ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AND MANAGEMENT (AMENDMENT) BILL

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AND MANAGEMENT (AMENDMENT) BILL: Order for Second Reading read.

The Minister for the Environment and Water Resources (Assoc. Prof. Dr Yaacob Ibrahim): Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Second time."

Sir, this Bill will amend the Environmental Protection and Management Act (EPMA) to achieve two objectives:

(a) implement the Minimum Energy Performance Standards scheme for registrable goods; and

(b) enhance NEA’s pollution control powers.

_Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS)
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The use of more energy efficient household appliances benefits families as well as the environment. Families save on their electricity bills. Limited natural resources are conserved.

Household air-conditioners and refrigerators are the two highest energy users for a typical household, together accounting for about 50% of the household energy consumption. Energy efficient air-conditioners and refrigerators generally have lower lifecycle costs compared to inefficient ones. For instance, the lifecycle cost of a typical 4-tick household air-conditioner is about 35% less than that of a 1-tick model. Similarly, for refrigerators, the lifecycle cost of a 4-tick refrigerator is about 27% less than that of a 1-tick model. Changing from a 1-tick air-conditioner to a 4-tick air-conditioner can help a typical household save about $355 in electricity a year, while changing from a 1-tick refrigerator to a 4-tick refrigerator can help a household save about $100 a year.

Since 2008, we had Mandatory Energy Labelling to provide households with information on the energy efficiency models of air-conditioners and refrigerators so that they can make more informed choices and take into account energy use when purchasing these appliances. Over the years, we have seen the market move gradually towards more energy-efficient appliances. To lock in and extend the gains we have made, I announced in 2009 that the Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS) scheme will be implemented this year for household air-conditioners and refrigerators.

MEPS, which will be implemented through clauses 16 and 17 of the Bill and subsidiary legislation to be made, will remove all the most inefficient zero-tick air-conditioners and refrigerators, and some of the 1-tick and 2-tick models from the market. This will come into effect in September 2011.

With the introduction of MEPS, a wide range of brands and models will continue to remain available on the market. Over time, as more efficient models enter the market and costs come down further, we will consider gradually ratcheting up the standards.

_Enhancements to enforcement
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To ensure our pollution control measures continue to support better environmental quality, the Bill also contains amendments to enhance NEA’s enforcement powers for pollution control. As Singapore is a small city-state with industries located close to residential areas, careful control of pollution is necessary to ensure we continue to enjoy a high quality environment.

First, the amendments will let NEA impose requirements on companies whose activities may adversely affect the environment. NEA will be empowered to make regulations to reduce construction noise through the restriction or prohibition of construction work during certain hours. The Director-General will be empowered to stop work on premises to prevent, cease or reduce air pollution, and to require an owner or occupier to remove from his premises for disposal any material or equipment contaminated with hazardous substances.

NEA will be allowed to recover emergency clean-up costs from polluters and to initiate prosecutions against officers of companies which have committed offences without the need for the company to have been first convicted of the offence. This is to prevent a director from avoiding prosecution by de-registering his company before the company is convicted.

It will also be made an offence for an owner or occupier of scheduled premises to breach NEA’s licensing conditions, and for companies to carry out industrial plant works, such as building a chemical production plant, without NEA’s clearance certificate.

In addition, the Bill will allow NEA to increase the effectiveness of its enforcement operations. NEA will be able to appoint auxiliary police to aid its own officers in enforcing the EPMA, which would include stopping and testing smoky or noisy vehicles.

Sir, I beg to move.

Question put, and agreed to.

Bill accordingly read a Second time and committed to a Committee of the whole House.

The House immediately resolved itself into a Committee on the Bill. – [Assoc. Prof. Dr Yacob Ibrahim].

Bill considered in Committee; reported without amendment; read a Third time and passed.