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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“To safeguard and preserve the local identity of our hawker culture, only Singapore Citizens and Permanent Residents are allowed to be stallholders and stall assistants at hawker centres managed by the National Environment Agency (NEA) or NEA-appointed operators. Nonetheless, as an exception, NEA allows stallholders to appoint their spouses who are Long Term Visit Pass or Long Term Visit Pass-Plus holders with Letter of Consent (LOC) or Pre-approved LOC as their stall assistants, given their familial ties to the hawkers.”
“The Vehicular Emissions Scheme (VES) encourages the adoption of cleaner energy vehicles to reduce emissions and improve air quality. VES provides a rebate to vehicles with lower emissions and imposes a surcharge on vehicles with higher emissions, such that the upfront costs of cleaner energy vehicles are price-competitive with conventional petrol or diesel equivalents. Vehicles with zero tailpipe emissions receive the highest rebate. The VES rebates for 2025 will continue to encourage the adoption of cleaner energy vehicles based on these considerations. My Ministry has been reviewing the VES rebates regularly together with the Ministry of Transport.”
“Mr Speaker, we have not, at this point in time, totalled up the costs of the expenses. We are focusing our attention on the actual cleaning-up which I think deserves our priority and also our urgent attention. As to estimation of losses and also updates on other business considerations, I think this is not related to the Parliamentary Question that Mr Dennis Tan had filed. So, I do not have the answer for him.”
“Mr Speaker, with your permission, I will also address the question for written answer filed by Mr Melvin Yong. The clean-up operation is progressing well. We have completed the first phase of the clean-up. The second phase of the clean-up which focuses on difficult-to-clean areas like rock bunds, breakwaters and oil trapped deeper in the sand is well underway. Some beaches have progressed to the final phase, where volunteers are mobilised to participate in the clean-up and accelerate the re-opening of the beaches. Our beaches will be re-opened as clean-up operations are completed. As of today, Siloso Beach at Sentosa has re-opened for all water activities. Several parts of East Coast Park have re-opened for land-based activities. We plan to complete the cleaning of all affected beaches within the next one month or so.”
“The National Environment Agency does not manage the tenancies of the Socially-conscious Enterprise Hawker Centres (SEHCs). Nevertheless, we understand that the tenancy agreements between SEHC operators and its stallholders have liquidated damages clauses to deter stallholders from breaching tenancy conditions, such as failing to open for business. This is to ensure that the centres serve residents in the community well, where patrons can have access to affordable food throughout the day. This is one of the important social objectives of our hawker centres. Since 2020, one SEHC operator has imposed liquidated damages on three stallholders for failing to open for business. These liquidated damages were imposed after repeated reminders and engagement when the stallholders failed to open for business for extended periods without valid reasons, thereby causing inconvenience to residents and patrons. If no action is taken for the non-compliance, it would have been unfair to other tenants who have complied to the terms by working longer hours.”
“This question will be addressed with similar Parliamentary Questions on indoor formaldehyde levels, and formaldehyde controls for building products and furniture at the same Parliament Sitting on 6 August 2024. Please refer to the reply to Parliamentary Question Nos 1 to 5 in the Order Paper. [Please refer to "Complaints Leading to Ban on Formaldehyde in Paints for Interior of Buildings and Proposal for Similar Ban on Paints for Furniture", Official Report, 6 August 2024, Vol 95, Issue 138, Oral Answers to Questions section.]”
“To continue our push for more recycling and to close the waste loop, we will redouble our efforts at recycling and resource recovery, even as we continue to encourage the generation of less waste in the first instance. Key examples, include segregation and reporting requirements for food waste in large industrial and commercial food waste generators as well as the upcoming beverage container return scheme. We will also continue to study and develop new ways to close our resource loops. This includes exploring the use of mixed materials from Semakau Landfill, comprising incineration ashes and other materials, as reclamation fill. With new initiatives being progressively implemented to shift attitudes and behaviours to make 3Rs (reduce, reuse, recycle) the norm for citizens and businesses, we hope to see an improvement in our overall recycling rate and reduction in waste sent to landfill. Everyone has a part to play to reduce waste and recycle right, to ensure that Singapore remains clean, green and liveable. Let us collectively press on with efforts to achieve our 2030 targets for recycling rates and reduction in waste sent to landfill in our Zero Waste Masterplan.”
“The response to this question also addresses related Parliamentary Questions on efforts to promote recycling filed by Ms He Ting Ru and Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim for the Sitting on or after 7 August. [Please refer to "Trends for Domestic Waste Recycling Rates", Official Report, 7 August 2024, Vol 95, Issue 139, Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer not Answered by End of Question Time section; and "Measures to Promote Recycling Efforts and Progress Towards Zero Waste Masterplan Targets", Official Report, 7 August 2024, Vol 95, Issue 139, Written Answers to Questions section.] The National Environment Agency (NEA) released the 2023 Waste and Recycling Statistics on 19 June 2024. The overall recycling rate remained largely steady at around 60 per cent since 2013, but experienced a sharp decline around 2020 due to COVID-19 and was at 52 per cent in 2023. A similar trend was observed for the domestic recycling rate, which hovered around 20 per cent before declining in recent years to 12 per cent in 2023. The decline in recent years is largely due to structural factors, such as higher freight costs and lower demand for recycled materials due to the weaker economy following COVID-19 and geopolitical tensions as well as trade restrictions imposed by foreign countries towards recyclables. NEA's 2023 survey on household recycling showed an increase from 64 per cent in 2021 to 72 per cent in 2023 in recycling participation. Our domestic waste generated per capita and non-domestic waste generated per dollar Gross Domestic Product, decreased by more than 15 per cent and 30 per cent, respectively, over the past decade, which is a positive trend.”
