EXPLORING HUMANITY’S ENVIRONMENT A BIANNUAL NEA PUBLICATION ISSUE SEVEN: NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2014 SOUTHEAST ASIA’S NATURAL HAZARDS CLIMATE CHANGE ENDANGERS BUSINESS DENGUE RED ALERT BACTERIA TO END MOZZIE MENACE E-WASTE RECYCLING EXPANDS ASIA RESOURCE RECOVERY TAIWAN HOUSEHOLD RECYCLING IMPROVEMENTS SAN FRANCISCO CURBS FOOD WASTE SOLDIER FLY LARVAE TURN WASTE TO FOOD NEW GREEN FREIGHT MOVEMENTS SYDNEY’S ENERGY EFFICIENCY RETROFIT CUT PACKAGING TO SAVE MONEY INSPIRING INTERNATIONAL IDEAS SMART CLEANING CHANGI AIRPORT CHAMPIONS CLEANSING ENVIRONMENTAL AWARD WINNERS OPPORTUNITIES MORE MYENV APP ENHANCED – PLUS – THIS YEAR’S GREEN AWARD WINNERS
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E X P L O R I N G H U M A N I T Y ’S E N V I R O N M E N T
A biAnnuAl neA publicAtionissue seVen: noVember/December 2014
SoutheaSt aSia’S Natural hazardS CLIMATE CHANGE ENdANGERS BUSINESS deNgue red alert BACTERIA TO ENd MOzzIE MENACE e-WaSte recycliNg expaNdS ASIA RESOURCE RECOVERY taiWaN houSehold recycliNg improvemeNtS SAN FRANCISCO CURBS FOOd WASTE Soldier Fly larvae turN WaSte to Food NEW GREEN FREIGHT MOVEMENTS SydNey’S eNergy eFFicieNcy retroFit CUT PACkAGING TO SAVE MONEY iNSpiriNg iNterNatioNal ideaS SMART CLEANING chaNgi airport champioNS cleaNSiNg ENVIRONMENTAL AWARd WINNERS opportuNitieS
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Note from the editorial team
Perhaps after the typically cited death and taxes, the only other certainty in life is change. And nowhere is this truer than in the natural world that surrounds us, out of which we chisel our urban existence.
Each day, our environment provides our food, water, even the air we breathe. This issue aims to holistically examine the environmental threats and opportunities we face each day, perhaps without even realising it.
Our planet can unleash extremely destructive forces. From typhoons and tsunamis to volcanoes and even a “polar vortex”, there has been a litany of headlines reminding us how prone to interruption human civilisation can be. ENVISION takes a look at some of the science behind natural phenomena.
But the destruction is hardly one-sided: unfortunately, many human practices wreak havoc on the natural systems that deliver our basic necessities. From greenhouse gas emissions and the increasing symptoms of climate change, to deforestation, industrial pollution and needless consumption, our world too is on the brink of even more risks to human survival. It needn’t be that way however, but will business heed the call to create a better future?
Cities are major users of natural resources and influence material flows. These have major environmental impacts in nearly every region of our world. Highlights from around the Pacific and as far away as the UK showcase what’s being done to spur resource recovery and eliminate the notion of waste, with some impressive results.
Beyond natural disasters, a wide range of public health risks exist in the form of bacteria, viruses and the vectors that can help them spread. In Singapore, we get in depth to see how both human and ecological factors can help interrupt dengue pandemics.
We also take a look at how industries and even governments can be positive sources of disruption for environmental change, and how technology can be used to make cities cleaner and more liveable places. As always, there are a wide range of environmental efforts and innovative ideas featured to inspire action.
Reacquaint yourself with fresh eyes to the environmental workings of the world around you – both natural and manmade – and seize the chance to make a more beneficial impact.
Public walk on Pulau Semakau. Image courtesy of Ria Tan – www.wildsingapore.com
Editorial Committee MembersRam Bhaskar, Dulcie Chan, Chua Yew Peng, Chris Gordon, Derek Ho, Koh Kim Hock, Lee Kheng Seng, Assoc Prof Ng Lee Ching, Ong Soo San, Tan Wee Hock, Toh Wee Khiang, Wong Chin Ling, Evon Wong Editorial LeadChris Tobias
Special thanks toDebra Chan, Arthur Chen Hung-Yi, Candy Cheng,Jayson Goh, Harriet Henniker-Major, Mervyn Jones,Lee Kin Seng, Crispian Lye, Jack Macy, Danial Mustapha, Ngeow Yin Teen, Derek Ong, Parkroyal on Pickering, Sherman Pun, Stephan Schablinski, Jenny Tung
comments and opinions made by external contributors and parties interviewed by ENVISION magazine do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the National environment agency (Nea) nor the Singapore government. While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained therein, the Nea bears no responsibility for correctness of content from external parties, unintentional errors, or omissions. all adverts on this magazine are displayed purely with an intention of advertisement and no endorsement or approval by the Nea of any product, service or supplier should be implied, nor will any liability be accepted in this regard. all materials remain the copyright of the Nea, unless otherwise stated and no reproduction is permitted without the written authorisation of Nea and/or the contributors.
ENVISION magazine is printed on environmentally friendly paper stock.
For feedback, comments, and contributions, please email [email protected]
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NEA Contributors and AssistanceCong Ying, Audrey Chua, Chua Chen Kok, Jason Evans, Christina Goh, Hong Xinlei, Sasha Lawrence, Dr Christine Liew, Sean Lim Seng Leong, Brandon Low, Cindy Koay, Koh Ean Suat, Aida Meisera, Magdalene Mun, Sherry Neo, Veronica Phee, Phua Xin Yan, Dr Felicia Shaw, Tan Han Kiat, Johnson Tan, Roland Tan, Tan Teck Choon
MEWR and NCCS AssistanceDuane Lim, Lim Ishir, Yuen Sai Kuan
Cover Photography byAmos Wong
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GLOBAL BRIEFING20 Eyes on the horizon Threats like severe storms or volcanic
eruptions can pose significant risk to cities, industry, and humans
26 Raising Stakes Climate shifts are bringing many global uncertainties. Will business be resilient? The evidence is mixed
MANAGING ECOLOGICAL PUBLIC HEALTH RISkS30 Red Alert Globally, the dengue epidemic has
become a potent environmental threat
36 Biological battle Will a natural and common
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RESOURCE RECOVERY45 Material issues Thomas Breitkopf, Board Member of recycling behemoth REMONDIS, talks technology innovation and Asian recycling market
48 Scaling up DHL, StarHub and TES-AMM join
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50 Making a more beautiful island How Taiwan achieved a 54 per cent household recycling rate amidst rapid economic development
53 Getting it sorted How San Francisco keeps 80 per cent of waste out of landfill
56 Lord of the Flies The Black Soldier Fly is helping turn waste into food and profit
Working hand in hand with our partners since 1997 to solve the most difficult challenges. We provide a one-stop, efficient, environmentally sound solution for all your waste management needs, so you can focus on your core business.
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MARkET dYNAMICS64 Lightening the load Asia’s logistics industry is shifting to
improve efficiency and environmental performance, but will SMEs see rubber hit the road
68 The secret of Sydney’s sustainability success
Leadership continuity has helped Sydney with an ambitious plan for a 70 per cent reduction in carbon emissions by 2030. Lord Mayor Clover Moore shares insights on her strategy
CREATING LIVEABLE CITIES82 The new “clean” tech Keeping urban spaces clean and green is going to the next level
86 The clean customer experience How cleaning moved from a backroom function to a central part of the customer service offering at Singapore’s award-winning Changi Airport
68 82
8670 The circular economy:
not so hard to wrap up Some thoughts from the UK experience on closing the loop, decoupling growth and consumption, and what has worked so far
HACkS74 Inspiring International Ideas Creative and innovative environmental
solutions sourced globally
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ENVIRONMENTAL AWARd WINNERS90 Major Awards Won by NEA 92 Ecofriend Awards
93 President’s Award for the Environment
94 Energy Efficiency National Partnership (EENP) Awards 97 Singapore Environmental Achievement Awards
98 Singapore Sustainability Awards
OPPORTUNITIES106 Career change? Roles for professionals serious
about helping safeguard, nurture, and cherish our environment
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eyes oN the horizoNthreats like severe storms or volcanic eruptions can pose significant risk to cities, industry, and humans. ENVISION looks at the ongoing efforts to understand and predict
these natural phenomena, and protect urban life
When PeoPle think of extreme weather and natural hazards, peaceful and balmy Singapore is seldom what
comes to mind. However with Singapore experiencing flash floods, prolonged dry spells and record-breaking transboundary smoke haze in the space of a few years, the role of Meteorological Service Singapore (MSS) is increasingly vital.
