BEHAVIOURAL CHANGES
Dr Puthucheary said Singapore’s journey towards sustainability will take time, perseverance, and a collective effort from everyone.
Given the country’s limited land and natural resources, Singapore must rethink how it consumes, manages waste, and how it extracts value from what it uses.
“Circularity is a necessity for us to meet our net-zero commitments and secure a liveable future for the next generation,” he said, adding that there is an urgent need for this as Singapore’s landfill, Semakau, is filling up fast.
“If we do not change the way in which we manage waste today, the environmental, economic, and social costs will be borne by future generations.”
He added that while the amount of packaging waste generated in Singapore is growing fast – forming one third of the domestic waste generated each year. Overall recycling rate is low with only around five per cent of plastics being recycled, he noted.
Through the scheme, producers will take responsibility for the beverage containers they place on the market, ensuring that these are collected and properly recycled, he said.
“Over time, the producers will make changes to their supply chains, to their processes, to the materials that they use, knowing that they have some responsibility for recycling the container after it is sold. Consumers, in turn also have a responsibility … to recycle,” he added.
Dr Puthucheary said the successful implementation of the scheme would require the support, understanding, and shared commitment from all stakeholders involved: producers, retailers, recyclers, and consumers.
“There will be teething issues and adjustments along the way, but we can address them with everyone’s support,” he said.
“When our scheme is implemented in April, we know it’s the first step and adjustments will continue to be needed along the way in order for the scheme to be effective and impactful,” he added.
He added that the scheme will spark important changes in behaviour among people in Singapore, such as being more mindful of the packaging they consume, practising good recycling habits, reducing littering and keeping shared spaces clean.
The transition requires adjustment on the part of all producers, he said, noting that they will need to change labels, modify supply chains, and introduce new barcodes and deposit markings.
“These are complex changes, so it is very important and it is very useful that the scheme is producer-led. As a producer-led entity, BCRS Ltd is best placed to take on views from industry, and ensure the scheme is implemented as efficiently, as effectively, as possible, and for it to achieve a significant impact,” said Dr Puthucheary.
He added that producers of 80 per cent of beverage containers can change their container designs to meet the scheme’s requirements.
Beyond one-off implementation costs, they would incur a fee of around 3 to 4 cents per container, which would cover the logistics to collect and recycle their containers.
This is comparable to fees in other jurisdictions, said Dr Puthucheary.
Some may need to place a sticker on their containers to comply with the scheme, and the cost will vary depending on the quantity of containers and how their supply chains are organised.
Some can do so for about 3 cents per container if done at source overseas and at scale, bringing the total cost per container to around 6 to 7 cents.
For small quantities done locally, the cost would be higher.
“We expect producers to work with BCRS Ltd to lower the costs over time by optimising their operations,” said the senior minister of state.
To help businesses, the government has introduced a transition grant of S$2,500.
“We will be flexible and supportive to producers who reach out to BCRS Ltd so that we can help address their concerns,” he said.
The government will work closely with all stakeholders to build understanding and support for the scheme in the coming weeks, he said.
From February, it will be reaching out to grassroots organisations, schools, youth groups, non-governmental organisations, and corporate partners to share how the scheme works and why it matters.
He added that they are already in discussions with other key stakeholders, such as coffee shops and smaller retailers, and will work to help them become familiar with the scheme and address concerns they have about implementation.
“At its core, the (beverage container recycling scheme) is not simply a scheme to collect beverage containers. It is a call for each of us to change our habits and behaviours,” he said.