“This will be addressed in the next Sitting on 7 August 2024, together with similar Parliamentary Questions for a more holistic reply. [Please refer to "Progress of "30 By 30" Food Production Goal Given Recent Farm Closures", Official Report, 7 August 2024, Vol 95, Issue 139, Oral Answers to Questions section.]”
“The Toilet Improvement Programme, or TIP, for coffee shops was launched in October 2020 and closed in October 2021. The programme provided support of up to 90% co-funding, capped at $45,000, for coffee shop owners or operators to improve toilet designs, install sanitary fittings or adopt technology that facilitates the cleaning and maintenance of toilets in coffee shops. A total of 44 coffee shops had successfully tapped on TIP and completed their improvement works under the programme. The National Environment Agency works closely with organisations, such as the Public Hygiene Council, the Restroom Association (Singapore) and the Singapore Kindness Movement, to support coffee shop owners or operators to maintain toilet cleanliness through toilet cleanliness audits and provision of public education materials for display in toilets. Keeping our public toilets clean requires collective action. We encourage everyone to conscientiously clean up after themselves after using public toilets. Members of the public who wish to provide feedback on cleanliness issues in public toilets can do so through the OneService mobile application. As part of the Year of Public Hygiene, we have set up the Public Toilets Taskforce, which I am co-chairing with the Chairman of Public Hygiene Council Andrew Khng, to work with stakeholders, including coffee shop operators and owners, academics and relevant agencies, to identify ways to improve the cleanliness of public toilets. The work of the task force is still ongoing.”
“The carbon tax revenues are published annually in the Revenue and Expenditure Estimates (Budget Book). The Government is refining the carbon tax revenue estimate for Emission Year 2024 and will publish it in the Budget Book 2025. The carbon tax provides an economy-wide price signal and impetus to improve energy- and carbon-efficiency in all sectors and enhances the business case to invest in low-carbon solutions. It is a key part of Singapore’s comprehensive suite of mitigation measures and underpins the implementation of other decarbonisation initiatives. The Government does not expect to derive any additional net revenue from the carbon tax increase within this decade. The revenue will be channelled to facilitate the development of decarbonisation solutions which require significant capital investment, support businesses’ shift to new low-carbon and more energy-efficient solutions and cushion the impact on households. Singapore remains on track to raise the carbon tax rate to $45 per tonne of emissions in 2026 to support our net-zero emissions target by 2050.”
“This will be addressed in the next Sitting on 7 August 2024, together with similar Parliamentary Questions for a more holistic reply. [Please refer to "Reasons Behind Liquidation or Scaled Down Operations of High-tech Farms in Lim Chu Kang and Impact on "30 By 30" Goal", Official Report, 7 August 2024, Vol 95, Issue 139, Written Answers to Questions section.]”
“The Member may refer to the written reply given on 2 July 2024 in response to related Parliamentary Questions on the Climate Friendly Household Programme. [Please refer to "Redemption Rate for Climate Vouchers", Official Report, 2 July 2024, Vol 95, Issue 137, Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer not Answered by End of Question Time section.]”
“8% and the number of dengue clusters decreased by 16%, compared to the first quarter of 2024. NEA’s Project Wolbachia has seen positive results across all study sites. We have generally observed an 80%-90% reduction in the Aedes aegypti mosquito population in these sites after six to 12 months of releases. We have been expanding the project in phases, covering 480,000 households since March 2024. In addition, we will continue to conduct field studies to further understand the environmental factors affecting the efficacy of Project Wolbachia in dengue risk reduction in order to improve our deployment strategy and enhance its cost-effectiveness before expanding the programme to cover more areas. Nevertheless, Project Wolbachia is not a silver bullet. Collective action by stakeholders and residents to prevent mosquito breeding remains critical to reducing the risk of dengue transmission. All of us need to play our part to ensure that our homes and surroundings are free of stagnant water and to take precautions if we are residing in dengue cluster areas, such as spraying insecticides in dark corners, applying insect repellent and wearing long sleeves and pants.”