From tracking storms to monitoring geological activity and even developing sophisticated climate models, MSS is at the centre of monitoring natural activity.
Eye of the stormWhile Singapore does not feel the direct impact of typhoons or cyclones, intense thunderstorms accompanied by heavy rain, wind gusts and lightning are relatively common.
Such storm systems can be mercurial and move erratically. While predicting their behaviour remains a challenge with the current state of technology and scientific knowledge, it also poses many interesting scientific questions for meteorologists. “Forecasting in the 21st century is not just about watching the skies or analysing charts,” says Principal Meteorologist Chow Kwok Wah, who leads a team in MSS’ Central Forecast Office.
“It’s a combination of modern sensor technology, complex modelling and expert judgement,” he says. “Every day, we track the development of any weather systems that might develop into thunderstorms. At any given moment, we are analysing radar imagery, looking at the output of half a dozen models, and examining data from our array of meteorological instruments installed across the island.”
Weather systems 101People joke that Singapore only has two types of weather – hot and wet – but in reality weather systems come in various forms. When it rains heavily, more than one mechanism could be responsible.
The monsoons exert an annual influence on Singapore’s weather. The northeast monsoon, from December to March, usually ushers in spells of moderate to heavy rain, while the southwest monsoon, from June to September, brings drier weather.
During the southwest monsoon and inter-monsoon periods, Sumatra squalls – organised lines of active thunderstorms which form over Sumatra in Indonesia or in the Malacca Strait – usually hit Singapore in the morning or pre-dawn hours. They tend to be short-lived and can produce gusty winds of up to 75km/h.
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Lesser-seen phenomena: WATERSPOUTS ANd HAILSTONES
established within mSS in 2013, ccrS is dedicated to understanding the tropical climate and weather of Singapore and the wider Southeast asia region. at ccrS, work is proceeding along several fronts. one key activity is to develop a cutting edge numerical weather prediction model tailored for Singapore and this part of the world. another is to make robust, long-term predictions of Singapore’s future climate. ccrS houses a powerful supercomputer for making the millions of calculations needed to run advanced weather and climate models.
The Centre for Climate Research Singapore (CCRS)
Convective thunderstorms are the most unpredictable of all. Caused by strong solar heating of land areas in the afternoon and convergence of sea breezes, they can occur at any time of the year but are most frequent during the inter-monsoon months of April-May and October-November. These thunderstorms tend to
from the free service. Today, anyone with a smartphone can not only see where lightning has been detected over the entire island, but can specify his/her area of interest to receive customised warnings.
Enabling such extensive information is an important new addition to MSS’ instrument arsenal: the Lightning Detection System, a network of sensors located around the island. Coupled with special analytics, the system is able to detect where lightning occurs within clouds and where it strikes the ground. The data from the Lightning Detection System complement MSS’ weather radar, which shows in near real-time where rain is detected over the island and its surrounding region.
Intense thunderstorms may also lead to the formation of waterspouts and hailstones (see sidebar: Lesser-seen phenomena:
Waterspouts and Hailstones). It is not possible to predict these events, however, as they are fairly rare in Singapore.
The difference between weather and climateAsk the man on the street what caused the 2010 floods or the 2014 dry spell, and many will cite climate change.
At first, this seems consistent with findings from the Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Change’s (IPCC) 5th Assessment Report (AR5). In September 2013, IPCC reports stated that extreme weather would become more common, and for wet tropical regions rainfall will very likely become more intense and frequent.
But the real situation is complex, explains Cheong Wee Kiong, a Senior Research Scientist in the Climate
Modelling and Prediction section of the Centre for Climate Research Singapore (CCRS). “It is generally quite difficult to attribute an individual weather event to climate change. When Singapore experiences ‘extreme weather’, this may come from a combination of factors, including long-term climate change, the effects of urbanisation, and natural climate variability. Understanding how each one contributes is one of the most exciting and important scientific questions we are trying to answer.”
For example, to understand what triggered the recent prolonged dry spell in February 2014, CCRS analysed the atmospheric circulation and vertical profiles of temperature and humidity, and found that an unusual atmospheric circulation pattern had developed over the region at that time. It was a confluence of factors, related to warm temperatures in the western Pacific Ocean that manifested just when the region was experiencing the dry phase of a phenomenon known as the Madden-Julian Oscillation1.
“People often get confused when we talk about ‘seasonal forecasting’, because they think the tropics don’t have seasons. Actually there are cycles that we can observe on the timescale of months,” says Raizan Rahmat, another Senior Research Scientist in the CCRS team. “Phenomena like the Madden-Julian Oscillation and El Niño have a significant part to play in this. We want to understand if there will be future disruptions in how such phenomena behave.”
Role of El NiñoThe El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is a phenomenon characterised by unusually warm surface temperatures in the Pacific (or cooler during La Niña), as well as the associated anomalous atmospheric circulation. Meaning “the little boy” in Spanish (a reference to the Christ child), El Niño was so named because it usually affects South America around Christmas-time.
In normal conditions, trade winds blowing east-to-west over the tropical Pacific Ocean results in cold water along the equator and warm water in the western
oN average, there are thuNderstorms oN 168 days of the year, makiNg siNgapore’s frequeNcy of
lightNiNg strikes oNe of the highest iN the world.a waterspout is a rotating funnel of air that stretches from a cumulus cloud to a water body with wind speed in the range of 40-80km/h. it forms under cumulonimbus clouds during intense thunderstorms, as the lower pressure conditions under the clouds causes air to be sucked towards the base of the clouds. Waterspouts usually occur just before rain and dissipate after it starts raining. however, not all thunderstorms lead to the formation of waterspouts. they can pose a danger to vessels close to the vortex, but can usually be avoided once spotted from a distance. Waterspouts form occasionally in the warm shallow waters of Singapore and an average of three such occurrences has been reported yearly.
hailstones are precipitation in the form of lumps of ice. they range in size from a few millimetres up to tens of centimetres in diameter. hail only forms in thunderstorm clouds, also known as cumulonimbus clouds, with intense updrafts and downdrafts, high liquid water content, great vertical extent, large water droplets and where a good portion of the cloud layer is below freezing point (0°c).
hail forms when super-cooled water droplets freeze on contact with condensation nuclei, and are repeatedly updrafted to the upper part of the cloud, with each ascent increasing the mass of
ice. once a hailstone becomes too heavy to be supported by the storm’s updraft, it falls out of the cloud.
hail storms mainly occur at the mid-latitudes, as the warmer atmosphere in the tropics causes hail to melt before reaching the ground. in mid-latitude countries, hailstones can cause serious damage to crops and property as well as injure humans.
hailstorms are not common in Singapore, with only three reported occurrences from 2008 to 2013. in these instances, intense thunderstorms with strong downdrafts blow the hailstones to the ground before they melt. damage from hailstones has generally been minimal.
develop quickly. An added challenge in tracking the movement of such systems comes about when winds are light and variable.
As the dominant weather systems affecting Singapore can all give rise to heavy rainfall, it is no surprise that Singapore gets about 2,400mm of rain
annually. MSS issues alerts for heavy rain which the general public can access through various channels, such as the NEA website, the myENV App, and NEA’s Twitter feed.
Bolt from the blueWhile flooding from heavy rain can cause property damage and inconvenience the general public, it is very seldom fatal. By comparison, a lightning strike can have a much more severe impact.
On average, there are thunderstorms on 168 days of the year, making Singapore’s frequency of lightning strikes one of the highest in the world. Considering that so many people carry out activities in the open – national servicemen, school children, park visitors, golfers – timely alerts are crucial for public safety.
MSS has been providing lightning alerts for many years to its subscribers. In October 2013, it launched the Lightning Web Portal (online.weather.gov.sg/lightning) and Lightning@SG App to allow even more users to benefit
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tropical Pacific (Figure 1, centre). El Niño conditions develop when these trade winds weaken, causing the area of warm water to extend to the east of the Pacific Ocean (Figure 1, right). Conversely, La Niña conditions develop when the trade winds strengthen, which then intensifies the upwelling of cold, deep ocean water along the equator and the West coast of South America (Figure 1, left).
