NEA has disclosed that only 7 per cent of plastics collected here in 2018 for recycling was processed locally. The small proportion worries experts because there is currently an oversupply of such plastics. At the same time, China has banned plastic imports, saying it plans to cut such waste imports to zero by 2020. This double whammy has caused prices in the plastic waste market to plunge, Ms Melissa Tan, chairman of the Waste Mgmt and Recycling Association of Singapore, told ST on Thurs. While it has hurt Singapore exporters of such waste, the more important consequence is that “in the long term, we definitely would have trouble exporting our plastic waste”, said Ms Tan. Hence, it is important for Singapore to process more of its own plastic materials, she added. Currently, local exporters can still find overseas markets for the waste because of its higher quality but this may not be sustainable, she said. A total of 2,849 tonnes of the plastics collected for recycling were processed here, while the remaining 37,851 tonnes were sent overseas. There are obstacles to recycling plastics in Singapore.... Continue Reading