“The weekly number of dengue cases has remained high since the start of 2024, with over 10,400 dengue cases reported by end July. This is more than the 9,949 dengue cases reported in the whole of 2023. The Aedes aegypti mosquito population has also remained high. The low immunity of our population to all four dengue virus serotypes, coupled with the warm and humid weather which accelerates the development of the Aedes mosquito and multiplication of the dengue virus, presents a continued dengue transmission risk. Given the continued presence of these risk factors, the National Environment Agency (NEA) has been working with partner agencies and Town Councils to intensify inspections and conduct flushing of drains and chemical treatment in dengue cluster areas in order to remove potential sources of mosquito breeding and suppress the adult mosquito population. NEA also launched the annual National Dengue Prevention Campaign on 31 March 2024, ahead of the traditional peak dengue season from May to October, to rally members of the public and stakeholders to take immediate action to reduce mosquito breeding and protect themselves against dengue. NEA has been working with grassroots organisations, non-government organisations, such as social service agencies and schools, to promote dengue prevention messages on their digital communication platforms or through their events. NEA deployed volunteers to areas with high footfall, such as hawker centres and transport hubs, and worked with supermarket operators to ramp up awareness of the dengue situation. With these collective efforts, we have seen positive results thus far. In the second quarter of 2024, the number of dengue cases decreased by 20.”
“SembWaste Pte Ltd (Sembwaste) is the appointed Public Waste Collector (PWC) serving the City-Punggol and Clementi-Bukit Merah sectors. In the last 12 months, there were no waste collection disruptions, which is defined as non-collection of refuse by the end of a scheduled collection day. However, there were temporary delays to waste collection in May 2024, due to a spike in the number of SembWaste's workers falling ill, coinciding with a wave of COVID-19 infections at that time. As the delays did not result in any non-collection of refuse by the end of any given day, overall waste collection operations were not disrupted. The National Environment Agency monitors the collection of waste by PWCs and may intervene in the event of disruptions to waste collection.”
“These questions have been answered in the reply to Mr Yip Hon Weng's and Mr Chua Kheng Wee Louis' Parliamentary Questions filed for the Sitting on 2 July 2024. Please refer to the reply to Question Nos 83 and 85 on the 2 July 2024 Order Paper. [Please refer to "Recent Closures of High-tech Farming Companies and Impact on "30 by 30" Plan for Local Food Production", Official Report, 2 July 2024, Vol 95, Issue 137, Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer not Answered by End of Question Time section.]”
“The Hawkers' Development Programme (HDP) was launched by the National Environment Agency in 2020. It combines training, apprenticeship and mentorship to equip aspiring hawkers with the relevant skills to run a hawker business. As of 30 April 2024, 566 aspiring hawkers have enrolled for HDP and completed the classroom training. Among them, 120 have moved on to complete their apprenticeship. Out of the 29 who proceeded to start their business within a hawker centre, 16 of them remain in operation.”
“At the international stage, we are engaging in negotiations on the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee on Plastic Pollution, which aims to develop an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, including in the marine environment. Collectively, our efforts in the various areas will help to tackle the issue of marine litter.”
“Singapore's National Action Strategy for Marine Litter (NASML) was launched in 2022. There are six priority areas under the NASML: (a) Reduction of Land-Based Sources of Litter; (b) Reduction of Sea-Based Sources of Litter; (c) Circular Economy Approach; (d) Research and Development (e) Maintaining and Strengthening Outreach and Stakeholder Engagement; and (f) International Engagement and Collaboration. The National Environment Agency (NEA) has carried out a study to better understand the origins of marine plastic litter along our shoreline, inland waterways and marine waters. The study, which was completed in end 2023, found that about 97% of plastic waste on our recreational beaches originated from marine sources. This finding reaffirms the effectiveness of our waste management strategies in preventing the introduction of plastic waste from inland activities into the sea. The study also found that during monsoon seasons, there were notably higher amounts of plastic waste washed onto our shores. In response, NEA has stepped up cleaning efforts during monsoon seasons to remove the increased amounts of marine litter. Many volunteers have also participated and led regular beach clean-ups. We have actively engaged counterparts at regional and international platforms to tackle the issue of transboundary marine litter. At the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Working Group on Coastal and Marine Environment, we are working with our fellow ASEAN neighbours and the World Bank on the Southeast Asia Regional Programme on Combating Marine Plastics project, which will drive national and regional initiatives to tackle marine litter.”
“These questions will be addressed with similar Parliamentary Questions on the Climate Friendly Households Programme at the same Parliament Sitting on 2 July 2024. Please refer to the reply to Question No 54 to 56 in the Order Paper. [Please refer to "Redemption Rate for Climate Vouchers", Official Report, 2 July 2024, Vol 95, Issue 137, Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer not Answered by End of Question Time section.]”
“To help moderate ingredient costs, some SEHC operators also tap on their industry networks to offer bulk purchasing services.”
“Part (a) of this question has been partially addressed by the Ministry of Trade and Industry’s reply to Question Nos 90 and 91 on the Order Paper for 2 July 2024. [Please refer to "Study on Whether Food Price Increases Are in Line with Inflation", Official Report, 2 July 2024, Vol 95, Issue 137, Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer not Answered by End of Question Time section.] Based on surveys conducted by the National Environment Agency (NEA), the main cost drivers for stallholders in hawker centres were raw materials and manpower which accounted for an average of 56% and 20% of their operating costs respectively in 2022. Hawkers consider multiple factors when determining the prices of their food, including cost of ingredients, other operating costs and market competition. While NEA does not regulate hawker food prices, NEA provides a conducive operating environment for hawkers at our hawker centres. This allows them to balance between pricing their food affordably and sustaining their livelihoods. To do this, NEA moderates the rent of hawker stalls by not setting reserve rents for stall tenders and disallowing subletting. For Socially-Conscious Enterprise Hawker Centres (SEHCs), NEA takes into consideration tender proposals holistically, including the total costs that hawkers will have to bear, before awarding the tender. SEHC operators have also committed that all stalls in their centres will provide at least one value meal option as part of their tender commitment. In addition, NEA provides support measures, such as the Productive Hawker Centres programme and Hawkers’ Productivity Grant, to help hawker stallholders improve their productivity.”