On average, El Niño and La Niña conditions occur every three to five years and are known to disrupt weather patterns globally and in the region. In Singapore, El Niño conditions typically result in drier weather, especially during the southwest monsoon period (from June to September).
In 1997, a particularly strong El Niño exacerbated land and forest fires in Sumatra and Kalimantan and was responsible for the most severe episode of transboundary smoke haze to affect
Singapore, before 2013. Locally, there was also a sharp reduction in rainfall, by 53 per cent from June to September. However, the relationship between the strength of the El Niño and impact on local rainfall is not always straightforward. From CCRS’ analysis, there are years when relatively weaker El Niño events induce a greater impact than stronger ones; the reverse is also true.
Earlier in 2014, the possibility of a strong El Niño made headlines, but scientists worldwide were quick to point out that the development of El Niño is extremely dynamic and there is always uncertainty to predictions.
Slumbering giants: regional geological hazardsSoutheast Asia is one of the most geologically active regions of the world, with earthquakes, tsunami and
volcanoes an ever-present threat. Many will remember the 2004 Boxing Day Tsunami, which produced widespread devastation and tragic loss of life all around the Indian Ocean.
Singapore sits in a relatively stable zone of continental crust, but it is not completely immune to geological hazards. In 2007 and 2012, sizeable earthquakes in Sumatra were felt in the city, causing alarm amongst residents and office-workers who experienced swaying of high-rise buildings. During the landmark eruption of Mount Pinatubo in the northern Philippines in 1991, air quality in Singapore deteriorated to the Moderate range, with 24-hour PSI levels ranging from 57 to 70 for three days in June.
While MSS is often associated with weather and climate work, it also monitors seismic activity, tsunamis and volcanic eruptions that could affect Singapore.
While the general public may only look up information on geological hazards occasionally, MSS provides agencies such as the Singapore Civil Defence Force, the Building and Construction Authority and the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore with information when significant events are detected.
As with weather monitoring, advanced sensors are an integral part of MSS’ operations in monitoring geological hazards. First set up in 1996, MSS’ network now includes five seismograph stations distributed over Singapore. In 2006, this was integrated with an Operational Tsunami Prediction and Assessment System (OTPAS), which models the onset and propagation path of tsunami waves, and can predict whether a tsunami is due to make landfall in Singapore. Simultaneously, MSS draws data from seismic stations in countries such as Malaysia, Indonesia and Australia, to augment the speed and accuracy of assessment.
In the event of a volcanic eruption in Southeast Asia, it is the emission of ash that poses the greatest potential impact to Singapore rather than the ejection of lava or rocks. This ash can be borne on the upper level winds in the form of a plume, affecting air quality and visibility. When significant eruptions occur, MSS issues advisories to the aviation sector, as well as to the public on the likelihood and potential impact.
In making its assessment on the impact on Singapore, MSS refers to advisories from the Volcanic Ash Advisory Centres (VAACs)2 as well as local observation data. Satellite imagery is used wherever
available to monitor and analyse the spread of volcanic ash. “However, ash plumes and emissions are difficult to discern from satellite imagery and features may also be obscured by cloud,” says Kathy Zhang, a Research Officer in MSS’ Hazard Risk and Impact Assessment Unit. “We therefore use dispersion models that can simulate the transport of windborne particles, and give us insight into where the plume is likely to travel. It’s a useful tool that complements the work of our MSS forecasters.”
MSS also works closely with experts in volcanology at the Earth Observatory of Singapore (EOS), a research centre of the Nanyang Technological University. EOS scientists developed a deep understanding of volcanic activity in Southeast Asia and the collaboration allows Singapore to benefit from improved analysis of volcanic eruptions and their potential effects.
Vigilance and innovationSingaporeans go through most days without worrying about extreme weather or natural hazards. MSS hopes that while this continues to be the case, we must remain continuously vigilant. “We live in a dynamic region that is highly vulnerable to severe weather and natural hazards,” says MSS Director-General Wong Chin Ling. “For Singapore to be prepared, MSS needs to continue innovating in the way that we monitor and predict weather and hazard events, and issue timely alerts to end users.”
As Singapore grows its globalised economy, reliable weather predictions and hazard advisories are critical in ensuring the smooth operation of aviation and maritime industries. With its dedication to understanding the complex drivers of weather and climate in the tropics and providing up-to-date forecasts, MSS supports the work of many others in keeping Singapore a resilient and vibrant place to live, work and play.
Figure 1: Changes in sea surface temperature and anomalous atmospheric circulation cause El Niño. Credit: NOAA
Weather and climate are globally interconnected, and while every country has its own national meteorological service, there is extensive collaboration across geographical boundaries.
locally, mSS has five manned meteorological stations, a comprehensive network of over 60 automatic Weather Stations located across the island, an upper air observatory, weather radar and various weather and environment satellite reception systems. its central Forecast office operates at changi airport, and it has a research facility (the centre for climate research Singapore) in paya lebar.
to further enhance its capabilities, mSS also receives global weather observation data through the global telecommunication System of the World meteorological organization (Wmo). mSS also has access to information from international climate centres that augment Singapore’s capacity to predict and assess phenomena such as the el Niño.
to foster regional collaboration, mSS also hosts the aSeaN Specialised meteorological centre (aSmc). the aSmc was established in 1993 and one of its key roles is to support monitoring and prediction of transboundary smoke haze in the region.
the 1883 eruption of Krakatau (also known as Krakatoa, an island volcano situated between Sumatra and Java) was one of the most notable natural events ever witnessed. it released about twice as much material as mount pinatubo in 1991, caused a local tsunami, and cost an estimated 36,000 lives. Krakatau produced the loudest volcanic explosion ever recorded by human observers. the bang was heard in Singapore, more than 800km away!
1 The Madden-Julian Oscillation is a major fluctuation in tropical weather on weekly to monthly timescales. It is characterised by an eastward moving “pulse” of cloud and rainfall along the equatorial region from the Indian Ocean to the western Pacific. Each cycle typically lasts about 30 to 60 days. It has a potential impact on seasonal rainfall over Singapore and the region.
2 Under the International Airways Volcano Watch System, nine Volcanic Ash Advisory Centres (VAAC) have been designated to advise the international aviation industry of the location and movement of volcanic ash clouds. The System was established by the International Civil Aviation Organization, in co-ordination with the World Meteorological Organization.
kRAkATAU
LOCAL CAPABILITIES, REGIONAL COOPERATION, GLOBAL NETWORkS
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Whether your comPanyoperates a trading floor in Manhattan, manufactures hard disks in Thailand, farms in
Russia, or conducts tours in the Philippines, one thing is increasingly obvious – the climate isn’t what it used to be. Tidal surges from strong storms, fires, typhoons, heat waves and flooding have all heavily affected business bottom lines in recent years, and it’s not going to stop there (see also, ENVISION Issue 4). To borrow from Nicolas Mounard: climate change is becoming a threat to business as usual, just as business as usual is propagating climate change.
Sound scienceResearch findings from the recent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Fifth Assessment Report wouldn’t give you much cause for comfort either. IPCC-reviewed research shows that:
• The evidence that manmade climate change is taking place is unequivocal
• The impacts and risks are already occurring, and that many areas are already vulnerable and under threat
• Climate change will continue for quite some time, as a function of accumulated emissions, and that some of these effects are already “baked” into the Earth’s system for decades to come
Reframing risk and opportunityBut if there is one bright spot, the fact that climate change is in significant part manmade means that action can be taken and, if fast and suitable enough, it may help ward off the worst of the effects from coming to pass.
According to co-chair of IPCC Working Group II, Professor Christopher Field, businesses can start to unravel climate change’s implications through a risk management lens. “Effectively, climate change is the same kind of problem that citizens, governments, and businesses already deal with,” he says. “Especially for businesses, this has to do with adequately managing risks.
“It’s not all about just the negative effects either. Climate change also offers business the opportunity to move into the ‘solutions’ space.” His colleague Prof Jean-Pascal van Ypersele, Vice-Chair of the IPCC agrees. “Climate change will pose many challenges, but also open opportunities for those who can transform it,” he says, citing countries like Singapore for already moving to tackle water supply issues by developing and commercialising new technology.
