14 NEA seeks your views on the proposal for supermarket operators to be required to track and publicly disclose information on the number of bags they issue, the amount of charge proceeds they collect, and how they use the charge proceeds. They could also look at reducing the amount of waste they dispose of, for example, by reducing food waste and recycling more. Introduction Background The group proposed that retailers charge their customers 10 cents and 5 cents for large and smaller plastic bags respectively. Other respondents suggested a hybrid model whereby bags would be charged after a certain number were given out for free, to minimise the cost impact. MCI (P) 031/10/2021, MCI (P) 032/10/2021. A small charge may not discourage consumers but a reusable bag can be made affordable and convenient, he said. Singaporean households and businesses threw away about 200,000 tonnes of disposables in both 2019 and 2020, enough to fill 400 Olympic-sized pools, the NEA said. This includes: Households would still be able to use those free plastic bags for bagging waste as well. To me, it is not right that we should not let our children and future generations pay for these environmental costs so that we can enjoy our free plastic bags. On suggestions to require rebates in lieu of a charge, NEA notes that the disposable carrier bag charge has proven to be highly effective in overseas jurisdictions. Indigenous women briefly protested as Pope Francis celebrated mass during his visit to Canada on Thursday, demanding that he retract centuries-old Church doctrine that empowered Europeans to colonize non-Christian native lands. 5. This is to strike a balance between nudging shoppers to reduce the number of disposable carrier bags they take and minimising the cost impact on shoppers who make large purchases and lower-income households, NEA said on the proposal. There are no comments yet. For a start, NEA proposed to make it a requirement for supermarket operators with an annual turnover of more than $100 million to implement a disposable carrier bag charge. To ensure the poor does not have to pay for plastic bags, NGOs and grassroots could distribute free reusable shopping bags to households in HDB 1- and 2-room flats so that they can use them for shopping. A rebate might not be as effective as a charge, as the shopper could continue with their usual shopping habit of using disposable carrier bags without any consequence. Therefore, replacing disposable plastic bags with paper or biodegradable plastic alternatives will not result in a better environmental outcome. NTUC FairPrices CEO Seah Kian Peng also expressed that while he would not rule out charging consumers for plastic bags, the company prefers to use anincentive schemeto reduce the use of plastic bags. 3 NEA had previously commissioned a life-cycle assessment study on carrier bags and food packaging in Singapores context. 13 NEA seeks your views on the proposal not to apply the disposable carrier bag charge to online grocery purchases. Many objected to this plastic bag charge arguing that education alone is sufficient; this move will negatively impact the lower income residents in Singapore and thatSingaporeans require plastic bags to storetheir waste. One of the Workgroup's key recommendations is a charge for disposable carrier bags at supermarkets. Photograph: AP. The extra effort will pay off in additional savings in the long run! Pope Francis celebrated mass Thursday at the oldest Catholic shrine in North America, preaching reconciliation on the fourth day of a visit to Canada as he seeks to reset the Church's relationship with Indigenous people. 7 In response to the Citizens Workgroups recommendation, the Government proposes to make it a legal requirement by the first half of 2023 for large supermarket operators to charge for disposable carrier bags issued at their checkout counters, regardless of the type of material used for the bag. The respondents who were of the view that a bag charge should be applied to online grocery shopping felt that doing so would send a consistent message, while noting that online grocery purchases have been increasing, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. From trash bags to gloves, there are just so many uses for plastic bags! 202120748H. Assuming you throw out the trash twotimes a week, you will need about 4 packs a year, which means you will be spending at least $4.80 on bin liners in a year. ExxonMobil's profits nearly quadrupled to $17.9 billion in results released Friday that underscored the elevated state of oil and natural