“For example, our local egg production now contributes more than 30% of local consumption from 26% in 2019. Local beansprout production has also come in at more than 50% of consumption. We have also seen both new and existing farms harnessing technology and innovation to scale up production and operate productive, viable models. Some have expanded their operations to higher-value products that better cater to consumers’ evolving demands. SFA will continue to anchor more of such farms and help them scale up over time.”
“Farms are also required to submit half-yearly progress reports to document progress in the project. The funds are disbursed through reimbursement and in tranches, ensuring that project milestones are achieved before additional funds are released. Third, we are also working to increase demand for local produce. The price of food reflects a combination of factors. Aside from costs of production, higher prices may also reflect better quality and value, such as freshness or being pesticide-free, which are value-added attributes that consumers might be willing to pay for. SFA is supporting the industry through the Singapore Agro-Food Enterprises Federation Limited (SAFEF), which has spearheaded the formation of an industry level supply and demand aggregator that partners farmers, traders and food processing companies to better match demand and supply. Through the efforts of SAFEF and its partners, locally grown vegetables and fish are now sold at Fairprice supermarkets under a six-month trial under the brand names “The Straits Fish” and “The SG Farmers’ Market”. I am heartened to hear that consumer response to the products has been positive. Consumers can play a part in ensuring our national food resiliency by choosing to purchase local produce that are labelled with the red SG Fresh Produce logo, or dining at food businesses under the Farm-to-Table Recognition Programme which recognises food businesses that feature local produce on their menus. Together, we can continue to safeguard Singapore’s food security. The “30 by 30” vision has always been an aspiration, which seeks to rally our efforts around the important task of enhancing Singapore’s food security. We have achieved some results in a few areas.”
“First, we are making land and infrastructure available for farming by regularly launching land and sea space tenders. In 2022, we also introduced the option for the typical 20-year land- and sea-space leases to be extended for a further 10 years to give more certainty to farms when planning and seeking investors. Second, we have increased support to farms for energy efficiency and productivity transformation. SFA ensures that the Agri-Food Cluster Transformation (ACT) Fund remains relevant in meeting farms’ business and growth needs. In 2022, the ACT Fund was enhanced to extend the higher co-funding quantum of 70%, or up to $6 million, to a wider range of food types, such as fruited vegetables, mushrooms and shrimps, allowing more farms to benefit from higher co-funding. The ACT Fund encourages farms to invest in productive and resource-efficient technologies that can help to manage resource use and, consequently, operating costs. In 2023, SFA introduced the Energy Efficiency Programme (EEP) under the ACT Fund to co-fund energy efficiency audits and the adoption of energy-efficient equipment and technologies to help farms better manage their electricity costs. As of 30 April 2024, SFA has awarded $25.7 million to support 68 projects under the ACT Fund. To ensure funds are used effectively, the grant is allocated only after considering the farms’ financial statements, key personnel involved in farming, relevant track record, the merits and reasonableness of the project proposal, projected costs and whether the outcome supports Singapore’s food security. SFA requires funding recipients to meet key performance indicators (KPIs) in areas, such as production output, energy and manpower savings.”
“This response will also address the written Parliamentary Questions filed by Ms Hany Soh for Parliament Sitting on 2 July 2024. [Please refer to "Progress of '30 by 30' Goal and Grant Funding Disbursed", Official Report, 2 July 2024, Vol 95, Issue 137, Written Answers to Questions section.] Since its formation, the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) has been stepping up efforts to grow our local agri-food sector, alongside our efforts in import source diversification and stockpiling. Local production can help to buffer any impact of supply disruptions and add to Singapore’s food security. We set “30 by 30’’ as an ambitious vision of building the capability and capacity to locally produce 30% of our nutritional needs by 2030. When the “30 by 30” vision was first conceived in 2019, there was strong investor interest in the global agri-food sector, a low interest rate environment and lower global energy prices. Since then, the business climate has become less favourable due to factors, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, geopolitical tensions and inflation. Some farms have taken a pause in development works to re-evaluate and finetune their business models. Global agri-tech companies have also not been spared from similar headwinds. That said, while there have been farm closures, we are also seeing new players enter the agri-food sector. Overall, the total number of land- and sea-based farms has remained relatively stable at about 250 since 2019. Given the nascency of our agri-food sector and the challenging environment, SFA has provided our farms with support in various areas, including (a) accessing land and infrastructure for farming, (b) improving energy efficiency and productivity, and (c) increasing demand offtake for their produce. Let me elaborate.”