“There are many solutions, synergies, and benefits to be realised by taking on risks posed by climate change.”
Indeed, the recent Better Growth, Better Climate report put out by a commission of global leaders underscored that it is possible today to tackle climate change at the same time as improving economic performance.
“The decisions we make now will determine the future of our economy and our climate,” said Lord Nicholas Stern, Co-Chair of the Global Commission. “If we choose low-carbon investment we can generate strong, high-quality growth – not just in the future, but now. But if we continue down the high-carbon route, climate change will bring severe risks to long-term prosperity.”
Taking stockPerhaps they have a point, but what are the risks specifically? How can businesses
“it’s Not all about just the Negative effects either. climate chaNge also offers busiNess the
opportuNity to move iNto the ‘solutioNs’ space.”
better understand them, much less find the opportunities? While economists like Nicholas Stern, Bill Nordhouse, Marty Weitzman and Robert Stavins may debate the methodology for assessing the economic risk – the “how much, how fast, and how costly” – increasingly nation-specific studies are coming to light.
Released in mid-2014, the Risky Business Report took a stab at categorising economic risks for the United States. Key study findings included significant damage to coastal property and infrastructure from rising sea levels and storm surge (US$35 billion projected for
annual hurricane damage alone), climate driven changes in agricultural production (an estimated 10 per cent drop or more in yields in the coming decades, and increasing risk of crop losses), increase in energy demand (an estimated 95 gigawatts of new power needed at a cost of US$12 billion per year) and impact of higher temperatures on productivity and public health.
Concurrently, the Committee for Economic Development of Australia issued a report with some weighty comments: Australian businesses and investors operating in a global environment are increasingly impacted by the physical reality of climate change at the same time international activity on the issue is gaining traction, while their own political and business leaders seek to move in the opposite direction. It highlights that international capital
raisiNgclimate shifts are bringing many global uncertainties. Will business be resilient?
the evidence is mixed
stakes
ContributorChris Tobias, Nea
Ships washed ashore in the super typhoon devastated city of Tacloban. Typhoon Haiyan tore through the eastern and central Philippines beginning 08 November 2013 flattening homes toppling power lines and knocking out communications.
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flows are at risk, and that no business is immune from climate change.
In one poignant example, the report cites the community of Roma, a victim of recent flooding events. Had a levee been constructed at a cost of A$20 million, it would have prevented A$100 million in insurance payouts and flood claims since 2008, and a repair bill of over A$500 million incurred by the public and private sectors since 2005. Perhaps economists should take note of the evidence: for many, climate change is too much, too fast, and too costly already. Climate tipping points will only exacerbate this.
Lacking granularityOne would imagine that more communities, governments, and businesses will go through such painful wake-up calls in the coming years. Both uncertainties in climate science and economic arguments may prove too little too late, and the cost of inaction may grow higher.
But while studies like these provide useful “macro” brushstrokes, gleaning details for specific industry sectors or businesses gets more complicated. There is some very comprehensive work being done by the UK Met Office Hadley Centre on the human dynamics of climate change that is worth examination (see Resources box), but there are limits.
Degree of risk exposure depends on a number of factors, geographic location being one of them, as climate change will have irregular effects across our planet, and even within regions. Businesses with globalised supply chains have another dimension of complexity applied.
There are also economic, scientific, and political uncertainties that cloud the picture. So whether your business’ response to climate change hinges on, say, legally binding emissions targets set at the UNFCCC negotiations, renewal of feed-in tariffs for a renewable energy project in a US region, or climate model scaling to account for future flood potential in India, it may be a while before there are clear action points for business decision makers – unless they are willing to find creative interventions or even pony-up cash for advanced climate modelling in their own best interest.
Analysis paralysis Unsurprisingly, when reflecting on business reports with climate in mind, conundrums like these show many are confused, too scared to comment, or providing limited discussion on their climate related activities – often limited to basic mitigation efforts and greenhouse gas emission cuts alone, if anything.
As the recent Weathering the Storm: Building Business Resilience to Climate Change report by the Centre for Climate and Energy Solutions found, widespread discourse on adaptation, much less business resiliency, seems to be very light among leading multinational companies.
available (or are expensive to produce) it might explain the difficulty, but not justify inaction.
Interestingly, not all companies are in the dark though. The report profiled several leading multinationals taking advanced action on climate change, including their risk management strategies. These leaders were driven by significant opportunities to become more efficient, reduce costs or provide greater value to customers – eg. a clear business case – and had tried to branch out their thinking beyond historic precedents. This is the right thinking.
But for most companies surveyed, the most common strategies for addressing climate-related risks do not provide the resilience needed to weather the future physical impacts of climate change, the report found.
An equally startling finding from Weathering the Storm report was that even when climate risks are mentioned in reports, few companies provide the detail needed to fully inform investors of the risks. Ironically, in an era when capital flows for climate adaptation solutions are most critical, some less-informed investors may well be throwing their funds into floodwaters.
Increasing investor awareness, corporate actionNot all investors are naïve or oblivious however. Increasingly institutional investors worth trillions in capital are leading the line of enquiry.
Ernst & Young’s Tomorrow’s Investment Rules global survey noted sentiment that non-financial performance disclosed during reporting was a good benchmark for risk, and that absence of a strategy to create value in the long term was of interest. Of the respondents, 32 per cent said that they relied on their own judgment of environmental and social data when determining the impact of these factors on value creation and risk.
PwC research found in 2014 that 82 per cent of institutional investors polled were already considering climate change and resource scarcity in the last year, and 87 per cent were expected to consider it in the coming three years.
While these developments might not be focused exclusively on climate change as a core issue per se, there are certainly overlaps, and increasing institutional investor interest for business to take note.
Several milestones have already occurred. Amid shareholder pressure for transparency on potential for “stranded assets” resulting from market forces and climate regulation, oil giant ExxonMobil recently published a carbon asset risk report. Restaurant chain Chipotle also declared climate change as a material risk to its business in its SEC 10-K filings. Another consortium of companies and investors declared a shift towards both financial and non-financial climate reporting under the Climate Disclosure Standards Board Reporting Framework, regardless of legal requirement to do so. Their declaration noted that the effects of climate change will be growing in significance in coming years and likely to affect the performance of many businesses.
Progressing business strategySo, with the climate shifting, business risks growing, and investor interest on the rise, what are enlightened business leaders to do? Beyond perusing the latest UK Met Office research and IPCC reports, the Weathering the Storm report is again instructive.
It suggests the first stage is to build awareness across a company’s operations, and at all levels of those who would help form an effective response. From there, taking on a forward-looking point of view, vulnerabilities can be assessed building on existing business risk assessment activities to determine potential impacts. Historic precedents will simply not be enough.
Once risks are better understood, they can be better managed and there may also be opportunities along the way to improve value chain resilience, or perhaps even pursue new business offerings. Over time, as incidents of climate change related phenomena become increasingly apparent, companies should continue to evaluate their plans and adapt them to the latest developments.
While this is by no silver bullet, it does provide a useful framework for tomorrow’s companies to make sure they stay in business – and perhaps even realise early competitive advantage through R&D, new products and services, and cornering emerging markets. Businesses already thinking and acting ahead of the curve are more able to seize opportunities like these as they become apparent, something the laggards won’t enjoy. In any event, it beats waiting for an economist to tell you which way the wind will blow.
busiNesses ofteN lack details oN the precise
Nature, timiNg, aNd severity of climate impacts, aNd
iN this way iNvestmeNt iN resilieNce iNitiatives is
iNhibited beyoNd busiNess as usual, it was fouNd.
Using company reports, CDP survey results, public statements, media releases and case studies, the review found that uncertainties were major barriers preventing companies from achieving resilience against rising risks of climate change impacts. Businesses often lack details on the precise nature, timing, and severity of climate impacts, and in this way investment in resilience initiatives is inhibited beyond business as usual, it was found.
Sure, there are corporate risk management practices underway. The study found in many instances though that companies only planned – often to their detriment – using historical assumptions and previously available data. They made the fatal error that future events would be similar to what had already taken place. One super flood incident could show the folly of that logic – ask Toyota and Honda about Thailand.
