HEAD L - MINISTRY OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND WATER RESOURCES

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Head L – Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources

Sustainable development

Mr Cedric Foo Chee Keng (West Coast): Sir, I beg to move,

That the total sum to be allocated for Head L of the Estimates be reduced by $100.

Sir, sustainable development is about growing the economy while preserving the environment so that today’s success and development are not achieved at the expense of tomorrow’s and we meet the needs not only of the current generation, but also the needs of generations to come. It means economic development with fewer resources and waste, without polluting the environment, while preserving the nature we now enjoy. I am glad that the Government has made environmental sustainability a priority, and a key milestone was the release of the

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Sustainable Singapore Blueprint in 2009. Could the Minister tell us about the progress Singapore has made in developing sustainably over the last few years? Could the Minister also illustrate our achievements for each of the various sectors like households, transport and industry?

I note that some business owners are less inclined to devote resources towards developing and implementing environmentally-friendly initiatives as they see environmental degradation as something which is borne by the public at large, that is, a negative externality. Hence, there is a market failure. But the quality of our environment should be maintained because the environment is fundamental to every part of our daily lives and well-being. A clean environment is the basis for our health. The environment and the economy are also closely linked. Clean healthy communities are more prosperous and vibrant. They attract people looking for a place to live or set up business. Resource-efficient businesses are more competitive and resilient. The Government, therefore, should do all it can to help households and businesses to become more environmentally friendly. Can the Minister give an update to the House on what more the Government will do to help ensure we continue developing at a sustainable pace for the years ahead?

Water resources

Dr Lim Wee Kiak (Sembawang): Mr Chairman, Sir, Singapore has two water agreements with Malaysia. The first agreement will expire on 31st August this year and the second in 2061. We have, over the years, developed and improved our own water catchment and collection and also developed other sources of water such as NEWater and water from desalination. Currently, what proportions

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of the water we ultilise come from these two agreements and what proportions are from the different sources such as our reservoirs, NEWater as well as desalination? Will the expiry of this agreement result in water shortage for Singaporeans?

The cost of water from different sources will differ. What is the relative cost of water from each source? What are the implications, if any, to the public from the expiring of the first water agreement with Malaysia? Will Singaporeans see higher water bills after the expiry of the agreement?

I also understand that we do sell processed water to Malaysia at low price. After the expiry of this agreement, will we continue to sell cheap processed water to Malaysia? What will happen to all our reservoir assets in Malaysia?

Water supply

Mdm Ho Geok Choo: Mr Chairman, Singapore's 1961 Water Agreement with Malaysia expires on 31st August. As the date fast approaches, can the Minister update on Singapore's water situation and plans for self sufficiency?

Mr Chairman, I would also like to find out what other plans does the Ministry have to strengthen the habit of saving water. In this regard, with more cars and condominiums in Singapore in recent years, how is the Ministry emphasising water conservation among car owners, car washers and managers of condominium swimming pools and the public at large?

Last year, I had raised the issue of cleaning homes the waterless way using wet wipes. The Minister had said that MEWR will look into it. Can I have an update on this as well?

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Eco-homes

Dr Teo Ho Pin (Bukit Panjang): Mr Chairman, Sir, the Government has mandated the energy-efficient labelling of household appliances like air-conditioning and refrigerators, and the labelling of water-efficient appliances like taps, dual-flush low capacity flushing cisterns and urinals. The main purpose of the labelling is to provide information for consumers to make informed decisions when purchasing home appliances. Sir, despite the mandatory labelling, not many consumers are purchasing energy- and water-efficient appliances for their homes. The take-up rate for energy- and water-efficient home appliances is low and slow. This means that many homes in Singapore are not using electricity and water efficiently, thus wasting money, energy and water resources.

Sir, consumer education to encourage households to purchase eco-friendly home appliances is an ongoing concern. But not many people in Singapore are living in eco-homes and adopting an eco-friendly lifestyle. Changing living habits and value system of people is always an uphill task. To be effective, I would propose a two-pronged approach to make households eco-friendly.

First, we must share more eco-friendly home appliances information, and eco-friendly lifestyle tips with homemakers and household decision makers. I would propose that the Ministry consider providing an eco-friendly education kit for every household, and monitor the take-up rate of eco-friendly home appliances and eco-friendly lifestyle closely. To further incentivise consumers to purchase four ticks energy-efficient and water-efficient home appliances, the Ministry should consider providing cash rebates or tax incentives. Second, we must adopt an experiential learning approach to teach children to adopt eco-friendly lifestyle.

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Children must be taught and be inspired from young to do their part to protect the environment. We need to instil green values in our children so that they will live eco-friendly lifestyles.

Sir, I wish to ask the Minister the following questions:

(i) What measures or programmes are in place to encourage Singaporeans to adopt eco-friendly lifestyles?

(ii) Can the Ministry consider providing incentives to encourage households to purchase energy- and water-efficient home appliances?

(iii) Can the Ministry consider accrediting developers, consultants, contractors and suppliers which promote eco-homes?

Energy efficiency

Mr Cedric Foo Chee Keng: Sir, Singapore imports almost all our resource needs especially energy, and we heard that during the MTI debate just now. With prices of energy likely to remain volatile and, in fact, many expecting it to go up, we should have a comprehensive strategy for energy efficiency. This is to manage the demand side, targeted not just at individuals but also at our industries and businesses as well. This is especially important as the efficient use of energy will enhance our cost competitiveness and allow us to develop more sustainably.

I am glad that the Government has implemented measures to encourage energy efficiency for consumers and businesses such as energy labelling of appliances, as referred to by Dr Teo Ho Pin, co-funding the training of energy managers for companies and tax rebates for green cars. Can the Minister update the House on what is our overall progress on energy efficiency to date and the measures that I have discussed earlier,

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and what are Government's plans going forward?

Since energy efficiency ultimately results in reduced electricity bills, how do we encourage our citizens to save more money? Discouraging the purchase of inefficient appliances which may be cheaper to purchase but end up costing more to the household in the long run due to higher electricity consumption may be one way. Labelling, as Dr Teo Ho Pin talked about, will enable consumers to make informed choices. But I would like to suggest that we move a step further and to make mandatory minimum energy efficiency level for all major appliances before these can be sold in Singapore. In other words, maybe take away those that do not have a tick or just one tick. What about our industries? Is there any more we can do to spur our companies to be more energy efficient? Do we need an Energy and Emission Bill now so that our companies can start in earnest to prepare to meet carbon emission regulations coming out of future international regimes on climate change?

Lastly, on cars, would the Minister update us on the review for the Green Car Rebate and would something be done for environmentally-friendly diesel cars?

Green vehicles

Dr Lim Wee Kiak: Mr Chairman, green vehicles are more fuel-efficient and emit less air pollutants than their conventional petrol or diesel equivalent but they are generally much more costly. To promote the use of green vehicles, I understand that LTA and NEA have jointly introduced the Green Vehicle Rebate (GVR). This GVR aims to bring about a change in consumer behaviour to support clean emerging technologies, by narrowing the cost differential between a green vehicle and the conventional equivalent model.

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The rebate is calculated based on 40% of the open market value (OMV) at registration, for passenger vehicles, and 10% of the vehicle's OMV for electric motorcycles.

But there are certainly fewer green motorcycles than green cars on the road. Can the Government consider increasing the rebate for electric motorcycles to encourage the take up of electric motorcycles?

Another obstacle to green vehicles is the lack of support facilities such as refuelling as well as recharging stations and infrastructures.

What is the current status of green vehicles utilisation and what progress have we achieved so far in this area? What are the challenges going forward and what is the Government doing to increase the public take-up of green vehicles?

I have suggested in previous year's COS to set aside a certain percentage of our COEs for green vehicles and create a green car COE category. In this way, our proportion of green cars can be increased progressively over the years. We should also progressively improve the supporting infrastructures and increase the number of CNG and recharging stations supporting these green cars.

