With Singapore’s only landfill, Semakau Landfill, projected to run out of space by 2035, there is an urgent need for Singapore to adopt a more circular economy approach in reducing waste, recovering resources and shifting towards greater sustainability in both production and consumption.
In Singapore, the inaugural Zero Waste Masterplan was launched on 30 August 2019 which focuses on three priority waste streams: food waste and packaging waste (including plastics), both of which are generated in large quantities, as well as electrical and electronic waste (e-waste), which has a detrimental effect on the environment if not properly managed.
The Government is supporting the sustainable management of these three priority waste streams through a regulatory framework to promote resource sustainability.
The Resource Sustainability Act (RSA) is a landmark legislation introduced in 2019 to give effect to the regulatory framework. Through the RSA, the Government has mandated the reporting of packaging data and development of plans to reduce, reuse or recycle (3R) packaging by producers of packaged products and retailers such as supermarkets with an annual turnover of more than $10 million.
The Mandatory Packaging Reporting (MPR) aims to spur companies to take action to reduce the amount of packaging used and packaging waste disposed of. It will also lay the foundation for the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) framework for managing packaging waste, including plastics, which NEA is studying to implement no later than 2025. This is to ensure companies take greater responsibility for the management of packaging waste from their products. A Deposit Refund Scheme (DRS) for beverage containers will be implemented from 2022 as the first phase of an EPR framework for packaging waste management.
Find out more about the MPR and RSA from our Useful Links or email packaging@nea.gov.sg.