If “downscaled” local climate models or accurate projections aren’t readily
UK Met Office Hadley Centre – Human Dynamics of Climate Change Maphttp://bit.ly/1u7evd6
Weathering the Storm: Building Business Resilience to Climate Change Reporthttp://bit.ly/isziqs
A critical foundation for companies taking concrete
steps to enhance their resilience is building a clear understanding of
the risks associated with extreme weather and
climate change.
companies can build on existing business risks assessment activities
to identify the impacts that future changes in the likelihood or magnitude
of extreme weather events could have on their operations and facilities.
once potential impacts are identified, companies must
develop plans toprioritize actions to
manage these risks and maximize opportunities.
leading companies, recognizing that the risks of
extreme weatherand climate change will evolve over time, are beginning today to
develop adaptive risk management planning.
BUILd AWARENESS
ASSESSMENTANd REVIEW
MANAGE RISkSANd PURSUE
OPPORTUNITIES
ASSESSVULNERABILITIES
1 2 3 4
Credit: Weathering the Storm: Building Business Resilience to Climate Change – Center for Climate and Energy Solutions
FOUR STEPS FOR MANAGING CLIMATE RISkS:
028 029Issue 7
global brIefIng
red alertdengue is a mosquito-borne disease, transmitted through the bite of its vector: an infective Aedes female mosquito. the disease is potentially fatal, with about 40 per cent of the world’s population at risk from dengue. mirroring the global situation, Singapore’s increase in human density and urban development, coupled with globalisation, has created living environments that are not only conducive for the Aedes mosquito vector to thrive in, but also for transmission of the dengue virus. globally, the dengue epidemic has become a potent environmental threat.
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Managing ecological public health risks
031iSSue 7
Singapore’S dengue control programme led by NEA focuses on controlling the mosquito vector, through the integration
of community-based source reduction, with inter-epidemic surveillance, outbreak prevention and control measures.
The Aedes mosquito vector is very well adapted to our urban environment, propagating in artificial containers in and around human dwellings. The typical dengue season spans May to October, and Singapore’s robust surveillance system is built around four cornerstones.
Tracking dengue cases with the medical communityFirst, case surveillance helps detect the cases as soon as possible. To facilitate early detection, PCR and NS1 antigen tests, which can diagnose dengue cases as early as the first or second day of fever, have been introduced into various clinical laboratories. A programme that offers subsidised testing for primary healthcare patients was also initiated.
Second, viral surveillance of the PCR- or NS1-positive samples obtained from the network of general practitioners is used to determine the serotype and genotype of the circulating viruses, to map out their spatial and temporal distribution. This allows for sensing of imminent dengue outbreaks as early as possible. Switches in predominant serotypes, as well as the emergence of uncommon serotypes (e.g. DENV-3 and DENV-4 that have been uncommon in Singapore in the past decade) have been used as early warnings of outbreaks or a possible increase in intensity of transmission.
Identifying virus diversityThird, genetic finger-printing of dengue viruses has contributed to the understanding of the diversity of those that are present in Singapore. It was observed that new virus genotypes are constantly introduced here. While most of these were not sustained (probably due to the relatively low Aedes population), a few among them would lead to localised clusters. At the same time, some genotypes also undergo evolution locally.
Consequently, the combination of constant, multiple importations and local evolution of dengue viruses increases the risk of Singapore receiving viruses with improved fitness that could contribute to outbreaks. A replacement of a predominant viral clade (e.g. viral group), even in the absence of a switch in predominant serotype, could signal a possible increase in dengue transmission.
Singapore’s experience has been that monitoring of viral serotypes and genotypes provides early warning. It offers up to six months’ lead time for intensifying source reduction measures and for garnering community efforts to suppress the mosquito vector population. Such prompt intervention has helped moderate the size of outbreaks.
Destroying breeding groundsFourth, knowing where mosquitoes are breeding is also important. Entomological surveillance in the form of house-to-house checks is undertaken by 750 ground officers who aim to check every home and its surrounding area every three months. Checks include a series of systematic intensive source reduction exercises to suppress the Aedes mosquito population before the dengue “season”
approaches. This allows for detection and removal of existing breeding sites, creates community awareness and identifies potential breeding sites due to infrastructural defects for rectification.
These ground operations are orchestrated using a spatio dengue model that takes into account a large number of environmental factors. This model helps focus efforts where they can be most impactful ahead of major outbreaks (see also, ENVISION Issue 5).
Ramping up community outreachHowever these surveillance activities are only part of the equation. The public can, and should, play a critical role in dengue prevention and control. Common things like clogged drains, stagnant water, in gardens, or even vases full of water may readily become breeding habitats.
Sustaining community vigilance and participation to prevent mosquito breeding is essential.
Decades of public education and community outreach have led to a high level of community awareness for dengue and the Aedes mosquito vector. Still, getting the community to do their part in keeping their premises mosquito-free on a sustained basis remains an ongoing challenge.
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Managing ecological public health risks
To better accomplish this, a systematic approach to improve community outreach is used. It comprises the following steps: • Understanding the ground situation:
Knowing who to reach out to, what the ground triggers are, where the location
of clusters are, when trending of dengue incidence is taking place, and the underlying motivations that determine whether an individual takes action to prevent mosquito breeding.
• Identifying the target groups: Determining who the targets for the outreach are.
• Identifying the key messages and means of outreach: Deciding what the messages are to convey to each target group.
• Piloting the outreach initiatives: Testing the initiative on a small scale to determine effectiveness before scaling up.
One is national-level publicity, such as the “Do the Mozzie Wipe-Out” campaign. This aims to sustain dengue prevention with participants performing a five-step action plan to eliminate mosquito breeding areas.
The campaign also welcomes more volunteers from the community to join in efforts via calling the dengue hotline at 1800-X-DENGUE (1800-933-6483), emailing [email protected], signing up through the ‘Stop Dengue Now’
Mr Ganesan Kulandai is a property officer who carries out maintenance
work and checks the cleanliness of buildings under his care. Extending the ownership of the environment beyond his workplace, Mr Ganesan
is also a man of mission who has sought out the dengue danger in his
neighbourhood in Everton Estate over the past 15 years. He believes that concerted efforts in the community are essential to stamp out dengue.
He has been regularly conducting checks for mosquito breeding in the
neighbourhood and advising residents on dengue prevention. He believes
that this will add a ‘personal touch’ to the residents and they will be more likely to remove any stagnant water
in their homes and common areas.
• Rolling out the programmes: Implementing the programmes at both nationwide and district levels, usually with the support of relevant stakeholders.
• Reviewing programme effectiveness: Assessing the effectiveness through
surveys and focus group discussions.
National campaignsWith this approach in mind, NEA takes a two-pronged means of outreach.
Facebook page, visiting www.dengue.gov.sg, and using the myENV app to get the latest updates on the dengue situation in their area.
The timing of national-level publicity efforts like these is guided by prevailing dengue transmission, so that the messaging can be calibrated according to the severity of the situation.
Targeted programmesAnother aspect of outreach is a series of targeted, group-specific channels, such as outreach programmes for residents, migrant workers and domestic helpers. These are often language-specific to further aid communication efficacy.
An example of an outreach event is dengue volunteer training conducted together with the People’s Association (PA) Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT).
Above: CERT training underway with community residents
Left: Assoc Prof Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim (left), the Adviser of Nee Soon Central, launched the Training CERTs to DPVGs programme with freshly-trained DPVG volunteers on 29 June 2014, together with NEA’s Director General of Public Health Derek Ho (right)
A neighbour-to-neighbour approach is considered most effective due to the familiarity factor. With PA’s help, NEA convenes a training session for new groups of grassroots leaders and members of the community. These are often some of the most passionate members of a neighbourhood who will enthusiastically get involved in spreading key messages and helping with further outreach.
Presentations, skit performances, live mosquito demonstrations and dengue exhibitions may be used, depending on the crowd size. After the training, a hands-on house visit may also take place with NEA officers.
By activating members of the community, NEA can branch out deeper and wider to keep a constant focus on cluster areas. Beyond collaborations like the one with CERT, NEA also does other outreach events
By activating memBers of the community, nea can Branch out deeper and wider to keep a constant focus on
cluster areas.
and promotional activities periodically in communities, with companies and industry, in schools and even with other government agencies.
The never-ending battleThese efforts show just some of the many tactics employed to better prevent and manage dengue outbreaks.