What is the Government's long-term target of green vehicles take-up? Will the Government continue to support the public take-up of green vehicles as this Green Vehicle Rebate is only temporary?

Sustainable waste management and recycling

Mr Liang Eng Hwa: Sir, during a recent visit to Taiwan, I can sense that the concept of recycling is well immersed in the Taiwanese way of life. It is becoming second nature in them that they will

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carefully separate the recyclables for their wastes and put them in different bins. In fact, many of them have two different bins for recycling purposes. When I visited the 7-Eleven there, the cashier will ask if you need a plastic bag and, if yes, each plastic bag will be charged.

In Japan, there are strict laws on separating recyclables which go beyond separating glass, plastic and paper. It even pushes for the separation of a special plastic called polyethylene terephthalate (PET), from which it is used to produce the bottles, from the other plastic containers and paper products from cardboard boxes.

I would like to ask the Minister to update us on the Ministry's plans and policies to promote a sustainable waste management system in Singapore. What further measures would the Ministry and NEA take to increase the recycling rate in Singapore?

Recycling

Dr Lim Wee Kiak: Mr Chairman, Sir, being a small and compact urban city-state, Singapore can be a model city nation to the world in the best practices in recycling and waste minimisation. We generate more than 170,000 tons of rubbish per day. With the increase in tourist arrivals and economical activities recovering to pre-crisis level, we can only expect our rubbish load to continue to increase. With limited land for incineration and landfill, we have no choice but to recycle more and reduce our waste. What is the recycling rate in 2010? Are we achieving our target of 60% recycling rate by 2012? What is the Ministry doing now to encourage greater recycling rate by households?

I would like to thank the Ministry for the pilot project that was held in Canberra Division of Sembawang GRC to have one recycling bin for every single block. I would like to know from the Minister

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when will every block of HDB flats in Singapore have their own dedicated recycling bin?

Haze and air quality

The Senior Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for National Development (Dr Mohamad Maliki Bin Osman): Mr Chairman, Sir, we know that living in a very densely populated island like Singapore, protection of the environment is critical. The effect of air pollution on human health is serious. With increasing car population size, one wonders of the impact of this on our air quality, in particular the PM 2.5 (or particulate matters smaller than 2.5 microns in size) is linked to respiratory illnesses, such as asthma and bronchitis especially in the vulnerable young and old. A major source of the PM 2.5 emissions is motor vehicles. Could the Minister share with the House the long-term target of the PM 2.5 level and plans to curb domestic emissions from vehicles? Will the Minister also share his assessment on the impact of rising car population on our air quality?

The perennial transboundary haze pollution problem also continues to be a key concern for Singaporeans. Despite the region experiencing higher rainfall last year arising from the El Nino phenomenon, Singapore's air quality still fell into the moderate range for several days in October last year due to the forest fires from our neighbours. Sir, every year, we still struggle to manage the impact of forest fires on our air quality. There is, thus, a need for Singapore to continue its engagement with countries in the region and ensure that adequate measures are in place to minimise and prevent occurrences of forest fires. These may be plans but may not be executable.

In this regard, could the Minister share more about the Government's plans to manage and prevent transboundary haze pollution from affecting the air quality in Singapore? Besides monitoring the haze

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condition, there is much discourse about the effect of climate change and local climatic patterns. May I ask how the Government intends to enhance our capabilities in climate science?

The Minister for the Environment and Water Resources (Assoc. Prof. Dr Yaacob Ibrahim): Mr Chairman, Sir, I wish to thank Mr Cedric Foo, our GPC Chairman, and Members for their questions and suggestions. My colleague, Dr Amy Khor and I will do our best to answer the queries.

Mr Foo asked whether Singapore has been developing sustainably. Sir, over the last decade, we have made good progress in enhancing Singapore's environment through the combined efforts of the Government, businesses and Singaporeans. We are making better use of resources. Water and energy efficiency have improved, so are our recycling rates.

The quality of our living environment has also gone up with the upgrading of our hawker centres, sustaining good air quality and keeping down the incidence of vector-borne diseases like dengue. However, as noted by Members, we cannot afford to be complacent. From time to time, we are reminded of the need to continue to adapt to new challenges. Despite a low incidence of food poisoning in the past five years, at an average of about four incidents per 1,000 retail food establishments, the 2009 food poisoning incident linked to a stall at Geylang Serai's temporary market was a timely reminder for more stringent regulations. NEA increased the frequency of inspecting food establishments, stiffened penalties for food hygiene offences and re-emphasised education for food handlers.

Likewise, all the flood-prone areas have been reduced by 98%, from 3,200 hectares in the 1970s to 56 hectares

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today. Last year's flooding incidents led us to review the existing drainage infrastructure. The PUB has begun work on several key locations including Orchard Road. Sir, given the uncertainties in weather patterns, PUB will design new drains to cope with more intense rain within the constraints of cost-effectiveness and competing land use. For more extensive monitoring of water levels in the key canals and drains, we have expanded our network of water level sensors from 32 to 90 since December 2010, and will increase it further to 150 this year. An SMS alert system to provide early warning of potential floods will be rolled out to the public later this year. We will also continue to invest in infrastructure and work with building owners and managing agents, businesses and residents to ensure adequate flood protection of their properties.

It takes more than technology and infrastructure to meet environmental challenges. It requires all of us to do our part. This is why, over time, we have broadened our focus to sustainable solutions which encourage, enable and empower people. Beyond its role as a regulator, the Government will take the lead in sustainable practices and facilitate businesses and households towards being more environmentally responsible.

Sir, our businesses have responded well to our incentive schemes, coming up with innovative ideas that reduced the environmental footprint. Let me just cite one example. Siemens was awarded a $4 million grant from the Environment and Water Industry Programme Office (EWI) to develop an electrochemical-based desalination process that aims to cut energy consumption by half. A small-scale pilot plant has been in operation since February this year.

Our communities have also played their part in the progress that we have made over the years. A Public Perception

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Survey conducted last year shows that Singaporeans are taking greater ownership of the environment. Eighty per cent of respondents said that they would buy energy-efficient household appliances, even without incentives, while 84% acknowledged that they had a personal role to play in water conservation. Eighty per cent of respondents checked their home every week to guard against mosquito breeding. My colleagues and I are encouraged by these findings.

These survey findings are borne out in our interactions with the community. I commend the ground-up initiatives by organisations such as the Waterways Watch Society, as well as individuals such as the 2010 Bayer Youth Environmental Envoy, Mr Chua Ang Hong, and the 2010 EcoFriend Award winner, Mrs Dhillon Awtar Singh, a school principal, who actively show the way in preserving, protecting and promoting our environment and water resources.

Safeguarding the environment for present and future generations amidst new challenges will require our continued commitment and collaboration.

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Sir, the Sustainable Singapore Blueprint released in 2009 provides the framework for responding effectively to these challenges. The Bueprint identified key goals for 2030 across various aspects of the environment. This will guide us towards our vision of a liveable and lively Singapore that Singaporeans are proud to call home. In the coming year, my Ministry will focus on the key thrusts of the Sustainable Singapore Blueprint, namely, boosting our resource efficiency, protecting and enhancing our environment, building capabilities and fostering community action.

Sir, let me first cover our efforts to improve resource efficiency, given our constraints in water, energy and land.

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Both Dr Lim Wee Kiak and Mdm Ho Geok Choo asked about the implications of the 1961 Water Agreement expiring later this year.

Sir, we know Singapore imports water from Malaysia under two agreements – the 1961 and 1962 Water Agreements. Our first Water Agreement with Malaysia will expire on 31st August 2011, while the second Water Agreement will expire in 2061. Through the years, as part of our Four National Taps strategy, Singapore has been building up our local sources by developing new reservoir schemes as well as desalination and NEWater. With the completion of the Punggol and Serangoon Reservoirs by the end of 2011, and the Marina Reservoir which was completed in November 2010, our water catchment will increase to two-thirds of Singapore's land area. The second desalination plant in Tuas, which will be ready in 2013, will add another 70 million gallons of water a day to our water supply. We will continue to introduce NEWater into our reservoirs, especially during dry spells such as the one we experienced in February last year. Together, NEWater and desalination can now meet 40% of our total water demand, the rest can be met by both imported water and water from our local catchments.