“Interested retailers who do not yet have a POS system can tap on Enterprise Singapore’s Productivity Solutions Grant to receive up to 50% support to develop a POS system. As consumers can compare the prices across different retailers, there is market pressure on retailers to keep their prices competitive. We will continue to track the progress of and review CFHP from time to time, taking into consideration suggestions on the scheme’s refinement and coverage.”
“In April 2024, the Climate Friendly Households Programme (CFHP) was expanded to all Housing and Development Board (HDB) Singapore resident households. As of 15 June 2024, more than 50% of eligible households, that is, about 607,000 households, have claimed their Climate Vouchers. Of these, about 90,000 households have started using their vouchers. So far, the three most popular household products purchased were direct current fans, washing machines and refrigerators. The National Environment Agency (NEA) and Public Utilities Board (PUB), Singapore’s National Water Agency, will continue to work with stakeholders, including participating retailers, to publicise the programme and promote the take-up of the Climate Vouchers. By switching to more efficient appliances and fittings, households will be able to save on their utility bills. For example, a 4-room HDB household that switches from a one-tick refrigerator to a three-tick refrigerator can save up to 6% on their utility bills. The savings depend on various factors, including a household’s usage pattern, size and the appliance’s energy or water efficiency in relation to the original appliance. Households have access to a wide selection of retailers and climate-friendly appliances and fittings from the current list of 14 participating retailers, covering more than 300 stores. In addition, NEA, PUB and Government Technology Agency (GovTech) are onboarding more retailers, including heartland retailers, over the next few months. Participating retailers will need to configure their Point of Sales (POS) system to tag the eligible products in their inventory and enable voucher redemption by households.”
“First, I would like to express my deepest condolences to the families and loved ones of Mr Srinivasan Sivamaran and Mr Izzat Naqiuddin Bin Dawood, who lost their lives due to the incident at PUB’s Choa Chu Kang Waterworks on 23 May 2024. The third worker, Mr Erifin Anak Awan, was discharged from hospital on 22 June 2024. I wish him a swift and full recovery. I seek Members’ understanding that I can only provide basic information due to the ongoing investigation by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM). On 23 May 2024, during routine cleaning of a water treatment process tank at Choa Chu Kang Waterworks, three contractor workers were found to have collapsed. Initial investigations indicated that they had inhaled hydrogen sulphide. Hydrogen sulphide is a gas that is typically emitted when sludge is being drained from the tank. At the time and location of the incident, hydrogen sulphide levels were higher than normal based on the hydrogen sulphide sensors installed. As a precaution immediately after the incident, the Public Utilities Board (PUB) issued a Board-wide safety time-out. During the time-out, PUB carried out comprehensive checks on its processes and safety procedures, both at Choa Chu Kang Waterworks and across PUB. Checks were specifically made in the management of work in confined spaces and locations where there was risk of exposure to toxic gases and chemicals. Work resumed across PUB after ascertaining that safety procedures were adequate and in place, with the exception of Choa Chu Kang Waterworks where MOM’s Stop Work Order is still in force.”
“Thank you very much for the supplementary question. Here I am speaking, really, as the Minister-in-charge of Trade Relations, overseeing SDC as well as our tourism business. I would encourage businesses that have been affected, first of all, to start compiling the numbers, so that they can form a basis of claim. As I mentioned earlier in my speech, the person to contact, I think you can find it as public information. Those that have agencies, whether it is NParks or SDC, as your landlords, I am sure they have already reached out to you. If you belong to a category that is affected and, yet, do not have a very strong land-based business on the affected beaches, I would suggest that you get in touch with SDC or the Singapore Tourism Board, so that we can look at your cases individually. Different businesses are affected to different extents. Some of the businesses are completely unable to operate because they were operating sea-based activities, while others that are operating on the back shore of the beaches, they have been able to resume. Some of them have very much resumed to pre-spill days, some of them have not. So, I think we cannot take a standard approach or one-standard-solution for the businesses. Government agencies will be very prepared to listen to the plight of the businesses and see how we can best help them. As Ms Hazel Poa has mentioned herself, there is always a solution, there is always the option of making a claim. We will see how we can help the businesses to bridge that cash flow problem in the interim process.”
“Mr Speaker, I am very heartened – and I think I speak also on behalf of my other colleagues – we are very heartened by the strong support and interest that the ordinary Singaporeans have shown towards protecting our environment. We would very much like to involve all Singaporeans who are willing to help us rehabilitate our beautiful beaches. But we do just want to put a word of caution here, because we are dealing with petrochemicals and we do want to make sure that it is safe to do so. We are monitoring the situation closely. We hope to give some update maybe in a week or two's time so that we can prepare for further general cleaning of the beaches. Please be assured that when we do so, when we mobilise the volunteers, we will think through, we will put through procedures that involve training as well as briefing, as well as resourcing with adequate protective equipment, so that we can all do so safely.”
“And of course, I think we want them all to work under very safe condition, but it is really hard work, so we would like to really urge the public when it is time for us to volunteer that we would step forward to volunteer with the more laborious type of cleaning, where specialised skills is less involved so that we can actually relieve them of some of the work ahead of us.”
