GREEN LABELLING SCHEME

GREEN LABELLING SCHEME

1.

Assoc. Prof. Ong Soh Khim asked the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources (a) what percentages of consumer products for the Singapore market are labelled with an environment-friendly eco/green label in respect of products produced locally and products which are imported; and (b) what is the Ministry's effort to increase the percentages of these eco/green labelled consumer products.

Assoc. Prof. Dr Yaacob Ibrahim: My Ministry launched the Singapore Green Labelling Scheme (SGLS) in 1992. The SGLS has been administered by the Singapore Environment Council (SEC) since 1999. Products that meet the criteria of the scheme can affix a label to distinguish them from other products. These criteria range from stipulating minimum proportions of recycled materials or limits on toxic substances in products to standards for energy efficiency of appliances. The labelling scheme is intended to help consumers identify and buy, and encourage manufacturers to design and produce environmentally-friendly products.

As at end March 2005, there were 34 product categories of Green Label products and 94 products that have been awarded the Green Label. Most of these products are imported. Only a few products such as laundry powder detergents are manufactured locally.

As is evident from the small number of Green Label products, the SGLS has met with limited success. This is likely to be due to a lack of consumer awareness and willingness to buy green products which may not be the cheapest. Without strong demand for green products, not many manufacturers were keen to apply for the label.

One approach to increase consumer awareness is by providing useful information on the label to assist consumers in making a choice. The Energy Label, launched in 2002 by NEA and the SEC as an extension of the SGLS, provides information on electricity consumption and energy efficiency to consumers. SEC and NEA have been publicising the Energy Label at road shows, HDB show flats at the HDB Hub, and through Green Corners in retail outlets. Green Corners are dedicated store spaces for showcasing air-conditioners and refrigerators that carry the Energy Label. Currently, there are nine retail stores throughout Singapore with Green Corners. Going forward, NEA will continue to work with SEC to encourage more retailers to put up Green Corners in their outlets.

The results so far have been encouraging. The Energy Label has met with more interest from manufacturers of air-conditioners and refrigerators. As at end March 2005, there were 109 models (21% of available models) of air-conditioners and 82 models (22% of available models) of refrigerators with Energy Labels. NEA is currently working with CASE to conduct a poll on the usefulness of the Energy Label. If consumers find the information on the Energy Label useful, we may even consider making such labelling mandatory in the future.

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Ultimately, the success of the SGLS will depend on each and every one of us. Manufacturers will respond only if there is a demand and consumer preference for environmentally-friendly goods. My Ministry will continue with our ongoing public education efforts to build a more environmentally-conscious population and promote awareness of green products. Supporting Green Label products is a concrete step that each of us can take to do our part for the environment.

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