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  Today Online 2 Dec 05
Recycling: firms need to do more
 Phillip Ang Keng Hong

HARDLY a day goes by without reports of the severe effects of global warming. There is now a mountain of evidence linking global warming directly to human activities. Climate change has resulted in thousands of deaths in other countries but a solution is still nowhere in sight.

The weapon of choice for Singapore seems to be only in the act of recycling.

On the subject of recycling, there needs to be more involvement by businesses and government agencies as waste generated by them is certain to exceed that of all residential units combined.

It will be more effective if the National Environmental Agency (NEA) emphasises on the education of CEOs and employees, the reduction of wastage and separation of recyclable waste at source instead of recycling alone.

Fast-food restaurants should review some of their operations. An example of wasteful practice is the placing of printed paper on trays. This only serves as a convenient means to absorb spilled liquids so that trays need not be cleaned after use. Hardly anyone reads them. "Disposable" paper menus used by many restaurants should also be discouraged.

There remains a misperception that participation in environmental issues involves additional costs. In fact, the reverse is true. The reduction of wastage will, in the long run, improve a company's bottom line.

All offices and businesses should be encouraged to have recycling points. The NEA could systematically assign buildings to different recycling companies or individuals. A building with, say, 200 business units will probably have enough recyclable materials for an individual to make more than a decent living.

Since heavy-duty recycling bins used by the public is unsuitable for indoor use, perhaps the NEA could design aesthetically-appealing bins of varying sizes more suited for indoor use. Or how about holding recycling bin design contest for members of the public?

NTUC FairPrice had imported 40,000 washable and reusable "Green Bag" to commemorate World Environment Day six months ago. But why are such bags hardly used by shoppers?

A number of food courts have placed recycling bins for canned drinks but many remain invisible to most of their patrons. It defeats the purpose to have recycling points when empty cans left after a meal have to be cleared together with the leftovers. Recyclable materials must be separated at source or they will probably end up at landfills or incineration plants.

The NEA has been more successful at getting households to be involved than businesses. Unfortunately, the overemphasis on recycling by the NEA, as well as the press, has resulted in most Singaporeans mistakenly believing recycling to be the panacea to all environmental woes.

Recycling alone will only delay the onset of environmental catastrophes.

Although recycling started years ago in Western countries, its results have been abysmal. This is due to the efforts of recycling being negated by an exponential increase in consumption. All manufacturing activities require energy, which add to pollution, and is a drain on our natural resources. So does recycling. Every product we consume effectively adds to environmental degradation.

Singaporeans have a selfish attitude that since the effects of pollution are not felt here, it is not our problem. Our professed environmental concerns have yet to be translated into any meaningful action by most of us. For any meaningful results, it entails some sacrifices by everyone and changes in attitude in how we view consumption and depletion of natural resources.

As evidenced by our "shop-till-you-drop" and "gluttony-unlimited" weekends, these appear to be the habits and attitudes we seem so proud of inculcating in our children.

Instead of belittling small contributions and refusing to act, we should start thinking of our individual actions as part of a collective effort--one involving a million households, or four million citizens.

Our recycling programme needs to be injected with the same kind of passion that gives us our "Garden City" before more pronounced effects of global warming are felt here.

Being a small country with unmatched efficiency, our success may even set the tone for neighbouring countries. It will be too late to act when rising sea level starts to submerge our island.

We are being complacent with our recycling programme because it is not a bread-and-butter issue. The task of the NEA should be to create awareness among all Singaporeans the consequences of inaction. Anecdotal evidence suggests little awareness and half-hearted efforts. Obviously, much needs to be done and we do not have the luxury of time.

This commentary was contributed by a Today reader.
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