Sir, by 2060, we plan to increase our desalination and NEWater capabilities to be able to meet up to 30% and 50% of our water needs respectively. These local sources are sufficient to replace the water imported under the 1961 Water Agreement. Therefore, the expiry of the 1961 Water Agreement will have no impact on our water supply and water tariffs.

Dr Lim Wee Kiak has two specific questions: First, upon the expiry of 1961 Water Agreement, Singapore will hand all of the assets under this agreement back to Malaysia and we will continue to sell

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treated water to Malaysia, as provided for under the 1962 Water Agreement.

Sir, for water sustainability, however, having a robust water supply is only half the story. We must continue our efforts in water conservation. Last year, we introduced the Water Efficiency Management Plan, a voluntary initiative under PUB's 10% Challenge to help non-domestic customers. These plans include the analysis of current water use, identification of potential water-saving measures and an implementation roadmap. Non-domestic customers who meet the funding criteria will also be able to tap our existing Water Efficiency Fund to implement these measures.

Sir, the Government is setting an example. Close to 70% of all public sector buildings have achieved the Water Efficiency Building certification as part of their efforts to reduce water consumption. The private sector is also demonstrating commitment to improve water efficiency. To date, 86 premises have submitted their Water Efficiency Management plans, with overall water-saving targets of up to 10%. As an example, SATS Catering tested and installed a new custom-made dishwasher which cuts diswashing water use by 40%.

Dr Teo Ho Pin asked about our measures to encourage an eco-friendly lifestyle. Sir, our long-term target is to bring down our daily per capita domestic water consumption to 147 litres by 2020 and 140 litres by 2030. Today, we are at 154 litres, down from 165 litres in 2003. Using water-efficient products can further reduce our water usage. The Mandatory Water Efficiency Labelling Scheme (MWELS) was introduced in 2009 for taps, flushing cisterns and urinals. Currently, more than 5,000 models with water efficiency rating of one tick and above are registered under this scheme.

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MWELS has allowed consumers to make more informed choices when making purchases. The labelling scheme will be extended to clothes washing machines this October.

Sir, I thank Mdm Ho for her suggestion on water-saving practices. We will continue to work with the community but, as part of its ongoing efforts to get people to use water wisely, PUB launched the Water Conservation Awareness Programme on 27th February, aimed at various segments of the population, including households. These initiatives include teaching students how to conduct water audits at home with their family and working with maid employment agencies to include water conservation as part of the training given to domestic helpers. Sir, the public has responded well since the launch, with more than 1,800 requests for water-saving kits. I hope Members would have caught some of the TV commercials used by the PUB for this campaign. Indeed, Sir, everyone can play a part by adopting simple water-saving habits in our daily lives. So, whether they want to use wet wipes or they want to use water, if they use it wisely, we leave it to the households to decide.

Going forward, PUB will continue to explore innovative technologies to ensure water sustainability, such as a smart water grid to optimise our operational of effectiveness and resource efficiency.

Striving for effective water management has turned a strategic vulnerabililty into a competitive advantage for Singapore. In the last four years, the local water cluster has grown from 50 to more than 70 companies. The new investments secured will add more than $550 million to our economy and more than 2,200 jobs will be created when all the projects are fully ramped up. The annual Singapore International Water Week, which was co-located with the World Cities Summit last year, drew over 14,000 participants from

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112 different countries and regions, and has positioned Singapore as a global hydro hub for the sharing of ideas and technologies at the forefront of water research and innovation.

Sir, like water, energy, as mentioned by Members, is a critical resource of Singapore. We have limited access to alternative energy sources such as geothermal and wind energy. Our small physical size also constrains how much we can rely on solar energy. Mr Cedric Foo asked about our energy efficiency in Singapore. So, we all know that greater energy efficiency benefits the consumer, companies, economy and the environment. For families, this translates into lower utility bills. For companies, this reduces business costs and raises productivity. For the economy, energy efficiency enhances our energy security.

Improving energy efficiency is a primary strategy in our whole-of-Government efforts to reduce carbon emissions. Our energy intensity has improved by about 8% from 2005 to 2009, and we will need to continue our efforts to meet our target, under the Sustainable Singapore Blueprint, to reduce Singapore's energy intensity by 35%, from 2005 levels by 2030. We can meet this target, Sir, through the joint efforts of Government, businesses and the community. All infocommunications technology equipment purchased by our public agencies today meet the latest Energy Star standards. We are encouraging public agencies to install or retrofit their buildings with more efficient chiller systems as these account for the largest part of the building's energy use.

Sir, as announced in last year's Committee of Supply, energy management practices will be made mandatory for companies that consume more than 15GWh of energy yearly from 2013, to ensure the efficient use of energy. This will be legislated through an Energy Conservation Act. This Bill will be

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published later this year to gather public feedback. Sir, in April last year, NEA, EMA and EDB jointly launched the Energy Efficiency National Partnership (EENP) to help our companies build up the energy management capabilities required to comply with the Energy Conservation Act. Companies have benefited from sharing energy efficiency best practices at the EENP events. For instance, a waste heat recovery workshop prompted 3M to actively look for opportunities to manage energy through heat recovery systems within their plants.

The Singapore Certified Energy Manager (SCEM) programme has also equipped energy managers from companies with skills to manage energy use in their organisations more effectively. To defray part of the training cost, NEA administers a SCEM Training Grant to co-fund about 80% of the SCEM professional-level course fees. As at December 2010, 475 applications have been approved. We target to train 1,000 energy managers by 2013. Sir, in addition, NEA administers incentive schemes to encourage industry players to adopt energy-efficient measures.

Sir, to further address Dr Teo's query and how the Government will encourage households to go green, let me add that much has been done to encourage the adoption of more energy-efficient practices. NEA's 10% Energy Challenge was launched in 2008 to encourage households to save 10% or more of their household electricity use. We have enjoyed strong community support. As an example, in 2010, the South West CDC and NEA launched the South West Carbon Buster Roadmap, which spells out actions that businesses, community organisations, schools and residents in the district can adopt to reduce carbon emissions.

One simple step that the public can take is to opt for more energy-efficient appliances. Sir, I announced in 2009 that

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Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS) will be implemented for air-conditioners and refrigerators, which are the two highest energy users of a typical household. From September 2011, all of the most inefficient 0-tick appliances and some of the 1-tick and 2-tick appliances will no longer be available. There will nonetheless still be a wide range of energy-efficient brands and models. We will be exploring the possibility of extending MEPS to other appliances, such as lighting, in the future.

Sir, as an illustration of the kind of savings a typical household in a 4-room flat can expect to enjoy, if they choose a 4-tick refrigerator, switch to energy-efficient light bulbs, turn off standby power, they can save about 15% of their monthly electricity bill. In addition, Sir, if they opt for a 4-tick air-conditioner when they replace their old one, keep the themostat at about 25 degrees Celsius, they can achieve up to 30% savings. Sir, this is very significant, and is over and above the U-save rebate of $320 that a 4-room flat household will receive.

Sir, Dr Lim Wee Kiak asked about the status of the green vehicles take-up rate. Indeed, making energy-efficient choices also extends to our mode of travel and the vehicles that we use. We are encouraged by the healthy response to the Green Vehicle Rebate (GVR) scheme. As of December 2010, there were 8,700 green vehicles, up from 7,200 in 2009. Sir, the Green Vehicle Rebate was introduced in 2001 to minimise the cost differential between green vehicles and their conventional equivalents. To continue supporting vehicle owners in making greener purchases, the existing scheme will be extended until the end of next year for electric and petrol-electric hybrid vehicles. As mentioned by the Finance Minister, the Government will be undertaking a comprehensive review on

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the measures to promote the adoption of green vehicles as part of our overall efforts to promote sustainable development. We have to wait until the review is over to know what will happen to the scheme and what are the measures that we need in place for other types of vehicles.