“Thank you, Mr Speaker. In response to questions from the Member, we have not received any feedback on workers nor volunteers suffering from the ill effects of inhalation. On workers who are involved in cleaning, I will clarify that there are mainly two categories of workers who are involved. One is general cleaners and they are involved in very basic but back-breaking work at the foreshore of the beaches, basically to clean up the oil leaks as well as the contaminated sand. The ratio, I would imagine that they would conform to the foreign workers ratio of general cleaners. They would be supervised as usual and, as I mentioned in my speech earlier on, contractors, their employers have been advised to adhere to giving them the adequate and appropriate protective equipment. There is also another type who are involved in specialised cleaning. Those will come from contractors who are engaged to handle such cleaning of the hard-to-reach places and they would have gone through their own internal training programme. I have spoken to some of them. Some of them are actually our local workers with experience in the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) and Singapore Police Force (SPF). They have now joined this contractor, basically handling emergency responses, such as oil spill and other incidents and crises. They are very, very competent, very experienced, putting their experience from SCDF and SPF to good use and they are obviously very mindful and aware, high degree of awareness of the environment that they are working in. So, they are supervised with a high degree of competency and experiences.”
“Thank you very much. I would like to thank the Member for the clarification and for her concern for the well-being of our workers. We would like to remind all our service providers to adhere to the recommendations from the various agencies that are looking at workplace safety and to pay extra attention to the well-being of the workers. Personally, I met some of them when I was visiting the affected beaches. I never fail to ask them, "Are you given rest? Are you given time out to have your hydration?" And the answer has been, "Yes". So, I think that is something that is of priority and I would like to assure Members that we are always work with our contractors to make sure that their workers' well-being is also looked after.”
“(In English): Mr Speaker, in conclusion, as we are now in the second phase of the clean-up operations, some of the precautionary measures adopted in the first phase, such as daily air monitoring at affected beaches and water quality monitoring for our fish farms, have become less pressing. Given that the conditions have stabilised, we will gradually step down measures that are no longer required so that agencies can focus on the current demands. Our agencies will continue to press on with cleaning operations and monitor the quality of our air, food and water, as well as the impact on affected stakeholders. I would like to thank the many cleaning personnel, supervisors and Public Officers who have worked tirelessly in the clean-up operations. I am also thankful for the support from service partners, volunteers and the public. We look forward to the next and final phase of operations, where we would be inviting volunteers to help with the clean-up, so that we can nurse our cherished environment back to health as soon as possible.”
“Before commencing the clean-up work, we briefed the personnel on the work scope and safety measures, and provided them with appropriate personal protective equipment. We also ensured that the personnel have sufficient rest time and regularly replenish their fluids. The entire clean-up work is expected to take about three months. The beaches at Sentosa, East Coast Park and the Southern Islands will be gradually reopened to the public for land-based activities. We will conduct water quality tests to ensure that water quality is restored to normal and remain stable for at least one week before allowing swimming and water activities. We are also considering mobilising volunteers to participate in the final phase of the clean-up work, to lighten the burden on the cleaning personnel and expedite the reopening of beaches. Relevant authorities have been closely monitoring the situation. We understand that the oil spill incident has caused inconvenience to some businesses. Affected businesses and relevant parties can file claims with the vessel owners’ insurance agents. The agencies are developing rental deferral measures to help affected businesses with their cash flow, on a case-by-case basis. Sentosa Development Corporation will also look to promote a return of footfall through marketing and social media support. In terms of food safety and water supply, our fish farms have not been affected by the oil spill incident. Nevertheless, SFA has been monitoring the quality of imported seafood and implementing preventive measures to ensure food safety. Our water supply has also not been affected.”
“Miss Rachel Ong3 asked if real-time data from the Marine Environment Sensing Network (MESN) buoys can be made available on an hourly basis to fish farms and relevant non-governmental organisations' communities. I understand that MESN currently deploys one buoy at St John's Island and real-time data that has been assessed to be of high confidence is publicly accessible on MESN's online data platform. There has been no impact to our water supply. Sensors at our five desalination plants, including at the Jurong Island Desalination Plant closest to the oil spill location, continue to show no abnormalities in the quality of seawater. In the event that any plant in Singapore's water supply system is disrupted, the Public Utilities Board (PUB) will step up production capacity in our remaining plants. Mr Speaker, allow me to speak in Mandarin, please. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] We have made good progress in cleaning up the oil pollution. We have collected over 1,200 tonnes of oil-soaked sand and effectively, most of the oil slicks at the beachfront have been removed. We have also deployed booms to prevent oil leaks from reaching the shore or flowing inland. Here, I would like to express sincere gratitude to various Government agencies and cleaning contractors. Thanks to their close coordination and relentless efforts, the cleanup work has proceeded smoothly. To ensure public safety and the safety of cleaning personnel, we have implemented a series of measures. In the areas affected by oil pollution, we have conducted air quality tests to ensure the personal safety of nearby residents, tourists and clean-up personnel. The air quality has remained at safe levels.”
