Bring your own takeaway containers, reusable shopping bags

With Singapore's only landfill expected to be filled by 2035, NEA is calling on everyone to do their part to extend its lifespan.

Ms. Karen Kwek separates the packing from her purchases at home, cleans out bottles, cans, and other containers, lays the items aside, and then brings a substantial collection of them to a recycling bin. She always brings a water bottle for takeout drinks and a reusable bag with her when she goes out. She phones the restaurants when she and her husband place takeout orders so they are informed that they will arrive early with reusable containers for the food.

The 47-year-old general manager of beauty retailer The Body Shop Singapore claims that her in-laws and siblings have been motivated to minimize waste in their homes as a result of her practices to do so, which include purchasing items with little to no packaging.

“We try to do these small things for the environment because we can make them part of our daily lives. I think more people are conscious of the need to be more sustainable these days. When I bring my food carrier to the hawker centre, I see other people in line with their own reusable containers too,” she adds.

Disposables are a key target as Singapore takes aim at its garbage to extend the life of Semakau Landfill, its final remaining landfill. Styrofoam cartons and single-use bags are examples of such things. Singapore retailers and homes disposed of 200 million kg of disposables annually from 2019 to 2021. It works out to 23,000 kg each hour, 400 kg per minute, and 6 kg per second.

While the government has announced and implemented initiatives to address this waste, such as mandating that large supermarket chains charge customers at least five cents for each disposable carrier bag they use starting in the middle of this year, individuals can also play a role by adopting more environmentally friendly behaviors.

The Government wants to reduce the quantity of waste delivered to Semakau Landfill by 20% per person per day by 2026 and another 10% by 2030. Achieving this target would need a concerted effort from all stakeholders. In the event that nothing is done to slow Singapore's present rate of garbage output, the landfill will be totally full by 2035.

The National Environment Agency wants to encourage more people to reduce food waste, a significant source of waste, and steer clear of disposables like Ms. Kwek with the most recent iteration of its Say YES to Waste Less (SYTWL) campaign, which includes The Body Shop as a partner.

“There are lots of things that you can do if you put your mind to it,” she says. “You do need to put in a bit of work, and to communicate more, for example to the cashier or hawker that you have your own mug or container, but it’s worth it.”

Making a dent in disposables

Ms Kwek was not active in practicing these habits two years ago. She credits her work at The Body Shop for sparking her environmental journey.

“When I joined the company in 2021, I became much more aware of how it has continuously improved its sustainability over the years. I also got a great education from our retail teams, who really walk the talk. You don’t see anyone drinking from a disposable cup or bottle. That motivated me to do better too,” she explains. 

To reduce packaging waste, the majority of The Body Shop's goods are sold without boxes. Also, every location has a recycling container that consumers can use to dispose of the company's unwanted goods as of late 2019. Up to this point, 6,325kg of waste plastic have been collected and recycled.

For customers who already own refill bottles from prior purchases, it has launched refill stations at 23 of its outlets as of 2021.

It will add a new refill station at its store in the Paya Lebar Quarter Mall this year. The number of customers using the stations has increased by 2.5 times since the beginning of the initiative. 

Furthermore, The Body Shop recently introduced a range of make-up products, including compacts and lipsticks, that can be refilled with the same or different options. Ms Kwek says: “We want our customers to know that the products’ casings are things that can be saved, reused and recycled.” 

As The Body Shop continues to look for ways to shrink its carbon footprint for the benefit of the environment, Ms Kwek has more personal goals in mind too. “I still use disposable cutlery sometimes because I haven’t gotten used to carrying and washing my own utensils, so that may be my next step,” she shares. “For me, sustainability starts by looking at what you use, and with the little habits that can add up to make a big difference.”

TLPPACKAGING FOR SHOPPING BAGS