Dr Lim has a specific request on motorcycles. At the moment, as he rightly noted, they already enjoy 10% rebate on their ARF and they are only paying 5%. We think that is sufficient at this point in time. He also asked about the infrastructure to support green vehicles. As mentioned earlier by MTI, the Government is embarking on an electric vehicle pilot project and we are currently developing the electric vehicle charging infrastructure. The first charging stations are due to be completed in mid-2011 and the first electric vehicle should arrive in Singapore at that time. So, these are the efforts done by the Government to enlarge infrastructure. But as we roll out, we have to test both for their efficiency and cost effectiveness.

Sir, let us now turn to our waste management system. Singapore's land constraints necessitate effective waste management. Currently, an average Singaporean, you and me, disposes of 860 gm of waste a day, which is about a third more than places like Germany or Taiwan. While individually, this might not seem much, it adds up to about 300 kg per person in a year. Just to understand what this translates, taking the whole population of Singapore, in one year, just for domestic waste alone, we collectively dispose enough to cover an eighth of Singapore's surface area. Waste minimisation and recycling are therefore important strategies for us to reduce the land needed for waste disposal.

Mr Liang Eng Hwa asked what we are doing to ensure a sustainable waste management system. Our approach to

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waste minimisation is encapsulated in the 3Rs – Reduce, Reuse and Recycle - reduce our use of materials where possible, re-use the items in working condition, instead of throwing them away, and recycle what we cannot use to recover its value.

Sir, we have made good progress so far towards our target of a 70% recycling rate by 2030, with our recycling rate increasing from 40% in 2000 to 58% in 2010. Recyling rates for scrap metals is at 94% while construction waste is at 99%. So for some of the waste streams, we have achieved very good numbers; others, we need to work even harder.

By reducing the amount of waste generated and implementing more recycling initiatives, companies can reap cost savings in waste disposal fees. Commercial premises such as Intercontinental Singapore and 313@Somerset have already implemented programmes to recycle paper, plastic, glass and metal waste, and we hope that more will follow the example.

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To reduce waste at source, NEA signed a voluntary agreement with industries to encourage them to reduce packaging waste. So it is encouraging that over 120 organisations have already joined the Singapore Packaging Agreement and we encourage more companies to do the same. To date, 4,500 tonnes of waste have been avoided through improvements made to processes and packaging, resulting in a savings of over $8 million. Sir, we will continue to encourage waste management efforts by the public sector. NEA's $8 million 3R Fund was launched in 2009 to fund new projects that minimise and recycle waste. To date, 15 projects have been awarded and are projected to reduce around 50,000 tonnes of waste. One such project by Shangri-la Hotel involves

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setting up recycling stations, upgrading its existing bin centre and raising staff awareness.

Sir, for domestic recycling, I wish to reassure Dr Lim Wee Kiak that all households in Singapore have access to recycling services. And this includes collection services provided to all HDB and landed estates under the National Recycling Programme (NRP), with 1,600 recycling bins placed in the common areas of HDB estates. Condominiums and private apartments are also required to have recycling receptacles for residents.

Sir, the NRP for households will be enhanced in the new public waste collection contracts awarded from 2011 to 2014. We will make it easier for households to recycle. Households can now look forward to more recycling bins and more frequent collection services. There will be one recycling bin for every HDB block with daily collection instead of one bin for five HDB blocks with weekly collection. Landed households will be provided a recycling bin each and their recyclables will be collected weekly instead of fortnightly. And garden waste will be collected for recycling once a week. Sir, waste collectors will also provide incentives to encourage household recycling. These measures will make it easier for the public to practise recycling as a part of their daily lives.

Sir, we can and must all do our part to reduce the amount of waste we each generate and dispose of through simple everyday habits like recycling bottles and reducing food waste. Collectively, we all can make a difference.

Sir, let me now turn on to the second thrust which is to protect and enhance our environment. Our economy, society and environment are closely linked. Fresh air, clean streets, liveable spaces are desired features in prosperous and vibrant communities, as noted by Mr Cedric Foo.

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Dr Maliki asked about our efforts to ensure high air quality standards. Sir, on balance, Singapore maintained relatively high standards in 2010, achieving a Pollutant Standard Index (PSI) rating of "Good" for 93% of the year. However, as noted, we experienced a few days of moderate air quality last year due to the haze from forest fires in the region. We are continuing our close collaboration with our regional partners on transboundary haze. Singapore is chair of the Sub-regional Ministerial Steering Committee on Transboundary Haze Pollution from 2010 to 2012. During our term, we will strengthen the bilateral programmes conducted by Malaysia and Singapore in Riau and Jambi respectively. New regional initiatives will also be undertaken, such as the establishment of a Regional Haze Training Network for the sharing of expertise and training in haze management and enhancing the capabilities of the ASEAN Specialised Meteorological Centre hosted by NEA that tracks the hot spots in the region.

Sir, in addition to monitoring the haze situation, as noted by Dr Maliki, our capabilities in climate science and modelling will be built up to better understand regional and local climatic patterns and predict future climate changes. We are partnering the Hadley Centre of the United Kingdom, a leader in climate science, to undertake climate change studies, to co-develop regional climate models and, more importantly, build up our expertise in climate science.

Dr Maliki also asked about our efforts to curb domestic emissions. NEA plans to progressively lower the Fine Particulate Matter or PM2.5 levels, which can cause and aggravate respiratory ailments. Sir, we aim to reduce the PM2.5 levels to 12µg/m 3 by 2020. And to do so, we will need to keep vehicular emissions in check.

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Diesel vehicles have been on the Euro IV standard since 2006. We will adopt the Euro V standards for new diesel vehicles by 2014. Besides reducing PM2.5 levels, this will also reduce other pollutants such as nitrogen dioxide and ozone. Off-road diesel engines such as cranes, excavators and generator sets are another source of PM2.5, and we will be implementing tighter emission standards for such engines from July 2012.

Sir, I believe I have addressed the concerns of Members.

Dengue fever

Mr Low Thia Khiang (Hougang): Mr Chairman, Sir, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported that the incidents of dengue has grown dramatically around the world in recent decades. WHO estimates that it may be 15 million dengue cases worldwide every year. In Singapore, there were 5,103 cases reported last year. Although this is an increase of 13.5% from 2009, the NEA has stated that it has dengue infection under control. Over the years, dengue has become part and parcel of our environmental health risk. As of today, there are still pockets of active clusters of dengue fever in Singapore. A lot of manpower is needed to deal with an outbreak of dengue fever. Such an outbreak can cause anxiety amongst the population as witnessed in the past. Although NEA has the problem under control, it should not rest on its laurels because no one knows when and where the next cycle of outbreak would happen.

Recently, it was reported that Thai scientists have successfully developed the world's first dengue fever vaccine. It was also reported that British scientists have created genetically sterile mosquitoes that use sex to get rid of their own species. The British had even carried out a small trial in the Cayman Islands, in the Caribbean, with promising results. In

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Singapore, the Environmental Health Institute (EHI) is the national authority on mosquitoes. It conducts vector surveillance and control operations to prevent the transmission of vector-borne diseases to humans. I would like to find out if EHI is doing any research to counter the spread of dengue fever in Singapore. Is it working on any ground-breaking method to contain this infectious disease and what is the progress made so far? Will the Government bring in the dengue fever vaccine from Thailand, if it is proven to be safe and effective?

Littering and mosquitoes

Mr Lim Biow Chuan (Marine Parade): Sir, NEA has been organising its Clean and Green campaign for the past years to instil in Singaporeans a sense of pride and ownership in the environment.

