Page 25 - Plastics News September 2020

Singapore not in a hurry to ban plastic bags UK to double plastic carrier bag charge, extend
it to all retailers
ingapore, the Asia-Pacific island nation that likens
he UK Government has decided to double the price of
Sthe fight against climate change to national
Tsingle-use plastic carrier bags to 10p from April next
defense, is not “in a hurry” to ban plastic bags because year. The decision will also be extended to all retailers in
it burns the waste to produce energy, according to a England and follows a public consultation that received
government minister. A ban on plastic bags is not a positive response from the majority of respondents. The
move that the Government will make “in a hurry”, move is part of the government's efforts to prevent plastic
waste from polluting the ocean and environment. The
given that Singapore already incinerates its plastic
Single Use Carrier Bags Charges (England) Order 2015,
waste and harvests energy from that process, said which came into force in October the same year, currently
Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace requires businesses selling goods with over 250 employees
to charge a minimum of 5p for single-use carrier bags. All
retailers in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland,
including smaller shops already charge a minimum of 5p
for plastic bags. However, the regulation does not cover
micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) Whilst
these regulations have been effective, reducing the use of
single-use carrier bags by over 95% in the main
supermarkets and raising over £180m for good causes,
many single-use carrier bags are still supplied by MSMEs.
Environment Secretary George Eustice said: “We have all
seen the devastating impact plastic bags have on the
oceans and on precious marine wildlife, which is why we
are taking bold and ambitious action to tackle this issue
head on. “The UK is already a world-leader in this global
effort, and our carrier bag charge has been hugely
successful in taking billions of harmful plastic bags out of

Fu. Grace Fu, the recently appointed Minister for
Sustainability and the Environment, said at an online
event Wednesday that because Singapore incinerates
plastic waste to generate power, the value of banning
plastic bags “is a little different” than for other
countries. “Some decisions that have been taken by
other societies -- for example, by banning of plastic
bags -- is not something that we do in a hurry,” Fu said.
“In Singapore, our attitude towards waste is not an
idealistic one but a very pragmatic one.” Singapore
either recycles or burns its plastic waste, without
sending any directly to the landfill, a ministry
circulation. But we want to go further by extending this to
spokesman said by email. The incineration process, all retailers so we can continue to cut unnecessary waste
which also burns other general waste, generates and build back greener. “I hope our pioneering track
electricity that can be fed to the nation's grid. The record on single-use plastics will inspire many more
countries to follow suit, so we can take on plastic waste
country is still eager to pursue plastic recycling efforts,
together and implement lasting change. The UK has
Fu said, citing a “bottle-to-bottle” approach that
committed to make all plastic packaging on the market
retains the quality of virgin plastic after being being recyclable, reusable or compostable by 2025. It also
processed. Such initiatives could create new jobs and plans to eliminate avoidable plastic waste by 2042.” In
put the country in a position to export its solutions, she July this year, the Government of Wales enhanced its
sustainability commitment as it plans to ban single use
said. Last year, Singapore recycled about 4% of the
plastic including straws, stirrers, cotton buds, balloon
930,000 tons of plastic waste it generated, according sticks, plates, cutlery, food and drinks containers made of
to the National Environment Agency. expanded polystyrene; and products made from oxo-
degradable plastic.

September 2020 25 Plastics News