While some of these community-based source reduction, inter-epidemic surveillance, outbreak prevention and control measures have helped tighten response times, as long as there are mosquitoes with a viable habitat and no widely successful vaccine, dengue will remain a pertinent environmental threat to humans.
Continued vigilance and public participation must be maintained to ensure outbreaks are quickly dealt with, and that new responses are developed to meet emergent challenges.
034 035Issue 7
ManagIng ecologIcal publIc health rIsks
numerouS Surveillance, community outreach and technical efforts have been employed to stop dengue from spreading. But in addition a novel biological tool is being explored to see if further gains can be made
to stop the mosquito vector population from increasing. The technology involves using male Aedes aegypti mosquitoes
carrying the natural and common Wolbachia bacteria, to result in eggs that do not hatch, thus causing a reduction in the mosquito population.
What is Wolbachia?Wolbachia are naturally occurring bacteria found in more than 60 per cent of insect species, including dragonflies, butterflies and fruit flies. Some mosquito species such as Culex quinquefasciatus and Aedes albopictus naturally carry the bacteria.
Biological BattleWill a natural and common microorganism shape the fight to crush dengue? of ‘sterility’ is due to a phenomenon known as ‘Cytoplasmic
Incompatibility’ (CI). Research data from EHI have confirmed that the mating of
Wolbachia-carrying males with local wild-type females results in no viable offspring. The release of such Wolbachia-carrying Aedes aegypti males (which do not bite or transmit disease) to compete with wild-type males for wild-type females, can theoretically lead to a reduction in the mosquito population over time.
The ultimate goal is suppression of the Aedes population to a level that cannot sustain dengue transmission. EHI’s data suggest that, under laboratory conditions, Wolbachia-carrying Aedes aegypti males are able to compete with wild-type males for mating. This shows promise for the competitiveness of such Wolbachia-carrying Aedes aegypti males, and thus subsequent successful mating in the field.
Previous successful overseas pilot studiesThe use of Wolbachia-carrying male mosquitoes for population control is not new. A pilot study sponsored by the World Health
The Aedes aegypti mosquito – the female of which is the primary vector of dengue – does not naturally carry the bacteria, but scientists have now managed to introduce the bacteria into this mosquito species.
The potential for using Wolbachia-carrying mosquitoes for vector population and disease control was first discovered in the 1960s.
Laboratory testing underwayNEA’s Environmental Health Institute (EHI) is studying the feasibility of using novel vector control tools such as Wolbachia technology, to complement existing control measures.
Aedes aegypti female mosquitoes, after mating with Aedes aegypti male mosquitoes that carry Wolbachia, produce eggs that do not hatch, and it has been recognised that and form
Organization (WHO) in Myanmar, in 1967, showed that the release of Wolbachia-carrying Culex quinquefasciatus males led to zero per cent hatch rate of mosquito eggs by the twelfth week. Such a strategy has also been successfully trialled in a Pacific island in 2009, for suppression of the Aedes polynesiensis population.
Ensuring safetyAs part of efforts to ensure that the use of Wolbachia technology to control dengue is feasible, more experiments in laboratories will be performed. NEA has appointed a Dengue Expert Advisory Panel to provide professional advice on new modalities for dengue control, particularly on the use of Wolbachia for suppression of the Aedes population.
The multi-disciplinary panel comprises both local and international experts, with specialised knowledge on vector-borne diseases, entomology, epidemiology, virology and public health. The panel will assess the suitability of using Wolbachia-carrying Aedes aegypti males for reducing the impact of dengue in Singapore, taking local epidemiology and ecology into consideration.
NEA will also be working with other relevant domain experts and stakeholders to ensure that this strategy can achieve a demonstrable impact on dengue, without negatively impacting the natural ecology.
While NEA explores the potential of this novel Wolbachia technology as part of Singapore’s integrated dengue control programme, source reduction remains key. Only with continued and sustained community effort to remove mosquito breeding and their habitats will the low Aedes aegypti numbers provide an opportunity for such a new tool to further reduce the mosquito population and thus be impactful.
the ultimate goal is suppression of the aedes population to a level that
cannot sustain dengue transmission.
Wolbachia
Male aedes aegypti Mosquito
Male aedes aegypti Mosquito CaRRyINg
Wolbachia
FeMale aedes aegypti Mosquito
Mosquito eggsDo NoT hatch
036 037Issue 7
ManagIng ecologIcal publIc health rIsks
“Glad I checked…” The new and improved myENV
Lightning@SG
Be glad you checked first before heading outdoors with two must-have NEA apps
Whether you’re off to the beach, need to check air quality, or want to find your nearest hawker centre, the newly revamped myENV app will give you useful information at your fingertips – in near real-time! With refreshed design, users can personalise the app to display details of their choice, and also set alerts and push notifications. The new myENV is also ‘location aware’ so users can choose to receive environment information relevant to where they are. Giving NEA feedback is also a breeze with a new geo-tagged snap-and-send module.
Lightning never strikes twice in the same place – and trust us, you don’t want to be standing there the first time. Lightning@SG is the app that provides you with the current lightning situation in Singapore using information from the latest lightning detection and location system.
Features• Location of lightning strikes
• Thundery showers forecast
• Weather Radar Rain Area
• Push notification Alert for lightning and thundery showers
• Voice Alert (only when the app is on foreground)
Features• Access real-time information on
Singapore’s weather and receive heavy rainfall alerts
• View latest air quality information
• Locate dengue clusters and improve dengue situation awareness
• Search for hawker centres by name or proximity
• Obtain useful information such as current listings of licensed food caterers and vector control operators
• Get 3R (Reduce, Reuse and Recycle) tips
• View latest NEA’s events and happenings
• Sign up as a volunteer
• Submit your feedback to NEA on your mobile device
…and many more!
Get it on iTunes (iPhone)
Get it on iTunes (iPhone)
http://bit.ly/1jc9Nxt
http://bit.ly/1iaquzq
Get it on Google Play (Android)
Get it on Google Play (Android)
http://bit.ly/1pvKoov
http://bit.ly/xjfp8n
ADs
Hwa Seng Builder Pte Ltd (HSB) is a leading civil engineering and construction provider, providing an integrated range of professional civil engineering works and construction- related services in the areas of Aircraft Pavement, Highways and Expressways, Vehicular Bridges, Drainage works, Earthwork, Golf Course, Roadways, Runway and Taxiway, Sewerage, Slope Protection, Soil Erosion Control, Addition & Alteration and General Building Construction.
76 Joo Koon Circle Singapore 629096 Tel: 65608698 Fax: 65600529 Email: [email protected]
Cert No.: 98-2-0889ISO 9001 : 2008
Cert No.: 2006-0349ISO 14001 : 2004
Cert No.: OHS-2006-0148BS OHSAS 18001 : 2007
HSB financial strength is constantly assessed by leading credit rating agency. Our sound track record, personnel, and financial standing are additional references when being evaluated for major public tenders. Over the years, HSB has successfully completed numerous projects and have achieved and received many awards.
Today, by leveraging on our solid track record and expertise in the industry, HSB is registered with the Building & Construction Authority of Singapore under A1 classification for Civil Engineering (CW02).
HSB is always committed to adopting best practices in many aspects of environmental and safety management. Our unwavering commitment to world-class standards of quality and service can be seen in the many awards garnered. These include ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and BS OHSAS 18001, bizSAFE STAR, LTA Certificate of Merit for Construction Environmental Award, LTA Safety Excellence Award and BCA Green & Gracious Award.
www.hwaseng.com.sg
A leading civil engineering and construction provider
Isuzu Envision_220mm x 293mm_PATH.indd 1 2/5/14 10:20 AM
Your Trusted Partner in Metal Waste Recycling
NatSteel RecyclingIncorporated in 1997, NatSteel Recycling is the metal recycling arm of the NatSteel Group, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Tata Steel. Today, we are the largest metal recycler in Singapore with a comprehensive network of recycling yards spread across the island, providing complete metal recycling services to the industrial, commercial and construction sectors.
Every year, NatSteel Recycling collects and processes more than half a million tonnes of locally generated metal waste and converts them into high quality, radiation-free reinforcement steel for the Singapore construction industry.
NatSteel Recycling is committed to be a global benchmark in safety and environment, ethical business conduct, regulatory compliance and corporate governance. We are the only metal recycler in Singapore who is ISO18001 accredited. NatSteel Recycling is also accorded as a bizSAFE Partner enterprise.