In November last year, Marine Parade Town Council also organised a "Let's Clean Our Town" campaign for the entire town. For two hours, grassroots leaders and the MPs, myself included, picked up tissue papers, cigarette boxes, cigarette butts, plastic bottles, advertisement flyers, etc. It was back breaking and I could imagine the hard work by our Town Councils' cleaners in having to do this everyday. It appears to me that despite all our efforts over the years, the littering problem is unresolved. May I ask NEA for an update on the progress of the anti-littering campaign? How successful is the campaign today? Has the amount of litter decreased over the years? How many summonses and CWOs have been issued for littering?

Sir, on my visits to the landed properties in my private estates, I received many complaints that the drains and roads are not swept regularly. Residents tell me that they spot plastic bottles, drink cans, tissue papers in the drains which have not been cleared for weeks. Could the Minister share with this House how

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are cleaning contracts in private estates awarded? Are there any standards set for the frequency of cleaning to be carried out? Does NEA check whether the cleaning companies have performed their contracts? Can the cleaning contractors provide a cleaning schedule to the residents? What about leaves and litter in the drains? Who is responsible for clearing these litter or leaves? Would the Minister also agree that some of these litter, like plastic cups and bottle caps, if not cleared in a timely manner, may become possible dengue sites and mosquito breeding grounds? Are there any plans by NEA to reduce such incidences of littering which provide breeding grounds for the mosquitoes? Could the Minister also provide an update on the dengue situation in Singapore? Is it better or worse than the past years?

Littering

Mr Ang Mong Seng (Hong Kah): ( In Mandarin ): [For vernacular speech, please refer to Appendix A.] In the eyes of a foreigner, Singapore is a clean and beautiful garden city. However, in a 2010 study by Yale and Columbia Universities on Global Environment Index, Singapore is ranked 28 out of 163 countries. It did not even get into the top 10. It surprised many Singaporeans. Among the criteria are environment hygiene, air quality and water quality. Environment hygiene is the most important measurement.

More than 83% Singaporeans live in high rise buildings. High-rise littering makes HDB estates dirty and that might have affected our ranking.

HDB residents can see the hard efforts the Town Councils have put in to keep the estates clean. However, some residents have this bad habit of high-rise littering. Residents ask the Town Council to bring these people to justice. We have installed cameras to try to solve this

*Cols. 3827-3828.

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problem. People are caught throwing egg shells, old newspapers and leftovers out of the window, dirtying other people's laundry and the whole estate. According to MEWR's regulation, only people who are caught on camera can be brought to Court. Unfortunately, it is still not easy to do. High-rise littering continues, affecting the cleanliness of the estates. I would like to ask the Minister whether MEWR has good tactics to stop high-rise littering, so we can be ranked among the top 10 in the Global Environment Index in the near future.

I would also like know if MEWR has any new measures and plans to work with the private sector and the community to improve our environment and the hygiene level.

Food hygiene

Mr Liang Eng Hwa: The Singapore Sports School was plagued with food poisoning cases last year with over 100 students taken for medication. In April last year, there was also another mass food poisoning at a community event which affected 48 people. I would like to ask the Minister if the number of food poisoning cases has been on the rise.

Food catering is now a bustling business. I suppose Singaporeans today are eating more catered food than before due to our more active and vibrant lifestyle. Catered food, if not prepared in a proper and hygienic manner, can pose a significant health risk to the public. What does the Ministry intend to strengthen food hygiene for external catering and what regulations are they looking at?

The Minister of State, Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources (Dr Amy: Column: 3704

Khor Lean Suan): Sir, we are continuing with efforts to protect our community from the risk of vector-borne diseases through research, surveillance, outreach and enforcement.

Mr Low Thia Khiang asked about the dengue situation and so did Mr Lim Biow Chuan. Historically, there has been a rising trend for dengue since the early 1990s, but we have managed to buck this trend after 2005 as shown in the slide*. Despite an overall deterioration in the global dengue situation in 2010, we had about 5,000 dengue cases in Singapore, as Mr Low rightly highlighted, which although higher than 2009, was significantly lower than the 7,000 to 8,000 cases in 2007 and 2008.

There is currently no approved vaccine for dengue available on the market, though research is ongoing. As a dengue vaccine is unlikely to be available in the immediate future, we need to take other innovative and practical measures against dengue. Over the past five years, we have been investing in research at NEA’s Environmental Health Institute (EHI) and developed rapid testing methods to shorten the time needed to diagnose dengue cases and provide early warning of outbreaks. In fact, the researches behind the Thai research that Mr Low referred to has said that they would only be able to come out with the dengue vaccine for market use in about 10 years, ie, within a decade.

I am pleased to inform the House that the World Health Organization has recently designated the EHI to be a Collaborating Centre in the research of Arbovirus and their associated vectors, such as the dengue virus. EHI will work with the World Health Organization to strengthen disease surveillance and outbreak response capability in the region. These will eventually help to reduce the

*Cols. 3817-3818.

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disease burden in the region, including Singapore.

On a note of precaution, this year, we are closely monitoring and preparing for the possibility of an increase in dengue cases in the event of a switch in the predominant dengue virus serotype. Historically, such switches can occur every two to three years and result in a significant increase in dengue cases because of the lack of immunity in the population. Dengue-2 has been the predominant serotype circulating over the past four years, so there is a possibility of a serotype switch soon. I, therefore, urge everyone to continue to be vigilant in preventing mosquito breeding so that our dengue incidence can be kept under control. NEA will continue with its pre-emptive surveillance and conduct Intensive Source Reduction Exercises.

2.45 pm

Sustaining high standards of public cleanliness can also help reduce potential mosquito breeding sites, as rightly pointed out by Mr Lim Biow Chuan, and ensure a clean and liveable environment for the public to enjoy. Mr Lim asked how NEA ensures high standards of public cleansing. Similar to Town Councils' cleansing frequency of HDB housing estates, NEA has in place a regime to clean our roads and private estates at least two to three times a week. In fact, the contractors are also required to give their phone numbers and contact to the residents so that they can give their feedback.

NEA also works with PUB to ensure drains are cleaned regularly. Contractors are required to perform additional cleaning for areas with higher human traffic or litter-prone areas. Much of the cleaning work is currently outsourced and NEA deploys officers to carry out daily audits on the contractors' performance, penalising errant contractors, if lapses are found.

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As Mr Ang Mong Seng has highlighted, the persistence of littering in housing estates especially high-rise littering remains an ongoing challenge. My Ministry is continuing to study possible solutions such as exploring greater use of surveillance technology to facilitate enforcements against perpetrators but this is not always practical, as highlighted by Mr Ang. Encouraging greater community ownership and civic responsibility, thus remain the dominant approach in curbing the irresponsible and dangerous behaviour of high-rise littering.

The new anti-littering campaign which was launched in June last year, was geared towards promoting personal ownership for public cleanliness and good social behaviour. It integrates increased visibility of enforcement as a deterrence with improved location and frequency of emptying litter bins as well as more targeted public outreach and education efforts.

The new Litter Free Ambassador programme was introduced to empower members of the community to reduce the incidents of littering. Over 2,000 grassroots youth and students have been recruited as Ambassadors to conduct educational outreach efforts, petrol community spaces and act as positive role models to discourage littering in the neighbourhoods and we appreciate the efforts and leadership.

The Public Hygiene Council was formed in November 2010 to encourage greater partnership in support of public hygiene. The Council, comprising representatives from the people, private and public sectors, aims to role out its initiatives progressively later this year, focusing on issues such as anti-littering, clean public toilets and good personal hygiene. There was a close to 50% drop in the number of littering offenders caught in the six months immediately after the

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campaign was launched, when comapred with the same period in 2009.

The number of Corrective Work Orders imposed has also fallen by 13%. However, more work still needs to be done to shape our anti-littering behaviour and attitude. Mr Ang Mong Seng mentioned Singapore's ranking on the Yale Environmental Performance Index. I would like to clarify that the Index does not include cleanliness as a component. An inaugural litter count survey was conducted last year, covering some 1,900 sites in different categories of public places across Singapore. It was found that on average, 33 pieces of litter were accumulated over a 12-hour period in an area of just a 100 square metres; the size of a typical 4-room flat as shown in the slide which aims to give Members a better visual feel of what this implies. The study points to the need to continue its stronger engagement efforts in schools and communities to improve shared ownership in the cleanliness of public spaces that we want to enjoy.

