Eco-Business

Speaking at the Cities: Possibilities event in Singapore, Veolia Singapore representative Matt Stanelos

Reuse is a behaviour – and does not require investment, a waste expert said at the Cities: Possibilities event in Singapore. Others suggested that capital is needed to support reuse and refill systems in the fight against waste and pollution.

Producers must register their products for the Beverage Container Return Scheme from 1 April

Producers warn that unclear rules, shifting deadlines and poor communication from the system operator risk derailing Singapore’s polluter-pays scheme for beverage containers. Some industry-watchers wonder if the scheme will be delayed again.

Retailers and recyclers say that collection efforts must be made practical and easy enough for consumers, which can be done through clearer guidance on packaging labels and mandatory education about circularity.

Introduced in 2011, Singapore's blue recycling bins are often treated like rubbish bins.

The city-state will have to recycle 30 per cent of domestic waste – up from 11 per cent – by the end of the decade to meet its goal. Observers say current efforts are weak and insufficient to lift the recycling rate, with residents lacking confidence in the blue bin recycling system.

By Jeremy Chan

By Samantha Ho

By Robin Hicks