Our Expertise and Advantages• Prompt bins and metal waste pick-up
and service dispatch• Quarterly 3rd-party audit on weigh
bridge calibration• Transparent, controlled and optimised
destruction process of which visitors are welcome to observe
• Destruction certificate to ensure that customers’ proprietary disposed items are completely smelted
• Purchase summary and calibration report available upon request
• Organised and reliable truck fleet• Extensive fleet of 300+ Bins (with GPS
tracking and monitoring)• Availability of different types of shears
and processing equipments• Capabilities to process different types
• Term Contract Cleaning (Commercial/Industrial/Residential)
• Carpet/Upholstery Shampooing
• Marble Polishing
• Vinly and ESD Waxing
• External Facade Cleaning
• Water Damage Restoration
• Grass Cutting & Gardening
material issuesthomas breitkopf, board member of recycling behemoth
remoNdiS, talks technology innovation and asian recycling market
What are some of the ways in which bottom-line savings can be made through recycling?Raw materials are becoming increasingly scarce throughout our planet, thereby increasing production costs and – ultimately – product prices. The production industry is dependent on a constant supply of affordable commodities. To recognise waste as a potent source of valuable raw materials can take some of the environmental and economic pressure off the industry.
Furthermore, customers are increasingly aware of environmental issues and hold producers accountable for any damage done to environment and climate. By increasing recycling efforts and thereby reducing the carbon footprint, companies can not only improve their public image but also contribute to a sustainable and affordable supply of raw materials. In Germany, about 14 per cent of industry’s raw material demand is already met with recycled raw material from the national waste stream.
Part of your business involves removing pollutants that cannot be recycled from waste. How hopeful are you that new technology will change this, and what is REMONdIS doing to develop new solutions?Every industrialised society produces hazardous waste and pollutants for which there is currently no other means of treatment but thermal incineration at high temperature levels. It is of vital importance for the environment and our climate that all hazardous waste incinerators are fitted with secondary combustion chambers, sufficient filter equipment and flue gas cleaning devices.
Our company operates a number of such facilities for the safe removal of hazardous and special waste. The combustion temperature is a minimum 1,100°C at the exit point of the secondary combustion chamber to ensure that the hazardous substances contained in the waste are transformed into environmentally harmless material.
045Issue 7
reSource recovery
However, the European waste framework directive clearly states in its five-step waste treatment hierarchy that incineration is the second least favoured means of waste disposal, only followed by landfilling as the last option. In accordance with these regulations, REMONDIS is constantly working on new procedures to extract as much recyclable material as possible from any kind of waste in order to increase the actual material recycling quota which currently lies at 79 per cent in Germany. Our own environmental laboratory UCL (Umwelt Control Labor) analyses input material to determine the best possible means of treatment for each individual substance while at the same time researching and developing new methods and treatment processes to further increase the recycling quota.
Much of Asia is at an earlier stage of industrial development than the West and has an opportunity to avoid some of the same environmental mistakes. To what extent do you think this opportunity is being realised?There are good examples and bad examples. China for example is facing massive environmental problems, particularly with water and air pollution. But China has also committed itself to invest a considerably higher percentage of her gross national product in new technologies such as waste water treatment plants, flue gas desulphurisation equipment for power plants, plastics, paper and scrap metal recycling. So, there is hope for measurable improvement in the nearer future. Less developed countries in Asia should take environmental issues into account at the earliest possible stage of their industrial development. That would be the best way to prevent environmental damage from the start and build their industry on a solid and sustainable base.
Your company has stated previously that Asia is one of its most important future markets. What is in the pipeline?Asia with its growing number of middle-class consumers and economic growth certainly is one of the most important markets, particularly since many areas do not yet have waste treatment facilities and technologies that are able to catch up with the environmental demands which come with such accelerated growth. Our most recent project is a new metal recovery facility in Singapore to be developed and operated by REMONDIS’ own REMEX Mineralstoff GmbH (REMEX).
The new plant is built to recover ferrous and non-ferrous metals from incineration bottom ash (IBA) generated by the incineration plants. REMEX, which specialises in metal recovery from IBA and operates similar facilities in the Netherlands and Germany, has set up a local, wholly owned subsidiary in Singapore known as M/s REMEX Minerals Singapore Pte Ltd, to operate the metal recovery facility.
REMONDIS’ activities in China really started in Taiwan where we began operating a plastics recycling plant a few years ago. From there we took the idea of a sustainable economy with a strong industrial recycling focus to the Chinese mainland. Hazardous and special waste that accumulates in any industrial
nation has always been part of that concept. Today, we have recycling capacities for about 100,000 tonnes of hazardous waste, mainly in Shanghai and Changchun. We intend to double that capacity within the next two years.
Other activities in China include the know-how transfer through consulting services for existing plants, for instance in Chongqing. We are currently looking into the possibility to construct and operate biogas and composting facilities in Hong Kong, the treatment of medical waste, the production of special chemicals for waste water treatment plants and the need for solvent recycling facilities throughout Asia.
In 2012, REMONdIS developed its own environmental certification. How important do you think certification is, and what led to this development when other standards already exist?We were frequently asked by customers from various business areas whether it would be possible to number in detail their contribution to climate and environmental protection achieved through our waste treatment services for each individual customer. Together with the German ATZ Institute we developed a new sustainability certificate with which the
environmental balance of each individual customer can be documented on request.
The certificate is based on a software tool developed by the German government’s advisor on raw materials issues, Prof Faulstich, and the ATZ development centre. The whole of the chain of services provided by REMONDIS is included in the analysis: from the collection of the waste at the customer’s facility, to the transport, sorting and processing, to the recycling of each fraction. An environmental balance sheet is then calculated along the whole of the recycling chain for a selection of waste types, which are generated by the customers and which REMONDIS has been commissioned to treat.
Such waste includes paper, cardboard, card, plastic film, plastics, wood, glass, bio-waste and green waste, kitchen and canteen waste, cooking oils and fats, food that is unsuitable for human consumption as well as cooling appliances. At the end of the analytical process, the customer receives an individual sustainability certificate from REMONDIS and ATZ, the results of which it can use for its own environmental balance sheet. It includes the customer’s individual reduction rate of CO2 emissions (in tonnes), the amount of primary raw materials substituted through recycling (in tonnes) and the amount of electrical power and process heat (in kW/h) produced with residual waste for incineration. This certificate has turned out to be an important tool for our customers to prove their sustainability efforts based on concrete data.
REMONdIS has made a number of acquisitions in recent years. How important do you think scale is in this industry, and what opportunities remain for small companies and individuals?The German example clearly shows that smaller companies find it increasingly difficult to survive in a market that requires large investments. These small businesses are therefore often limited to mere waste collection. When it comes to recycling and treatment, you have to have a certain company size and investment power to meet the demands. The resulting consolidation process is still continuing in Germany and I reckon it is safe to say that a similar development can be expected in other parts of the world as well.
What do you think has been the most exciting change or breakthrough in the industry during your career?This would definitely be the introduction of the German TaSI law, also known as “Technical regulation for the treatment of municipal waste”. It finally came into effect in 2005 after a long transition period
allowing the industry to adapt to the most radical change in environmental law in Germany.
The new regulation stated that henceforth municipal waste must not be landfilled without prior treatment, preferably material recycling or if that is not technically feasible, thermal incineration.
The consequence was that within just a few years the industry had to build a large number of recycling and incineration plants to comply with the new law. Most old landfills could be closed and re-naturalised and the amount of inert waste that would still end up in landfills was reduced to a mere 8 per cent of its original volume. The overall recycling quota in Germany jumped from less than 20 per cent to 65 per cent and is now officially at 79 per cent according to the German Ministry of Environment.
What do you think the resource recovery industry will look like in 10 years?That is hard to say because recycling – more than most other industries – totally depends on the economic circumstances in which it can develop. To give an example, a temporary price slump for commodities such as scrap metal or paper can easily render recycling facilities for these materials in-deficit. Preferably, the recycling industry will have grown considerably in 10 years because more and more countries and industries recognise the need to produce in a sustainable manner, reduce their carbon footprint and increase their efforts to protect the environment and the climate.
the New regulatioN stated that heNceforth muNicipal waste must Not
be laNdfilled without prior treatmeNt, preferably material recycliNg or if
that is Not techNically feasible, thermal iNciNeratioN.