Mr Liang Eng Hwa raised an issue on food hygiene. This is a concern given the increasing number and diversity of retail food outlets. We have continued to strengthen the regulation of our food hygiene standards focusing on food handlers as they are an important link in the food safety chain.

Since October last year, NEA has progressively rolled out the requirement for food handlers to undergo refresher training every three years. Stiffer penalties were also introduced in April last year for food hygiene-related offences. Catered food is an area of emphasis. As caterers typically serve meals to large numbers of people, any lapses in their food handling processes could potentially result in mass food poisoning. We will focus on

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educating both food caterers and consumers on good practices for preparing and consuming catered food.

From the end of this year, food caterers will be required to time-stamp their packet meals and put up advisory notices at buffet meals to inform consumers when food should be consumed by as shown in this slide. Studies have shown that food may not be safe for consumption beyond four hours from the time it has been cooked, if not properly stored or held at an appropriate temperature. Consumers therefore need to be careful with food that has exceeded the consume-by time stipulated by the caterer.

Dengue control, public cleanliness and food hygiene are all areas which require the support of the community. We can all do our part to continue ensuring that the areas in and around our homes do not become potential mosquito breeding grounds, and also help maintain a high standard of public cleanliness in all our common areas. As consumers, we can set the expectation for food handlers to be more hygiene conscious.

Mr Chairman: Order. I propose to take the break now.

Thereupon Mr Speaker left the Chair of the Committee and took the Chair of the House.

Mr Speaker: Order. I suspend the Sitting and will take the Chair again at 3.10 pm.

_Sitting accordingly suspended at
2.51 pm until 3.10 pm.
_

Sitting resumed at 3.10 pm

[Mr Speaker in the Chair]:

[Mr Speaker in the Chair]: Debate in Committee of Supply resumed.

[Mr Speaker in the Chair]

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Head L (cont.) –

Rental of hawker stalls

Mr Lim Biow Chuan: Rising costs of living are a concern for Singaporeans. One area where many of the lower-income citizens are affected is the rising cost of food and drink prices in hawker or food centres. It has been reported that cooked food at some foodcourts at ION Orchard, Nex and Marina Bay Sands are sold at more than $10 a plate. It has also been reported that prices of coffee, tea and soft drinks have also increased in many other hawker centres. Recently, NTUC FairPrice announced its "Stretch Your Dollar Programme" to help consumers cope with inflation. This is most commendable because this programme places a certain downward pressure on the market for the cost of certain groceries to be contained.

In this regard, I would like to call on NEA to reconsider its policy not to build anymore markets and hawker centres. I also urge NEA to reconsider its policy of tendering cooked food and wet market produce stalls at market prices. If such stalls are allocated at subsidised prices to the less educated or lower-income Singaporeans, NEA can impose price caps on the food sold by these stalls. I understand that this is what some schools ask of their stall operators in their schools or what some commercial companies do – impose price caps on the food sold in their staff canteen as a form of service to their workers in the factory.

Sir, there are currently several stalls which have been given up by stallholders during the Hawkers Upgrading Programme (HUP). There is scope for these stalls to be set aside and allocated for Singaporeans who are lower income or less educated. NEA can work with the CDCs to see how they can allocate hawker stalls at subsidised prices to

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lower-income or poorer Singaporeans. The CDC can then work with these residents to assist them to learn to operate a cooked food or market-produce stall. NEA can also impose strict conditions like not allowing subletting and any interested stall operator must agree to the price cap and submit the prices of their food to NEA for approval. In this way, we can help the lower-income or poorer in our society to learn to make a living; at the same time provide alternative to residents and also help place some pressures on other food or market stalls to keep food prices affordable, similar to what NTUC FairPrice is doing for groceries.

Sir, I recognise that there are many issues to be resolved and, in a certain sense, we are interfering with the free market. But why not try the scheme on a limited basis for stalls given up under the HUP and see how this works out?

3.15 pm

Enforcement laws

Mr Chiam See Tong: Handicapped persons in Singapore find it rather hard to eke out a living on their own, especially if they are doing illegal hawking with no permit. They are fined heavily many times, ranging from $200 to $750 or more if caught. The sale of tissue paper packs by these handicapped persons are not even enough to pay for those fines. I would urge the Ministry to show compassion to those handicaps caught for illegal hawking or fine-tune their enforcement law to allow the handicaps to sell, as it is an arduous task to apply for permit, especially for those in wheelchairs.

Noise levels

Mr Liang Eng Hwa: Sir, during my regular house visits, it is not uncommon for residents to complain about noise nuisances, whether it is from the speeding

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motorbikes, cars with noisy exhaust pipes or even the sharp drilling noise from construction and piling works, and so on.

A recent overseas study reported by the Straits Times indicated that constant noise level of more than 80 decibels has been associated with increased risk of permanent hearing loss, 65 decibels with hypertension and heart disease, 55 decibels with significantly disrupted sleep, and so on. Traffic noise can reach something like 80 to 85 decibels, according to the study.

Singaporeans really hope that the Government can do more to reduce noise nuisances, whether it is by regulations, enforcement or education. I would like to ask the Minister for an update on NEA's efforts to curb noise pollution.

Dr Mohamad Maliki Bin Osman: Sir, the majority of Singaporeans live in close proximity to each other by virtual of the way our housing estates are structured and built up. Our efficient use of space opportunities can create great opportunities for neighbours to get along with each other and strengthen bonds. But such close proximity can also be a bane to many home owners.

As MPs, we often receive feedback about how neighbours are facing conflicts with each other over noise coming from particular units. From shouting and speaking loudly to children running around to marbles dropping on the floor or even having washing machines running in the middle of the night.

Many of these feedback about noise levels come from neighbours and our response has always been to advise the party to reduce the noise level and help to mediate. But one question I would like to pose is whether the noise levels generated by these neighbours are within the acceptable limits of the high-density living

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environment in Singapore. If so, who sets the limits and under what circumstances, can action be taken against such recalcitrant individuals? This also applies to other possible sources of noise such as community activities, aircon compressors from nearby buildings and, at times, RSAF helicopters flying above housing estates. Can the Minister enlighten the House on the newest guidelines for acceptable noise levels and how can Singaporeans be better educated to understand what they need to do within the constraints of our built environment?

Singapore – Venice of Southeast Asia

Mr Heng Chee How: Sir, Singapore is renowned as a Garden City. We are remaking it into a City within a Garden as well. As an island, we should make full use of the water element to enhance our quality of life. The MEWR's ABC Waterways programme is a key programme that can take us forward in this regard. The efforts so far, I believe, have yielded very encouraging results. The look and feel of our rivers and waterways are progressively being restored to appear ever more natural and less canal-like.

The options of activities in the water and along the banks have thus also increased. Waterside living is also becoming progressively more available to our broad population as opposed to being available only to the wealthy.

For the HDB, that vision of sustaining and enhancing the value of properties and quality of living has led it to introduce many programmes over the years.

I, therefore, look at the upgrading programmes of HDB, in terms of the hardware and the living quarters, and within our waterways for the MEWR's ABC Waterways programme as providing a complementary upgrading programme to enhance the overall value.

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In the case of my constituency in Whampoa, there is a stretch of river – the Sungei Whampoa – that lies within its boundaries. Part of this river is currently shared between two divisions of the Jalan Besar GRC – one side is Whampoa and the other side is Kolam Ayer. Recently, a project under the ABC Waterways programme is completed. Beautiful surroundings and I could actually see the delight and joy of the residents as they witnessed the completion of the project. Certainly, in terms of what they can enjoy, it goes far beyond just having a park connectors that run along a canal.