“Volunteers have not been directly involved in the beach clean-up actions, due to the complexity of the tasks and for their personal safety. Ms Nadia Ahmad Samdin asked how citizens can be involved in our clean-up efforts. We are considering mobilising volunteers for the final phase of the clean-up, where remnant oil deposits hardened and mixed with sand in the form of tar balls will need to be sieved and separated for removal. This process is labour-intensive and if we have more hands to help, we can relieve the cleaners and accelerate the reopening of the beaches. If and when volunteers are mobilised, we will tap on those who have registered with NParks as well as many volunteer groups who have contacted me personally and the Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment (MSE) through social media and WhatsApp after assessing that it is safe to do so. The Public Hygiene Council will help to train, equip and coordinate with volunteers for this effort. This would be a safe and meaningful way for Singaporeans to contribute to the reopening of our beaches. I will now address questions on food safety and water quality, which Miss Cheryl Chan, Miss Rachel Ong and Mr Xie Yao Quan have raised. To date, our fish farms remain unaffected by the oil spill. Nonetheless, as a precautionary measure, the Singapore Food Agency has been taking seafood samples from coastal fish farms in the East Johor Strait for food safety tests. We are also monitoring the quality of imported fish and seafood. The test results continue to indicate that our local fish and imported fish are safe for consumption.”
“For ecologically-sensitive locations, the National Parks Board (NParks) is consulted on the methods to be deployed. Once the second phase of cleaning operation is completed, we will move to the final phase where we remove tar balls from the beaches and inspect affected areas for any remaining oil stains. We expect the clean-up to take around three months, but these will vary for each area, depending on the extent they are affected. ONE°15 Marina and the Marina at Keppel Bay have reopened as clean-up efforts continue to progress. The cordoned-off area of the beaches at Sentosa, along East Coast Park and Southern Islands will progressively open for land-based activities. We will test the water quality to ensure that it is back to normal and stable for at least a week before resuming swimming and other primary-contact sea activities. Agencies have been monitoring the situation carefully and closely. We understand the frustration and inconvenience that businesses have experienced due to the oil spill. That is why SDC, which manages Sentosa and businesses on the Southern Islands, and other agencies, such as NParks, that collectively manage the beachfront along East Coast Park, have been proactively reaching out to their tenants. The agencies are developing rental deferral measures to help affected businesses with their cash flow on a case-by-case basis. SDC will also look to promote a return of footfall through marketing and social media support. As mentioned by the Ministry of Transport (MOT) during last week's joint press conference, the economic losses resulting from the oil spill can be accessed for claims. Contact details of the insurer have been made available to the public. Many volunteers have stepped forward to offer their assistance in the clean-up operations.”
“Mr Louis Ng, Ms He Ting Ru, Mr Melvin Yong and Miss Rachel Ong2 asked about the provision of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for our workers. As is the case for any work carried out in Singapore, employers, including the contractors, are responsible for assessing the site conditions, nature of tasks and risks when deploying and equipping their workers. In the immediate few days after the oil spill, when a sizeable amount of oil was washed up on shore, NEA issued a general advisory for personnel involved in the clean-up effort to include masks, goggles, rubber gloves and high waterproof boots as part of their PPE. This was done as an additional precaution even though the air quality was well within safe levels. After the bulk of the oil was removed, NEA updated the advisory to no longer require masks and goggles. The first phase of the clean-up focused on removing the oil slicks and contaminated sand from the surface of affected beaches and deploying booms to avoid further contamination. All the remaining affected areas have entered the second phase of the clean-up response, which focuses on difficult to clean areas like rock bunds, breakwaters and oil trapped deeper in the sand. Members of the public may notice a scaling down of general cleaning at the beaches, as more specialised teams are deployed to clean these difficult areas. General cleaning of the beaches may still be required, as oil remnants may continue to be washed ashore. The cleaning methods for the second phase have been decided jointly between the oil spill consultants and the cleaning contractors. These methods may be refined along the way as the shoreline of each affected area may be different.”
“When the oil slick reached stretches of our coastline on 15 June, NEA began conducting daily air quality tests using mobile detectors at affected areas of East Coast Park, Sentosa and Labrador Nature Reserve to ensure the safety of the public and clean-up personnel. The VOCs detected, including for BTX, have been well within safe limits. Miss Rachel Ong1 asked if there were health and safety concerns from breathing in the oil fumes. I have explained that the air quality at affected areas is safe, based on both measurements from our 24/7 ambient air monitoring stations as well as localised daily testing using mobile detectors. While members of the public near the beachfront or shoreline may experience odour from time to time, especially in the early days of the oil spill, it is safe to be around these areas. Second, as part of the SOP, service providers are involved in our oil spill response in many critical functions. Many of them are specialised contractors involved in the laying of booms and in cleaning of difficult-to-clean areas, such as rock bunds. Others are general cleaning contractors involved in clearing the beaches of oily sand and debris. These service providers participate in our regular oil spill exercises and are familiar with their roles and processes. Before deployment, personnel are briefed on their tasks and workplace safety. Agencies and their contractors are regularly reminded to ensure that sufficient rest breaks and rehydration are provided. We have also reminded cleaning contractors to ensure that workers receive rest days and consider rotating workers, where possible. Workers who feel unwell should approach their employer for support and assistance. Third, on protective equipment.”
