Too hard to let go
In the midst of learning to live with the new normal of COVID-19 pandemic, the increase of individuals choosing to stay home as well as the default mode of working from home has resulted in the rise in groceries shopping, food takeaways, and deliveries in Singapore. This has inevitably resulted in the tremendous increase in the use of plastic bags, on top of the already high consumption in the past. A news article by Channel News Asia on 10 May 2021 reported that Singapore uses about 2.5 billion plastic bags a year. Another study estimated that approximately 2 million plastic bags are being used per day from supermarkets alone. For a long time, people have gotten used to plastic bags as a “free and quick” solution to suit daily lifestyles, expecting to have plastic carriers for every purchase. Deemed as a free resource, few people see the need to reject unnecessary plastic bags and have taken them for granted in spite of their dire environmental consequences. It is not uncommon for shoppers take the liberty of using a few extra bags to “double bag” heavier items. The overdependence on plastic bags for packaging and convenience has shaped our consumer patterns and social behaviours that have in turn contributed significantly to the plastic waste problem in Singapore.
The environmental impacts of plastic bags
Plastic itself is not inherently bad. When it was firstly introduced, plastic was seen as a revolutionary material that is light, durable, and waterproof. These features likely explain why people have been having a hard time breaking away from it. However, our reliance on plastic has also resulted in a plethora of environmental and health problems to many cities and countries around the world. According to a brief issued by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), out of approximately 300 million tons of plastics waste produced each year, almost 8 million tons ended up in the oceans as marine litters and microplastics that endanger marine life and ecosystems. Plastic products take decades, or even centuries, to biodegrade. From an urban perspective, plastic bag has also become one of the major items in the waste collection streams that has resulted in many detrimental effects in the urban environment, including animal choking, pollution, blockage of channels, drains, rivers, and streams. Inappropriate management of plastic bags can even lead to serious environmental deterioration of agricultural lands, threatening food production, food supply chain, and even human health.
In Singapore, the incineration of municipal waste to convert waste into energy has significantly reduced land contamination and many other environmental impacts. The National Environment Agency (NEA) of Singapore ensures that all incinerators meet specific air emission standards with constant monitoring and reporting. As a highly urbanised and dense nation, the waste management system of Singapore has been designed to achieve maximum efficiency and hygiene. Nevertheless, irresponsible dumping and littering still occur in coastal parks, Nature Reserves, and residential estates, threatening the survival of terrestrial and marine wildlife in the area. Plastics that end up in oceans will also pollute our waters with micro-plastics, affecting our fisheries, food supply, and our health.
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