers to Questions section.]”
“Under the Resource Sustainability Act, producers of packaged products, as well as retailers, such as supermarkets, with an annual turnover of more than $10 million are required to report their annual packaging use and their plans to reduce, reuse or recycle packaging to the National Environment Agency (NEA). This raises companies’ awareness of the amount of packaging materials consumed, including plastic packaging, and the potential to reduce waste. It also lays the foundation for an Extended Producer Responsibility scheme for packaging waste eventually. To complement this, the Packaging Partnership Programme (PPP), an industry capability-building programme launched in 2021 by the Singapore Manufacturing Federation in partnership with NEA, supports companies in adopting sustainable packaging practices. The PPP initiatives have benefited more than 1,100 companies through the exchange of best practices in sustainable packaging. The Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment and NEA will continue to look at more ways to encourage companies to reduce their packaging.”
“Based on the National Environment Agency's feedback data between 2018 and 2021 on smoking in homes, most of the feedback cases did not recur after advisories had been issued to residents in the surrounding units. Fewer than 10% of feedback providers gave further feedback on smoking in homes within a year.”
“As indicated in the Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment’s replies to recent Parliamentary Questions, at current waste disposal rates, Semakau Landfill is expected to run out of space by 2035. There are ongoing efforts to extend the lifespan of the landfill well beyond 2035, including regulatory measures on key waste streams, research and development, public outreach and engagement. We will provide an update at a suitable time when we have greater certainty of our plans.”
“To safeguard and preserve the local identity of our hawker culture, only Singapore Citizens and Permanent Residents are allowed to operate and work in hawker centres managed by the National Environment Agency (NEA) or NEA-appointed operators. To address manpower challenges faced by our hawkers, we have introduced some schemes to help them adopt technology which could allow them to achieve higher productivity in food preparation and service delivery. For instance, we recently enhanced the Hawkers' Productivity Grant, which provides hawkers with up to 80% co-funding support capped at $7,000, for stall-level kitchen automation equipment and digital services solutions, such as e-ordering and queue management.”
“The Public Utilities Board (PUB) has conducted biennial surveillance of the level of microplastics in water from our Four National Taps, since 2017. The latest testing results in 2021 showed that microplastics were not detected in treated water, while microplastics counts in raw water sources, including reservoirs, remained low, at fewer than 10 particles per litre. There have been no local studies done to date on microplastics intake and its health risks. PUB will continue to monitor international scientific developments on this issue.”
“The Public Utilities Board's (PUB's) investigations traced the white discharge seen in the Hougang Avenue 10 outlet drain on 27 March 2023 to paint products used at a construction site in Serangoon North. PUB had directed the site contractor to clean up all remnants of the white discharge from the drains. We are unable to provide further information on this case as investigations are ongoing. We take a serious view of pollution to our waterways. Appropriate enforcement action will be taken against those found to have contravened the Environmental Protection and Management Act.”
“This question has been raised in this House on 2 August 2022 by a number of Members, including Ms He, and answered jointly by Ministry of Sustainability and Environment and Ministry of National Development. We have no further updates at this time. [Please refer to "Measures to Mitigate Effects of Extreme Weather Conditions" and "Measures to Mitigate Rising Temperatures and Create More Conducive Working and Living Environments", Official Report, 2 August 2022, Vol 95, Issue 66, Oral Answers to Questions section.]”
“Sir, I appreciate that this is the second question the Member has filed two months after my first reply. In the first reply, if the Member had gone through it in detail, he would notice that I have taken pains to explain that we are discussing this and there is a principle that all parties are adhering to, which is, the Paris Agreement. And in the Paris Agreement, there is a clear definition of who the developing countries are and who the developed countries are. And we do not belong to the developed countries. So, if the Member is now suggesting that Singapore is a developed country and should be benchmarked to the other developed countries, that is a deviation from the Paris Agreement. 12.32 pm”
“I thank the Member. I take it that the Member would recommend that we tag our contribution or donation to the fund at the GDP level, regardless of whether it is a developing or developed country, or whether it is taking into consideration things like population size. I would also like to perhaps clarify from the Member whether he would suggest that we move away from the agreement that we have reached in Paris. Because so far, the Paris Agreement is the basis for all discussions and, in the Paris Agreement, there are certain understandings that have been reached. Is the Member suggesting that for the Loss and Damage Fund, we should move away from established agreement internationally?”
“Mr Speaker, I would just like to refer to my reply and I will repeat it here: we have not reached an understanding on what the fund entails; we did not have a chance to discuss this internationally and therefore, we have not decided whether we would contribute or claim from this fund. So, our position is open, and this is part of negotiations at the international level. We will take into consideration all views, Singaporeans as well as the needs of the international community, as we enter the discussion at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. But maybe I would like to thank the Member for his support for the Loss and Damage Fund and in helping developing countries. If I may, Mr Speaker, maybe ask the Member for his position, whether the Workers' Party supports contributing to the fund and if so, what amount should we contribute and to which countries. Besides the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where would he draw the line between developing countries and least developed countries?”
“Mr Speaker, this Question has been raised and answered in Parliament on 24 February. I have no update to provide to the House. The Member may wish to refer to that reply. [Please refer to "Singapore's Contribution to Loss and Damage Fund Set Up in COP27", Official Report, 24 February 2023, Vol 95, Issue 86, Oral Answers to Questions section.]”