Ban free distribution of single-use plastic items, says sustainability watchdog

Government should consider banning the free distribution of single-use plastic products like umbrella bags, the Council for Sustainable Development said, calling on shops to use umbrella dryers instead. 

Hotels should also install wall-mounted dispensers for shampoo and shower gel and provide water filter jugs instead of giving out hotel toiletries and bottled water, according to the council’s latest report on public engagement in the control of single-use plastics. 

The report released on Thursday called on the government to impose a ban on selling single-use plastic products as well. Examples given by the council included disposable plastic tableware sold, plastic-stemmed cotton buds, inflatable cheer sticks, and balloon sticks for parties. 

The council also noted that the public has indicated concerns about various surges of “degradable plastic” products in the market, especially the fact that such products may not be able to fully degrade in the city’s waste management system. 

It then advised the government to follow other countries like Australia, Scotland, and New Zealand to ban the manufacture, sale, and distribution of oxo-degradable plastic products. 

Oxo-degradable plastics are produced by adding degradable additives to conventional plastics. Although the additives would accelerate the process of fragmentation when the plastics are exposed to heat or UV radiation, tiny plastic fragments remain after degradation. 

Another suggestion offered by the council is using sustainable packaging to maintain a necessary level of safety and hygiene during logistics while minimizing environmental impact and carbon footprint. 

The report is the product of a three-month citywide public engagement exercise, including town hall meetings, youth forums, and school outreach programs between September and December last year. 

The exercise aims to enhance public awareness of the problem with single-use plastics waste and gauge the views of the community on the control of single-use plastics. 

After collecting feedback from the public, the council put forward 24 recommendations across five key areas. 

It urged the public to use single-use plastic items only when they are absolutely necessary and believed the government would carefully consider the proposed recommendations and the appropriate timing of implementation.