Has Singapore banned Plastic Bags?

As most countries have put in place plans to ban the use of plastic bags as a mean of fighting against climate change, Singapore is yet to follow in that direction, though it is highly dedicated to protecting the environment. This is because the country generates power out of it by burning them alongside other waste products. Reports have disclosed that the Tuas South Incineration Plant, which is the largest in the country, generates electricity which measures over 1.6 gigawatt-hours per day. The plant, together with other plants, contributes to about 90% reduction in refuse in the country.

Furthermore, the country has the capacity to recycle a number of their used plastic bags which reduces the negative impact it has on the environment. Measures have been put in place by the government to ensure that most homes, especially those in the Housing & Development Board estates, are provided with recycling containers where they can put their thrash. In 2019, the country was able to recycle 4% out of its total waste generated which measures in the region of 930,000 tons

At an online event on August 2020, Grace Fu, the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment, explained that the country wasn’t in a hurry to place a ban on the use of plastic bags. According to her, the country is using a pragmatic approach to tackle the impact of the bag on the environment. She further argued that the initiatives would also aimed at providing jobs for its citizens. The Singaporean government, in 2019, set aside a $73 billion plan to fight climate change.