gas prices amid commodity market tightness. Summary of proposed details for feedback. Singapore Womens Development White Paper, REACH x BaWangChaJi e-Listening Point on Gender Equality and Womens Development (7 - 11 March 2022), REACH e-Listening Point for EZ-Link Customers (21 24 Feb 2022), REACH e-Listening Point with foodpanda Riders (24 28 Feb 2022), REACH x Temasek LEAD programme Listening Point on COVID-19, Terms and Conditions on REACH Post Budget 2022 e-Listening Point (March), Job Competition and Security e-Listening Point, REACH Bus Transport Workers E-Listening Point, REACH Caregivers of Persons with Special Needs e-Listening Point, REACH e-Listening Point for EZ-Link Customers (12 - 15 Nov 2021), REACH e-Listening Point on the Performing Arts Sector, REACH SMS E-Listening Point on COVID-19 (24 July 2021 to 29 July 2021), REACH Social Media E-Listening Point Contest, REACH x Viu e-Listening Point on Gender Equality, REACH Youth Mental Well-being e-Listening Point, REACH Youth Mental Well-being e-Listening Point with Eurasian Association, REACH Youth Mental Well-being e-Listening Point with MENDAKI, REACH Youth Mental Well-being e-Listening Point with Parents, REACH Youth Mental Well-being e-Listening Point with SINDA, REACH e-Listening Point at Blocks 55 to 59 Lengkok Bahru on Covid-19, REACH e-Listening Point at rental flat blocks on Stirling Road & Mei Ling Street, Queenstown Town on Covid-19, REACH E-Listening Point Budget Feedback Exercise (17 23 February 2021), REACH e-Listening Point for Expats Well-Being in Singapore, REACH e-Listening Point with Overseas Singaporeans, REACH e-Listening Point with Taxi and Private-Hire Vehicles Drivers on Cost of Living, REACH Listening Point with Singapore Polytechnic Students on Youth Aspirations and Forward SG, REACH Listening Point with Tenants in Rental Flats on Housing and Cost of Living 28 May to 4 June 2022, REACH SMS E-LISTENING POINT ON COVID-19 (28 May 2021 to 3 June 2021), REACH SMS E-Listening Point on COVID-19 (30 April 2021 to 7 May 2021), Terms and Conditions of e-Listening Point Covid19 on Vaccination for expecting parents, REACH x LiHO Instagram Lucky Draw (2 to 28 Feb 2021), Terms and Conditions of Parents with Children under 12 Years Old e-Listening Point, Terms and Conditions of REACH e-Listening Point on Enhancing Online Safety, REACH Instagram Giveaway (3 to 13 December 2020), Terms and Conditions for Participation in the Feedback & Engagement Bus Tour, a life-cycle assessment study on carrier bags and food packaging in Singapores context, Bag charge not to be applied to online grocery shopping, Supermarket operators must track and publicly disclose the number of bags they issue, the amount of charge proceeds they collect, and how the charge proceeds are used. Love to save more on your grocery shopping? 13. On the proposal not to apply the disposable carrier bag charge to online grocery shopping, many respondents agreed. Zoila Lecarnaque Saavedra sealed her fate when she agreed to transport a package from Peru to Hong Kong -- a decision that landed her more than eight years in prison. In my personal experience, Ive also started to notice the problem of wasteful plastic consumption when I joined the workforce two years ago. Do yourself and the environment and your wallet by getting yourself a reusable grocery bag now! But what does this mean for all of us as consumers? The rewards scheme costs FairPrice about $500,000 every year. The disposable bag charge will not remove access to disposable bags. 1. Thats why the government is implementing a mandatory charge of at least $0.05 for each plastic bag used from mid-2023 onwards. Want to do your part for the environment? Add your comment to start the conversation. Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you. A 2018 study by the Singapore Environment Council also found that shoppers take 820 million disposable carrier bags from supermarkets alone a year, translating to an average of 146 bags per person. However, upon listening to what Zero Waste SG explained, I realized that this does not have to be the case. A per-transaction charge could encourage overconsumption as it is a flat fee regardless of the number of bags used. MSE and NEA will continue to study how best to address packaging waste from e-commerce in general, including from online grocery shopping. All rights reserved. A few cents here and there might not seem a lot now, but eventually, it will add up. Some concerned citizens expressed that this move to charge consumers for plastic bags may disproportionately affect the poor. The