Written Reply to Parliamentary Questions on Littering Of Plastic Wrappers

Written Reply to Parliamentary Questions on Littering Of Plastic Wrappers by Ms Grace Fu, Minister for Sustainability and the Environment

Mr Lim Biow Chuan: To ask the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment whether NEA will ban the use of plastic wrappers for chopsticks to prevent the littering of such plastic wrappers at food centres.

Answer:

1 The National Environment Agency (NEA) does not have plans to ban the use of plastic wrappers for chopsticks. To tackle table littering, since 2021, we have made it mandatory for diners to clear their used trays, crockery and litter, including plastic wrappers for chopsticks, after their meals at hawker centres, coffeeshops and food courts. As chopstick plastic wrappers tend to be very light, we would like to remind diners to take extra care that the wrappers do not get blown away and end up as litter.

2 NEA has been working with various stakeholders, including the Hawkers' Associations and our appointed operators, to reduce the use of disposables for dine-in meals at hawker centres. For example, the use of disposable crockery and cutlery for dine-in meals has been disallowed at new hawker centres since November 2016, and for all new stallholders in existing hawker centres since September 2018. Under GreenGov.SG, public agencies have been working with food and beverage outlets in public sector premises to phase out disposables for dine-in meals as far as possible.