“Thank you, Mr Speaker. I will address the progress of our land-based clean-ups, the challenges involved, our emphasis on protecting the health and well-being of our workers and the public, the impact to the businesses and our efforts in monitoring any impact on the safety of our food, air and water quality. We have made good progress in cleaning up the oil spill. As of 30 June, over 1,200 tonnes of oil-soaked sand and debris have been collected and much of the oil slicks on our beachfronts has been removed. The bulk of oil-soaked sand has been removed and sent to toxic waste treatment facilities for safe treatment and disposal. Booms have also been deployed to prevent oil from being washed ashore or into our inland canals. This operation will not have been possible without the tireless and coordinated efforts from multiple agencies and many service providers. Several Members have raised questions about the welfare and safety of our workers. I would like to assure Members that the well-being of our workers is our priority. We have been taking many steps to ensure their safety and well-being. First, on air quality. As part of its air quality monitoring regime, NEA monitors ambient levels of volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, through our network of 24/7 ambient air monitoring stations at various locations in Singapore. One of the monitoring stations is located on Sentosa and there is also one at the eastern-end of East Coast Park. The monitoring stations did not detect any anomalies over this period of time, including for benzene, toluene and xylene, or BTX, that are commonly associated with bunkering fuels and other petrochemicals.”
“The National Environment Agency or its appointed operator, will seek waiver from the Public Waste Collector (PWC) for the refuse collection fee payable by the stallholders whenever a hawker centre is to be closed for Repairs and Redecoration. To date, these waiver requests have typically been granted by the PWCs.”
“The Hawkers Succession Scheme (HSS) helps to sustain the hawker trade and heritage, by helping retiring veteran hawkers to pass down their culinary skills, recipes and hawker stalls to aspiring successors. Since the launch of the HSS on 1 January 2022, seven veteran hawkers have successfully enrolled for the scheme. Two of them have completed the transfer of their stalls to their successors, while a third is in the process of doing so. Two of the remaining veteran hawkers have been successfully matched with aspiring successors. Of these, one of the aspiring successors has completed the apprenticeship stage while the other is pending the culinary skills test to assess his suitability. The other two veteran hawkers are awaiting suitable successors. The National Environment Agency will learn from the successful transfers and continue to engage interested veteran hawkers and aspiring successors to participate in the scheme.”
“The Singapore Food Agency (SFA) sets drinking water quality standards under the Environmental Public Health (Water Suitable for Drinking) Regulations, taking into account international guidelines, such as those established by the World Health Organization (WHO). Specific to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in drinking water, the WHO is developing a set of guidelines. SFA will review whether to develop local regulatory limits for PFAS, after WHO's finalised guidelines are published. Since 2016, PUB has been monitoring PFAS in Singapore's drinking water through its comprehensive water quality monitoring programme. PFAS levels in Singapore's drinking water remain below the limits set by the United States Environmental Protection Agency. SFA and the Public Utilities Board will continue to monitor developments relating to PFAS to ensure the continued supply of safe drinking water for all in Singapore.”
“The Singapore Emission Factors Registry is an initiative led by the Singapore Business Federation, with the support of the Government. It will help companies report their carbon emission more accurately and easily. As it is an upcoming initiative that is scheduled to commence in end-2024, the requested data is currently not available.”
“To reduce the public's exposure to the harmful effects of second-hand tobacco smoke, the National Environment Agency (NEA) has progressively extended the smoking prohibition to cover more than 49,000 places islandwide. This includes sheltered walkways and linkways, which came under the smoking prohibition in 2013. NEA carries out regular inspections and enforces against smoking offences at smoking-prohibited places. In 2023, NEA issued about 14,700 tickets for smoking at prohibited places, of which more than 5,000 were for smoking at sheltered walkways and linkways. Offenders caught smoking in a prohibited place may face a composition sum of $200. If convicted in Court, the offenders may be liable to a fine of up to $1,000. In 2023, feedback and tickets for smoking at sheltered walkways and linkways decreased by around 25% and 12% respectively, as compared to the pre-COVID-19 period in 2019. This suggests that awareness and enforcement efforts have yielded some positive results. NEA will continue to monitor and enforce against smoking in prohibited places, including at new sheltered walkways and linkways.”
“Our Public Waste Collectors (PWCs) generally do not face issues arising from illegally parked vehicles at the central refuse chute area of HDB blocks as there are operational workarounds. Where PWC workers encounter illegally parked vehicles that hamper waste collection operations, they can take photos of the vehicles and notify the relevant authorities via the one-stop OneService app, LifeSG app or parking enforcement hotline.”
“As of 31 March 2024, the National Environment Agency (NEA) manages a total of 119 hawker centres comprising more than 14,000 hawker stalls. Of these, 12 are Socially-conscious Enterprise Hawker Centres (SEHCs), comprising close to 500 stalls. Around 5% of stalls in SEHCs are operated by the respective SEHC operators. In our selection of operators, NEA uses a Price-Quality model to evaluate the tenders for the management of new hawker centres. The evaluation criteria aim to ensure the success and viability of the centre, while balancing the interests and needs of hawkers and residents. Some key areas of our evaluation criteria include tenderers’ proposal on cost to stallholders, food affordability, food mix and variety, as well as initiatives to increase footfall to the hawker centre. The number of residents staying within two kilometres of the hawker centre is not a factor.”