views expressed here are my own and do not reflect those of any organization I am part of. 21. The 38-year-old Malaysian allegedly conspired with his compatriot to help the Singaporean and Thai couple escape from Singapore. Providing Feedback Whether to apply bag the charge to online purchases Suggestions to Require Supermarket Operators to Provide Bring-Your-Own-Bag Incentives The cost of getting a reusable bag will save you $1.50 in a year compared to buying your own plastic bags. 22. In order to improve our community experience, we are temporarily suspending article commenting, Man and woman arrested in Sentosa over haul of 6kg of heroin and other drugs: CNB, India says it will protect its interests as Chinese boat heads to Sri Lanka, Finns call for halt to 'unbearable' Russian tourism, China's industry minister faces corruption probe, Two pilots killed as Soviet-era fighter jet crashes in India, Second Malaysian arrested for helping couple behind luxury goods scam flee Singapore, Nurses to get retention payment amid global competition to recruit them: Ong Ye Kung, Ultra-fast fashion charms young despite damaging environment, Demolition looms for historic Shanghai neighbourhood, Pope celebrates mass at North America's oldest Catholic shrine, Shakira faces call in Spain for eight-year prison term, Bangladesh orders graft probe into Nobel laureate Yunus. We all have to purchase groceries and essentials, dont we? Between 2005 and 2015, it stagnated at 20% despite more than 15 years of the National Recycling Programme. A 2018 study done by the non-profit Singapore Environment Council found that shoppers take 820 million disposable carrier bags from supermarkets a year, an average of 146 bags a person. The public consultation closed on 17 February 2022. Thank you. Feel free to check out these supermarket discounts for senior citizens as well! 17. 12 NEA seeks your views on the proposal to subject supermarket operators with annual revenue that is above a stipulated threshold to the requirements of charging for bags at their outlets . 10. Impact on Lower-Income Households This puts Singapore way belowother developed economies like the United Kingdom and Taiwan, where the household recycling rates in 2013 were 44.2 per cent and 42 per cent, respectively. 11. Although some felt that they needed plastic bags to line their bins, others were more enthusiastic about doing their part to reduce waste. Imagine them dumping trash directly into our rubbish chutes. Eco-Business asks two hospitality executives , Climate-linked strife now ravishing Mali, Venezuela and Syria could play out in vulnerable countries such as Indonesia, India, , In his first state of the nation address, Philippine president Ferdinand Marcos, Jr said the government will prioritise , Coastal forests trap huge volumes of greenhouse gases and protect people from flood risks. As demand for green accommodation grows, environmentally sustainable practices in hotels are becoming more commonplace but so , Can the hotels sector, traditionally resource-intensive and wasteful, reinvent itself and go green? To uphold accountability and transparency in the use of proceeds, NEA proposed to require supermarket operators to track and disclose the number of bags issued, and the amount and usage of the charge proceeds. Supermarket Operators Profiteering from the Charge Rather than spending on bin liners, why not spend that money to get yourself a washable bin instead? Copyright 2022, Government of Singapore. Disposable Carrier Bag Charge at Supermarkets The World Bank said Friday it would not offer new funding to Sri Lanka unless the bankrupt island nation carried out "deep structural reforms" to stabilise its crashing economy. In 2019 and 2020, households and trade premises in Singapore threw away about 200,000 tonnes of disposables each year, with disposable bags making up about two-thirds of this. I do hope that after reading up more on this issue, more Singapore will be inspired to reduce waste consumption by bringing their own bags, not take plastic cutlery when dabaoing home or back to their office. A total of 4,621 responses were received. Furthermore, selected NTUC Fairprice supermarkets will be charging 20 cents for plastic bags too. The majority of supermarkets hereare expected to implement thischarge in their stores. Unlocking potential of clean energy technologies with better regulation. Mankind marks a dubious milestone Thursday, the day by which humanity has consumed all earth can sustainably produce for this year, with NGOS warning the rest of 2022 will be lived in resource deficit. The Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment (MSE) and NEA will study how best to address packaging waste from e-commerce, including from online grocery shopping, as we develop the Extended Producer Responsibility framework for packaging waste. During his trip to France to meet President Emmanuel Macron, Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is staying at a lavish chateau dubbed "the world's most expensive home" when he purchased it in 2015. 