The following is an excerpt from the commentary by sustainability practitioner Heng Lee Seng posted in Channel News Asia. Read the entire column here.
It has been more than two years since Singapore put in place a mandatory charge for plastic bags at major supermarkets.
Concerns emerged recently over where the policy proceeds are going. In a CNA report, the Singapore Environment Council flagged concerns about supermarket operators using these funds for internal business operations, rather than external causes, and warned that such uses may undermine public support. Reactions online suggest that some members of the public share these concerns.
It is important to note that the policy did not fail. Based on earlier media reports, the mandatory charge has reduced disposable carrier bag usage by 50 per cent to 80 per cent.
This outcome matters but what the recent discussion reveals is a divergence between how the policy is designed and how it has come to be understood. This is important, especially for sustainability initiatives that rely on public cooperation, rather than strict enforcement.
Read the rest of the column here.
