Supermarket customers here could soon have to pay for
plastic bags, following in the footsteps of other cities that
impose such a charge.
The Sunday Times has learnt that Singapore's four main
supermarket chains - FairPrice, Dairy Farm Group, Prime Supermarket
and Sheng Siong - are in discussions to see if they can agree on
implementing a plastic bag surcharge.
If an industry wide agreement is reached, shoppers can
expect to start paying for plastic bags by the middle of next year.
The price of each plastic bag could be between five cents and 10
cents.
The discussions came about after environmental group
Zero Waste Singapore in June last year called on the Government and
local businesses to introduce a levy on the use of plastic bags,
primarily as a disincentive to shoppers to use them.
Some 822,200 tonnes of plastic waste were generated
last year, but only 7 per cent was recycled.
Singapore used about three billion plastic bags in
2011, according to a 2013 study by the Singapore Environment
Council. "It is likely that the number has risen as the population
of Singapore has increased," noted its spokesman last week.
Plastic bags can be placed in recycling bins if they
are not contaminated with food waste. But non-recycled plastic
bags, whether or not biodegradable, are all incinerated.
The burning of plastic produces carbon dioxide, which
contributes to the warming of the planet.
Excessive use of plastic bags could also clog up
Singapore's only landfill, on Pulau Semakau. Ash residue from
incineration is sent to the landfill, which is filling up at a
rapid rate and may become full as early as 2035, a decade earlier
than projected.
If the move to impose a plastic bag levy is adopted by
the supermarket chains, it could have an appreciable impact as they
have a huge piece of the shopper pie.
Places such as Penang and California have plastic bag
surcharges.
A spokesman for the National Environment Agency said it
supports ground-up efforts to encourage consumers to use reusable
containers and bags, and has been engaging supermarket operators on
this issue.
The supermarkets would not be drawn to comment
specifically about the voluntary agreement. But Prime, Sheng Siong
and Dairy Farm Group emphasised the need for all retailers to adopt
a plastic bag charge for there to be an impact.
FairPrice director for corporate communications and
brand Jonas Kor noted that a surcharge could pose hardship for
lower-income groups. "We, however, continue to assess the
feasibility of plastic bag reduction measures and remain open to
any new initiatives and potential partnerships, such as the BYO
(Bring Your Own) Singapore campaign, to encourage this positive
industry trend," he said.
Consumers said they would prefer not to be charged for
plastic bags, though a levy would spur them to look for
alternatives. Dental assistant Lai Xian Ying, 32, does not mind
paying a small fee. "We need to do our part to save the Earth,"she
said.
ST