3. Watch our video to learn more about Singaporeans plastic bag habits and find tips to reduce your reliance on plastic bags. Zero Waste SG suggested that these reusable bags could be donated from the public (unused and washed) or from the private sector (excess bags from events). Many respondents preferred a per-bag charging model as this was perceived as a fairer model where consumers would pay for what they used. Such efforts led the Ministry of Sustainability and Environment (MSE) and NEA to convene a work group in September 2020 to address the excessive consumption of disposable items in Singapore. SINGAPORE - Consumers will likely have to pay between five and 10 cents for a disposable bag at supermarkets starting from the first half of next year. Proposed Implementation Period By First Half of 2023 16 We invite the public to share your views on the proposals with us. By not prescribing mandatory monetary rebates, supermarket operators would have the flexibility to come up with suitable incentives to encourage their customers to bring their own bags, which could be in the form of loyalty points, tokens, cash rebates, or discounts. I hope that this blog entry has helped addressed some of your objections and concerns regarding the move to charge for plastic bags. NEA agrees that a per-bag charging model is equitable and effective. This site is protected by reCAPTHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. As customers do not have the option of using their own bags for online grocery purchases, and have little say on the number of bags used to package their purchases, no charge is proposed for such purchases. Sometimes, the hawker centre stalls you frequent charge an additional 20 cents for the containers and/or bags when you order takeout. You have reached your limit of subscriber-only articles this month. Post-pandemic tourism boom good news for hoteliers, bad news for sustainability? This will help contribute towards our objective in the Singapore Green Plan 2030 to reduce the amount of waste to landfill per capita per day by 20 per cent by 2026, while providing sufficient time for the industry to prepare for implementation. But falling demand for gold imports could help narrow India's trade deficit and support an ailing rupee. Proposed charging model Former All Blacks boss Sir Steve Hansen slammed New Zealand Rugby bosses on Thursday for "not doing their job" and failing to publicly back under-pressure coach Ian Foster. 6. Spanish prosecutors said Friday they would seek a prison sentence of more than eight years against global music superstar Shakira, after she rejected a plea deal on accusations of tax evasion. The minimum charge would be reviewed after assessing the effectiveness of the 5c charge in reducing the number of disposable carrier bags consumed. Its astubborn habit to kick. The National Environment Agency (NEA) is proposing that from next year, supermarkets charge 5 to 10 Singapore cents per bag. He said: A small charge may not discourage consumers as most seek convenience and can afford it. The topics currently put up for feedback are the proposed charging model, amount to be charged, coverage of the scheme, and the implementation timeline. NEA has noted these views and proposed that the charge come into effect in mid-2023 to address the abovementioned concerns about livelihoods and inflation, while allowing operators sufficient time to prepare for implementation. Aim Other consumers like Mr Daryl Goh, 42, a businessman, said the extra charge needs to be complemented with incentives to reduce plastic bag usage. According to National Environment Agency, plastic bag usage is extremely high in Singapore. Proposed charging amount Proposed Areas for Feedback NEA agrees that mandatory declarations will ensure transparency and accountability in the use of the proceeds. The study found that disposables, regardless of whether they are made of paper, plastics, or biodegradable plastics, impact the environment when they are produced, transported, and disposed of.
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