In Singapore, cutting down on plastic is not yet so drastic
- Singapore is lagging behind peers such as Hong Kong, Thailand and Malaysia in reducing single-use plastics, largely due to public sentiment
- Hawker centres are phasing out disposable plates and cutlery and a plastic bag charge is in the pipeline, but this is too slow says MP Louis Ng
For Chloe Ng, a typical work day involves picking up a takeaway coffee in a polystyrene cup looped with a plastic carrier on her way to the office, and then getting lunch from a nearby hawker centre in a polystyrene box.
Ng knows that single-use disposables are not good for the environment and tries to cut down on them. She carries a reusable bag to store her sweaty exercise gear instead of taking a plastic bag from her spinning studio, and places shopping in her handbag if space permits. She sometimes brings her own cup and container for her coffee and food, but usually forgets to. “Baby steps,” she said.
The 34-year-old merchandiser’s lifestyle is not uncommon. The Singapore Environment Council found that Singaporeans use 467 million PET bottles and 473 million single-use plastic items such as takeaway containers each year. Only 4 per cent of all plastics in 2018 were recycled.
Like Ng, the city state is taking baby steps towards cutting out single-use plastics.