Therefore, I know from this specific experience that the ABC Waterways programme can and will make a big difference to the look, feel and usefulness of our river and canal systems. I hope that MEWR can give us an update on the overall progress of this important programme, as well as what other projects are being planned under this programme going forward and, in particular, how could the rest of the Sungei Whampoa fare within this project?

Carbon-neutral national events

Mr Seah Kian Peng (Marine Parade): Sir, I have spoken previously on the need to ensure that national events become more green. I have also asked Government bodies, including Parliament, to make public their current carbon footprint and to declare their targets and timelines to meet these objectives.

So far, other priorities must have eclipsed these suggestions because I have not seen any Government agency taking this up. I may be wrong. But, yes, I do recognise there have been at least progress on one front arising from my earlier calls. At this year’s New Year Countdown event at Marina Bay, the 20,000 plastic wishing spheres floating on the Bay had a new lease of life as bags or banners. A positive development as

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these 20,000 plastic balls yield some two to three tonnes of materials.

In the meantime, bottled water, plastic bags, goodie bags and other disposable waste continue to be given out at most national events and appear to be the order of the day.

Sir, what is the Government’s position on climate change? Do we think that man-made activities are also contributing to the severe and extreme weather conditions we see today? Whether the answer is yes or not, I think that frugality and reduction of waste are intrinsic values. Sir, I propose that for this year’s National Day Parade, let us have a pure celebration without the gimmicks of clappers and other plastic items. Let us encourage people to bring their own bags and snacks. Let us forget about bags and memorabilia. If we must have collectibles, then make sure that it goes only to collectors who perhaps can go to MICA to collect them, rather than give out thousands of widgets that eventually end up in trash cans.

Sir, I ask the Government to consider increasing the number of carbon-neutral events, to publish data that makes itself accountable in terms of green targets and to reduce the number of goodies bags at major national events.

Assoc. Prof. Dr Yaacob Ibrahim: Sir, Mr Lim Biow Chuan asked about the Government's hawker stalls policy. Sir, we recognise that over time our hawker centres have evolved to become not just a source of affordable food but also an important shared community space.

About 42% of the nearly 15,000 cooked food and market stalls that NEA manages are paying subsidised rentals. This has helped to keep food prices affordable, although there may be other several factors that affect food prices. Sir, there are no immediate plans to build

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new hawker centres but we will continue to ensure that hawker centres provide patrons with a comfortable dining environment through our Hawker Centre Upgrading Programme. Since 2001, over 80% of our 110 hawker centres have been upgraded with improvements made in ventilation, utilities and layout.

Mr Lim also asked about allocating stalls at subsidised rent to low-income individuals, while Mr Chiam See Tong asked about NEA's approach to illegal hawking by disabled people. There are currently various schemes to support families in hardships and persons with disabilities. Low-income families who need assistance with basic living can approach the Community Development Councils for help. Persons with disabilities can be referred to the various job placement or support services for employment opportunities.

Mr Liang Eng Hwa asked what the Government is doing to minimise noise nuisance. As I shared at last year's COS, construction sites near residential and noise-sensitive areas that started work from 1st September 2010 have not been allowed to carry out construction activities from 10.00 pm on the night before Sunday or public holiday till 10.00 am the day itself. This prohibition will be extended to cover the rest of the day for construction sites that commence work from September 2011. Going forward, we will also consider tighter noise limits for construction equipment and methods.

NEA is also taking steps to reduce traffic noise. Noise standards for new vehicles were tightened in October last year, and standards for existing vehicles will be tightened in April this year. NEA is also working with the LTA to look into the feasibility of measures to further manage traffic noise.

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Sir, I share Dr Maliki's concern that community noise is a growing challenge. However, stepping up on legislation and enforcement is not necessarily the most practical approach in such instances. While NEA has established and enforced noise limits for noise sources such as construction sites, factories and motor vehicles which could pose a risk to public health, community noise cannot be addressed as easily. This is because of its transient and subjective nature.

As we work, live and play in a compact city, greater civic mindedness is very important. This is especially so given our high population and urban density which amplify the impact of noise. Even as we review noise mitigation measures through improved infrastructure design and more effective enforcement, for a better quality of life for all, everyone in the society needs to continue exercising consideration and tolerance for one another.

Sir, the challenge of realising our vision of a sustainable Singapore is as much one of partnership and personal responsibility, as it is of public policy. To build a future that we desire and that our children deserve, we need to embrace the idea that taking care of the environment is everyone's shared responsibility, and not just the Government's. In doing so, we will also play our part as a responsible global citizen to tackle climate change, as suggested by Mr Seah Kian Peng.

Mr Seah also asked if we can make it mandatory for major national events to be carbon-neutral going forward. On his suggestion for NDP, I will refer the suggestion to Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean for MINDEF to consider. Given their high visibility, major national events provide a good opportunity for us to promote environmental protection and ownership. In fact, NEA has been engaging the organisers and stakeholders of major events, including the NDP

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organisers, to make their events environmental-friendly.

These include introducing measures to cut down on packaging and litter, providing adequate recycling bins, using energy-efficient lighting and encouraging participants to use public transport. These all will help reduce the carbon footprint of such large scale events. For example, NEA has worked with organisers of the Youth Olympic Games, National Day Parade, the River Hongbao and Chingay to encourage participants and visitors to keep the venues litter-free through the provision of adequate refuse bins, display of educational materials and public announcements at event sites.

Beyond using national events as platforms to build up a stronger sense of community ownership and responsibility, our officers at the five regional offices islandwide have engaged the grassroots through CCC meetings and grassroots events to better understand and address the community's concerns. A $1.5 million 3P Partnership Fund is also available to support 3Ps efforts by grassroots, schools, NGOs and companies. My Ministry will continue to grow our network of teachers, youth, grassroots and corporate partners to champion the environment in their respective communities and organisations. Such community partnership has been a centre-piece of our water sustainability efforts. The Active, Beautiful and Clean (ABC) Waters programme was launched by our Prime Minister in 2006 to encourage the public to get closer to water so that they can better value and enjoy this precious resource.

To address Mr Heng Chee How's query on the status of the ABC Waters programme, I am pleased to share that 15 projects have been completed and these have been well-received by the community. 2011 promises an equally exciting array of projects for the

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community. The flagship project this year is the Kallang River-Bishan Park project where the river will become the focus of the park following its transformation into a natural meandering waterway. The project also features innovative bio-engineering techniques and natural cleansing systems using plants. At MacRitchie Reservoir, amongst other improvements, visitors can expect a new submerged boardwalk that will allow people to work through shallow waters and appreciate water from a totally different perspective. These projects are part of more than 100 identified islandwide under the ABC Waters Masterplan, including Sungei Whampoa in Mr Heng's ward, which will be implemented in phases over the next 20 years.

3.30 pm

PUB is also working closely with other public and private agencies to encourage the adoption of ABC Waters design features within their developments. ABC Waters design features have been introduced in public housing projects such as the Punggol Waterway and private developments like the Tree House Condominium by CDL.

Sir, water we can drink from the tap, reservoirs we can canoe in, vibrant hawker centres, clean streets, fresh air – these are for us to use, but not to be taken for granted. We have to nurture a clean and liveable home for everyone through the combined efforts of all. Our efforts are recognised internationally today, with Singapore ranked first out of the 151 countries in Gallup's 2010 Air and Water Survey and maintaining its top placing among Asian cities in Mercer's Quality of Living Survey for the past three years.

Sir, in conclusion, doing our part in safeguarding the environment does not have to be an extraordinary event or

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activity. Simple everyday actions can protect the environment. Adopting energy and water efficient devices at home can help extend the lifespan of our resources. Everything we buy or throw away has some impact on the environment because it requires energy, water and resources to produce or dispose. Reducing our food waste, avoiding excess packaging and recycling are all easy ways that take us one step closer to our vision of a sustainable and liveable Singapore.

