Companies in Singapore will have to report their packaging data and submit packaging reduction plans by 2021. The new rules are part of a plan to extend the lifespan of the island nation’s only landfill site.
To curb the generation of packaging waste, Singapore will make it mandatory for firms to report packaging data and packaging waste reduction plans annually, by 2021.
With the amount of domestic packaging waste disposed of last year enough to fill more than 1,000 Olympic-size swimming pools, the National Environment Agency (NEA) – the government agency tasked with keeping the country clean and green – has noted that Singapore’s only landfill, Semakau Landfill, will be filled by 2035.
Close to 200 firms today are signatories to the SPA, up from 32 pioneer signatories in 2007. The agreement, which provides a platform for industries to collaborate with the government to reduce packaging waste, is voluntary to allow firms the flexibility to adopt the solutions they need.
Although the list of signatories grew and cumulatively reduced close to 39,000 tonnes of packaging waste over the last 10 years, enough to fill 74 Olympic-size swimming pools, it was a small fraction of the total amount of waste disposed of over the same period. About 1.66 million tonnes of waste were disposed of by the domestic sector in 2016 alone. Of this, about one-third is packaging waste. The NEA also expects the amount of packaging waste disposed of to rise with Singapore’s growing population and economy.
Source:http://www.eco-business.com/news/singapore-unveils-new-rules-to-curb-packaging-waste/
