Welcome to Zero Waste Singapore

December 11, 2008 by Eugene Tay
Filed under Features, Insights

Green Future Solutions

Zero Waste Singapore is published by Green Future Solutions, a Singapore-based business that promotes environmental awareness and action for our green future, through:

Consulting – We provide consultancy services to help SMEs reduce costs, increase revenue, and become a more sustainable business.

Websites – We publish Singapore’s leading green websites that provide environmental news, tips and resources.

Speaking – We speak regularly at events on green strategies and ideas, environmental issues, and sustainable practices.

Publications – We publish the annual Singapore Green Landscape, the Green Events Guide, and other reports and ebooks.

Our Team

Eugene Tay, Founder and Editor

Eugene is a consultant, editor and maven who likes to share his environmental knowledge with businesses and people so that they can learn, understand and take action towards our green future.

He is the Director of Green Future Solutions, a Singapore-based business that promotes environmental awareness and action for our green future through sustainability consulting, websites, speaking and publications.

Eugene previously worked for the National Environment Agency on waste minimisation and recycling, and taught ecotourism at the Ngee Ann Polytechnic.

He has a Master’s degree in Civil and Environmental Engineering from the Nanyang Technological University and a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Engineering with a Minor in Technopreneurship from the National University of Singapore.

Our Services

Online Waste Exchange

We manage Waste is not Waste, an online waste exchange that is easy and convenient for businesses and organisations to use, and which helps them reduce, reuse and recycle waste.

We connect businesses and organisations that generate waste materials with those who want the materials, thus helping both parties save time and money while helping the environment.

The exchange is currently available in Singapore and Malaysia, with future plans to expand to the rest of Asia. Learn more about how it works.

Recycling Programme

We help companies and organisations introduce an effective and sustainable recycling programme in their office. The scope of the recycling programme includes:

Conduct a waste audit to establish baseline
Source for recycling collectors and bins
Educate staff on waste minimisation and recycling programme
Monitor and review the programme

Consultancy

We provide waste management and recycling consultancy to help companies and organisations in the following areas:

Conduct a site assessment of company’s waste, identify reduce, reuse and recycling opportunities, and find potential buyers and recyclers for the waste
Advise and prepare waste project proposals for government funding or tenders
Market and promote recycling services or recycled products
Educate and train staff on waste minimisation and recycling issues
Conduct research on waste statistics and issues

Redesign

Redesign is the process of designing more sustainable products and packaging such that waste is reduced or eliminated completely, or becomes biological or technical resources to be used again. Redesign is also about upcycling waste materials, which involves reusing or converting waste materials into new materials or products with more value.

We help companies who wish to redesign their products, packaging and waste materials by connecting them with design firms, product and industrial designers, and research institutions who use sustainable principles such as dematerialisation, design for reuse, design for disassembly, biomimicry, cradle to cradle, and product service system.

Our Manifesto

What a Waste

Waste represents inefficiency and the poor use of resources. Today’s products and packaging are made to become tomorrow’s waste, and the waste end up being burned or buried.

So much effort is spent on designing and making products, and precious energy and water resources are used up. Yet, the products become obsolete, unwanted and disposed by us as waste after use – wasting resources and creating pollution problems.

Zero Waste

In a finite world with increasing environmental problems, the generation of waste cannot continue as before. The end of waste will come through the concept of Zero Waste.

Zero Waste is a concept that challenges the old way of thinking about waste as something that has no value and to be thrown away. Zero Waste means eliminating and preventing waste, before using the waste generated as a resource to be used again or returned back to nature safely.

Our Vision

Our vision is a Zero Waste Singapore by 2040, with a 90% reduction in the waste disposed at our incineration plants and landfill, and a recycling rate of 80%.

To achieve this vision, the following steps are required:

1. Set a National Goal

A national goal of Zero Waste Singapore by 2040 sets the direction for the government, businesses and communities to plan ahead and implement strategies. The timeframe of 2040 also allows sufficient time to plan and change regulations and systems, and is achievable within a generation. The goal is a call to action and inspires everyone to work towards it.

The government can adopt the goal as an extension of the Singapore Green Plan’s 2012 target of 60% recycling rate. To achieve this goal of 90% reduction in waste disposed and 80% recycling rate, the total waste generation has to peak in 2015 and drop by 5% each year.

2. Design Out Waste

There is a need to encourage and promote green design that eliminates and prevents waste right from the design stage. Designers and manufacturers can design and make sustainable products and packaging that are durable and non-toxic, use less materials and resources during its entire life cycle, and can be reused, repaired or recycled.

To help companies embrace green design, there could be more government assistance and funding, matching services for industrial collaboration, and design workshops. Tertiary institutions with courses on product design should also include the concept of green design in their syllabus, and provide opportunities for students to work with companies.

3. Change the Rules

Regulations and systems need to be changed to discourage waste and incentivise waste minimisation and recycling. These regulations could include:

Extended Producer Responsibility – Producers have to take responsibility of their products from a life-cycle perspective.
Pay As You Throw – The waste generator pays for the amount of waste disposed.
Minimum Content Standards – There must be minimum recycled content for certain packaging and products.
Packaging Fee – An additional fee is charged for disposable packaging.
Green Procurement – Develop green procurement guidelines for businesses and the public sector to choose and buy green products and services.

4. Educate and Support

More education and publicity on zero waste, waste minimisation and recycling could be given to individuals, communities, schools, businesses and organisations. They should be aware of the various programmes that are available for them to reduce waste and practise recycling at home, school or work.

The government can also provide additional help to companies such as:

Develop services, facilities and infrastructure to improve the recycling of certain waste streams
Support companies that are reducing their waste and give them recognition
Provide advice for companies to conduct waste audits
Provide waste exchange services for companies

Our Site is Green

Zero Waste Singapore is certified as a green website by a carbon neutral web hosting company. Click the logo above to learn why our site is green.

Write for Us

Zero Waste Singapore is looking for volunteer writers with experience in writing articles for blogs, magazines or newspapers.

If you’re passionate about the environment, can’t stand unnecessary waste, believe in reduce, reuse and recycle, and wish to see Singapore move towards Zero Waste, we would love to meet you and discuss how we can work together.

Email us or use this contact form.