Plastic has developed a bad reputation for the impact it has on the environment. Ocean conservancy groups have estimated that about 8 million tonnes of plastic-based products from bags to bottles and straws end up in the sea each year harming marine life. Plastic items also choke landfills. This has led some businesses in Singapore to switch to alternative materials such as paper for their packaging in belief that they are better for the environment. But some experts say that packaging products made from paper are not necessarily more eco-friendly. They are in fact more resource intensive to produce. Environmental expert and founder of Plastic-Lite Singapore Ms Aarti Giri said: The use of paper also leads to deforestation, one of the primary causes of climate change. Mr Liow Chean Siang, head of environmental certifications at SEC, said that even if paper products are contaminated by items such as food, they will need to be disposed of as general waste. Some firms pride themselves in using biodegradable paper products. However, they have no benefit for the environment in Singapore’s context, experts said.... Continue Reading