A new strategy for cleaner air, land and water

One year after he became Acting Environment Minister, Mr Lim Swee Say tells SHARMILPAL KAUR about the change in his ministry's emphasis and how this affects Singapore's air, land and water.

HE HAD such a jolt over Singapore being described as being on 'the threshold of environmental disaster' by Newsweek magazine in January that Mr Lim Swee Say set about re-inventing his ministry immediately after that.

'Three months into my job, and I see this article,' Singapore's Acting Environment Minister said.

'When I read it, I thought, 'Wow! Singapore is today one of the worst 10 in the world in terms of environmental sustainability.'

'We disagreed with that study's conclusion,' he said, but added that it led him to ask why the Republic was being portrayed in this light.

'We're small, urbanised and highly industrialised, with no natural endowments. In theory, it sounds logical that we're a country heading nearer to the threshold of environmental disaster in the long term.'

 

TURNING POINT 'Three months into my job, and I see this article. I thought, 'Wow! Singapore is today one of the worst 10 in the world in terms of environmental sustainability. 'Obviously it led me to ask why, even though we disagreed with that study's conclusion.' - Acting Environment Minister Lim Swee Say on what spurred him to get his ministry to change tack SEARCHING FOR SOLUTIONS 'Beyond that, after 50 years, are we going to create Pulau Semakau 3? Where and at what cost?' - Mr Lim on the need to find other ways to dispose of solid waste CREATING A DEMAND 'For example, to recycle wood waste, you have to create a demand. Will the customer buy all the tables and chairs just because they're made of recycled wood? The answer is probably no, unless these items are very well-designed, functional, attractive and cost-competitive. ' - On ensuring the commercial success of recycling PLANNING AHEAD 'The idea is to always keep an eye on the short term and at the same time, the long term. If we don't focus on the short term, then we will have all fires getting out of control. If we don't focus on the long term, there will always be fires in the short term.' - Mr Lim on the need to plan ahead even when there are crises breaking that need immediate attention LEARNING NEW WAYS 'Be prepared to experiment, because the sooner we tie up with new technology, applications and services, the faster we can learn about their strengths, weaknesses, and be able to adapt these... to suit our requirements.' - On the need to develop a new mindset that makes use of environmental technology to overcome Singapore's lack of natural resources

But Newsweek's comments on Singapore's environmental health did not discourage him, he said. 'On the contrary, we were spurred on by such a conclusion.'

One of his first decisions to steer Singapore away from the 'brink of disaster' was to shift the ministry's emphasis.

Instead of ensuring the air, land and water here will be clean in the short term, it is now working to make sure this will be the case for generations to come. He also embarked on a long-term strategy to manage waste better, reuse water and adopt cleaner fuels, like natural gas.

Instead of having a big ministry with many departments to deal with these issues, he has decided that ENV will focus more on direction and policy, and leave day-to-day operations to statutory boards.

'A single-focus statutory board can be more responsive and move more quickly,' he explained.

He is also emphasising the need for ENV to have strong links between government agencies and with industry.

'ENV is looking at being a network organisation now and this will make it a more dynamic, innovative and responsive organisation,' he said.

'Each time we come across a new challenge, we will have no hesitation about looking for partners, and those partners could also be overseas.'

He said the ministry is now working with agencies like the JTC Corporation to provide industrial infrastructure and longer land leases to recycling plants here, and with the Economic Development Board to give financial help to these companies.

Within the ministry, he is working to reduce the amount of solid waste burned here.

He said: 'We incinerate it, and then send it to Pulau Semakau, and then, for the next 25 to 30 years, we have no problems. But how about the next 50 years?

'We can create another Pulau Semakau, and maybe that will meet our requirements for another 25, 30 years, bearing in mind the amount of solid waste we are producing is on the increase.

'Beyond that, after 50 years, are we going to create Pulau Semakau 3? Where and at what cost?'

With this in mind, he started a nationwide recycling programme. But, he said, it is vital that waste products are turned into things people will buy.

'For example, to recycle wood waste, you have to create a demand. Will the customer buy all the tables and chairs just because they're made of recycled wood?

'The answer is probably 'No', unless these items are very well-designed, functional, attractive and cost-competitive.'

This, he added, is something the private sector will have to address.

He has also challenged it to come up with more ways to recycle waste, like from construction and demolition, and he is pushing the sector to set up an automated sorting plant. This would reduce the manual labour needed in this area, because 'this capability will have tremendous growth potential not just here but in the region'.

On the water issue, Mr Lim said that the strategy is to 'multiply' Singapore's supply by reclaiming water, instead of merely adding new sources. The reclaimed water is for industry.

Newater, ultra-pure water reclaimed from sewage, will account for 15 per cent of the water supply here, and will be sold to wafer-fabrication plants.

Contracts are already being called to lay the pipes to take it from the Bedok plant producing it to the factories, and to build plants at Kranji to reclaim more Newater.

On air, he said ENV will continue to reduce the amount of emissions allowed with legislation, but that this is not enough if the number of culprits - devices, cars and factories - keeps increasing.

So, he argued, it is more important to adopt cleaner fuels like natural gas, and to conserve energy.