We can create an even better environment through positive changes in the way we think and act. Together, Sir, we can safeguard our environment for the present and for future generations to come.

The Chairman: We have time for clarification. Yes, Mr Liang.

Mr Liang Eng Hwa: Sir, I am glad to hear from the Minister of State on the new mandatory time-stamping requirement for catered food. However, the Minister of State did not elaborate on the penalty as well as the liability and responsibility on the part of the caterer and consumer. Can I ask the Minister of State to shed some light on that?

Dr Amy Khor Lean Suan: Time-stamping is an added step to reinforcing our food safety regime in addition to requiring our caterers to have at least one food hygiene officer send their food handlers for basic food hygiene course, and so on. For consumers, time-stamping is to give them additional information, to advise them that they ought not to be consuming food beyond the four hours of the food having been cooked because there is a risk of food poisoning.

With regard to the caterers, in the event of a food poisoning incident, NEA will investigate the caterer's premises for

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correct time-stamping, food hygiene and personal hygiene practices, and so on. Enforcement actions and demerit points will be enforced for such hygiene lapses. So, we will not just look at the time- stamping by itself. It is just an added step to reinforce the food safety regime.

Mr Low Thia Khiang: Sir, in an attempt to deal with the dengue fever problem, it was reported that Malaysia tried to do a follow-up trial on the British scientists' study to try to release genetically modified mosquitoes into the environment. I would like to know from the Minister of State whether we are concerned with Malaysia releasing transgenic mosquitoes into the environment, given that Malaysia is so close to us.

Dr Amy Khor Lean Suan: The transgenic mosquito trial programme by the Malaysians that Mr Low referred to, as well as the ones released in the Cayman Islands by British scientists, is a research programme by Oxitec which is a commercial spin-off from the University of Oxford.

In the case of Malaysia, it is undertaken by the Institute for Medical Research (IMR) in collaboration with Oxitec. The transgenic mosquito here involves the use of what we call RIDL or Release Insects with a Dominant Lethal Technology. I suppose they are harakiri mosquitoes. The RIDL Technology first introduces a killer gene into the genome of male Aedes mosquitoes. These transgenic mosquitoes are subsequently released into the nature where they will mate with the wild type female mosquitoes and the killer gene is passed down to the progenes which will die at the late larva or pupil stage. So, in this case, for mosquitoes like that, the TFR is zero, and I suppose this is a case where we welcome TFR being zero. The mosquito population is therefore decimated over time.

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In the case of Malaysia, in late January, the IMR confirmed that it has successfully concluded a field release of 6,000 RIDL males at an uninhabited forested area in Bentong, Pahang to study their longevity and flight range. The release took place despite protests from environmentalists. The trial site was fogged to kill all mosquitoes and the site will be monitored for several more months and we understand that there is no plan to release more mosquitoes until the results of this trial are analysed. So given the small scale of the Malaysian trial and the long distance between Singapore and the trial site, NEA assessed that it is unlikely to be of significant concern to Singapore. Should larger trials be carried out in the future or should the trial sites be located nearer to Singapore, NEA has the necessary surveillance capability to detect the entry of any transgenic mosquitoes in Singapore. So you do not need passports!

Mdm Ho Geok Choo: Mr Chairman, I have three clarifications for the Minister of State. First, I would like to check how the litter count survey will be used to mitigate the littering problem in Singapore. Second, is there a more robust grading scheme for food stalls than what is currently being used since many people feel that food stalls should either be graded a pass or a fail? And, third, what is the implication of the mandatory time-stamping on the food caterer and the consumer?

Dr Amy Khor Lean Suan: I think for the third question, I have actually replied in response to Mr Liang Eng Hwa, that if a food poisoning incident does happen, we will investigate as per normal. But, first of all, time-stamping is to give the consumer more information so that he will be asked to avoid taking food beyond the time stipulated.

Regarding the litter count survey, the survey that was done last year is the

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most comprehensive assessment of the state of cleanliness of public areas we have done to date. A total of 1,954 sites were actually surveyed. The results of the inaugural survey actually found, as I have shown earlier in the slide, that, on average, 33 pieces of litter were accumulated over a 12-hour period in every 100 square metres of public space, which is the equivalent of a standard 4-room flat and this shows that more needs to be done to sustain public cleanliness and, of course, the public has a role to play to keep the public areas clean by being responsible and clearing their litter after them.

NEA will continue its stronger engagement efforts in schools and communities to improve shared ownership in the cleanliness of the public spaces that we want to continue to enjoy. In fact, in addition to our Litter-Free Ambassador Programme that we have launched as well as the Students Embrace Litter-Free (SELF) Programme, we also intend to launch a Litter-Free Ambassador Programme for preschoolers in June this year, so that children will be aware of how they can contribute to a clean environment and develop a good habit of always throwing litter in a bin from an early age. We are going to also have "litter monitors" appointed to remind their classmates to keep the preschool centres clean and to conduct simple checks within the premises. So the litter count survey really acts as a baseline and we will carry out another litter count survey in 2012 to assess the situation again. This will help us to see the effectiveness of the initiatives that we have already implemented or are implementing between now and the next survey in 2012.

Mr Cedric Foo Chee Keng: I would like to ask the Minister about electric cars in Singapore. Does he have a sense of how much they will cost and how successful they will be?

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Assoc. Prof. Dr Yaacob Ibrahim: As I have mentioned in my reply, MTI has replied earlier that they are trying this out. We really do not have a feel for it at this point in time but the pilot is being tested together with EMA. NEA is supporting this process. I think when the time is right, we will make public whether or not this programme is successful.

Mr Seah Kian Peng: I just want to state that perhaps the NDP was not a good example. I would now like to ask the Minister whether we could consider the National Clean and Green Week as one event to aim for to be the first carbon-neutral national event.

Assoc. Prof. Dr Yaacob Ibrahim: Certainly, we will consider all opportunities available. The Clean and Green Singapore (CGS), as he rightly pointed out, is a good example. But let me just add one further example which just came to my mind. If you ever visit the Marina Barrage, you will realise that there are no bins, and the reason is very simple. When we started providing bins, they overflowed, and the situation was terrible. What the PUB did, after consultation with NEA, was to give people plastic bags. Only on the way out of the Marina Barrage will they throw away the plastic bags in the bins. As a consequence, the place has been kept clean. So he is right, we should take some of these available opportunities where there is higher human traffic to bring about such changes in behaviour, but it may cause some difficulties in the early days. When we removed the bins at the Marina Barrage and only had a few at the exits, it required some adjustments. So the PUB deployed some officers on the ground. But, today, it is working quite well.

Dr Lim Wee Kiak: Sir, I would like to ask the Minister: out of the 8,000-plus green vehicles, how many of them are green motorcycles and what is the reason electric motorcycles are not gaining

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popularity. Are we doing anything about that and what is the reason for not doing anything?

Assoc. Prof. Dr Yaacob Ibrahim: I do not have the figures here to share with Members. I am not sure why it is not being taken up but, I suspect, if I were to check with MOT, that there are more cars than motorcycles, to begin with. The figure itself is small relative to each other. There may be other reasons, but I will endeavour to find an answer for him.

The Chairman: Are there any more clarifications? If none, Mr Foo.

Mr Cedric Foo Chee Keng: I want to thank Minister Yaacob and Minister of State Dr Amy Khor for their replies. They have covered a broad canvas from air to water, to waste management, to pollution, to public health, to mosquitoes – the male ones, the female ones, the Cayman Island, Malaysia – and so forth, and in many of these areas they have done well. We want to commend the Ministry for their achievements but, at the same time, we urge the Ministry to set even bolder targets. And why? So that we can bequeath to future generations a more beautiful and a more pristine Singapore.

With that, I beg leave to withdraw my amendment.

Amendment, by leave, withdrawn .

The sum of $727,030,500 for Head L ordered to stand part of the Main Estimates.

The sum of $410,964,400 for Head L ordered to stand part of the Development Estimates.