Workers separating paper and plastic on a conveyor belt in a recycling facility
046 047Issue 7
resource recovery
up dhl, Starhub and teS-amm join forces to champion electronic waste recycling in Singapore, and grow consumer device collection
one of SingaPore’S Pioneering e-WaSte recycling ProgrammeS is moving to the next level.
StarHub first launched its E-Waste Recycling Programme during Earth Hour 2012 with e-waste recycling provider TES-AMM, a leading global electronics consultant and waste recycler. The programme, which now has bins in 30 locations island-wide, collected nearly 2,700kg in its first year (see also ENVISION Issue 5). An expansion in August 2012, including a bin at The Environment Building, saw e-waste collections rise to over 6,500kg in 2013. As of September, the amount
of e-waste collected for 2014 alone stands at over 5,600kg.
But now, together with DHL Express, the companies are going even bigger, with expansion plans to have over 100 bin locations across Singapore by the end of 2014 for increased reach to the ever-growing number of electronics users. This will give members of the public many opportunities to safely dispose of unwanted electronic devices and equipment for free – knowing that the waste will be harvested for precious and re-usable raw materials that might otherwise become a hazardous source of environmental pollution.
Now rebranded as the REcycling
Nation’s Electronic Waste (RENEW) programme, the voluntary community initiative will see StarHub provide more bins, TES-AMM continue with recycling, and DHL help enhance logistics efficiencies for the expanded electronic waste management programme.
According to the NEA, Singapore produces about 60,000 tonnes of electronic waste every year, split roughly evenly between domestic and industrial sources.
E-waste contains toxic substances and its improper disposal can lead to serious pollution and health problems. Rapid changes in technology, shorter life-cycles before a product is obsolete, changes in media (tapes, software, MP3) and falling
prices have resulted in a fast-growing surplus of electronic waste around the globe.
Devices such as mobile phones are dismantled by hand and split into four key recycling components – plastic housing and keypads; printed circuit boards; batteries; and ferrous metals – and are an extremely labour-intensive process. TES-AMM has developed safe and effective recycling procedures for main electronic goods from mobile phones to laptops with the maximum extraction of re-usable
materials and the environmentally safe disposal of what remains.
Over time, the programme’s ultimate aim is to have an e-waste recycling bin at educational institutions, major malls, major government offices, major office buildings and Community Clubs. The plan is to roll out hundreds of bins over two to three years, with constant monitoring of public response and adoption.
The RENEW programme accepts e-waste from individuals – not bulk e-waste from companies – deposited
at designated e-bins. Acceptable items include mobile phones, cable modems, laptops, DVD, VCR and VCD players, remote controls, keyboards, hard disk drives, modems, mice, wires, set-top boxes, docking stations, MP3 players, telephones, and lithium-ion batteries.
All members of the public are encouraged to recycle their electronic waste at these bins.
For more details, please visit www.starhub.com/renew
how does the programme work?
4
1
3
2
e-waste such as used mobile phones are dropped off by members of the public at any of the reNeW bin locations island-wide.
devices are taken to teS-amm recycling facilities where they are disassembled and sorted.
dhl collects the contents of the bins periodically as they become full.
The leftover materials are channelled for further recovery:
• circuit boards are processed in-house for base metals which are exported to overseas smelters for further refining and recovery.
• precious metals, in minute quantities, are recovered in-house and refined for sale locally to jewellers.
are sorted and sold to brokers who will then grade and pack in bulk for sales to overseas smelters.
• plastics: teS-amm has in-house capabilities to recover some of the plastic waste streams recovered. remaining volumes are transferred to local downstream plastic recyclers who will recycle them into pellets/resins.
• hazardous materials are properly disposed of using state-of-the art pollution-control technology.
From left to right: Herbert Vongpusanachai (DHL), Tan Tong Hai (StarHub), Minister Vivian Balakrishnan (MEWR) and Scott Mac Meekin (TES-AMM) signing the RENEW MOU
scaliNg
048 049Issue 7
resource recovery
aS an iSland, taiWan is 36,000 km2 large with a population of 23.2 million people, many of whom reside
in urban areas. Hailed as one of the Asian Tiger economies, its development trajectory has been envied by those less established in the region.
Alongside its economic acceleration, Taiwan is also touted as an example to follow when it comes to recycling. It has one of the highest household recycling rates in the world, roughly 54 per cent in 2013 (when including food and bulk waste). This is up from 5 per cent in 1998, according to its Environmental Protection Administration (EPA). How it made such a noteworthy improvement and culturally incorporated recycling in a matter of just a few years makes for an interesting case study.
Born out of necessityDue to population growth and increased in material consumption, waste rapidly became a critical issue in recent decades of development. Landfills were nearing their thresholds and illegal dumping was problematic.
“Before the year 2000, municipal governments needed to deal with waste
how taiwan achieved a 54 per cent household recycling rate amidst rapid economic development
problems, but many could not build proper landfills,” says Arthur Chen Hung-Yi, Deputy Executive Secretary and Senior Specialist at the Recycling Fund Management Board.
“There were 55 illegal landfills in river areas in Taiwan in 1997. That year, the EPA announced these sites must be closed before 1 June,” he says. Things were far from smooth sailing: Chen notes that the city of Jungli with a population of 310,000 people had municipal solid waste (MSW) piling up in the streets for about a month.
It became clear that a new and holistic approach was needed to reduce MSW. The increasing presence of electronic and hazardous waste materials also lacked widespread disposal facilities, which added another challenge.
The EPA, charged with managing MSW issues, recognised the need for policy and handling interventions to keep up with the situation.
Structure of the EPAAs an organisation, the EPA is structured to handle waste issues in three main ways:• The Department of Waste Management
handles policy and law for areas like incinerator bottom ash reuse, and recyclable waste such as paper, CDs, and mobile phones
• The Bureau of Environmental Inspection oversees incinerator and landfills management, and also handles the recycling of food and bulk waste
• The Recycling Fund Management Board governs regulated recyclable waste (RRW), which covers everything from iron containers to electronics and even automobiles – waste streams that incur a fee for use which in turn funds their respective recycling programmes
Supporting legislationBuilding off this internal structure, stake-holder outreach efforts were underpinned by a series of progressively introduced or enhanced legislation covering different aspects of waste disposal. Collectively, these ensured that critical aspects of the disposal, handling, and recycling process could be holistically addressed.
Towards resource recoveryTaiwan’s efforts have been successful for involving players at many levels. Under EPA’s guidance, a four-in-one approach to resource recycling was established in 1997-98 to engage many parties that had a hand in waste creation or its disposal.
“To help promote the four-in-one efforts, Taipei city government piloted a garbage bag fee test programme in 1998 at the same time that the general public was opposed to new landfills being built,” Chen says. “The pilot was for two districts, but by 2000, the programme was implemented in all districts of Taipei and reduced MSW by
more than 30 per cent.”It involved coordinating communities,
private recycling industries, local municipal governments’ collection systems, and subsidies provided by the Recycling Fund. To bankroll the fund, manufacturers and importers pay a fee based on the estimated cost of collecting rubbish, which the EPA then distributes to recycling companies to ensure proper processing of RRW.
Many efforts followed this initial push, including a garbage bag fee system in Taipei, increased promotion of food waste recycling, an acknowledged shift towards Zero Waste policy, and waste separation mandate in municipalities.
Later in 2005, the EPA developed a formalised MSW handling and clearance structure dubbed as “Sort three, Taiwan free”. It designates that by sorting recyclable, food, and bulk waste out of MSW streams, general waste that remains can then be handled mostly through incineration to further reduce volumes, helping Taiwan to become more “free” of waste.
QUICk SUMMARY OF IMPORTANT ASPECTS FROM THE WASTE dISPOSAL ACT (WdA)
Article 5 (2006)the epa shall determine the recycling items, and local competent authorities may add other recycling items.
Example: epa lists paper, iron, aluminium, glass, plastic, cds, mobile phones and chargers, and rrW must be collected for recycling. taipei city government added old clothes, clean plastic bags as recycling items.
Article 12 (2004)the epa shall determine regulations for transporting, sorting, storage, discharge, methods, equipment, and reuse of general waste.
Example: as of 2005, staff of epa/epb check garbage bags for compliance upon collection; food waste and resource waste must be sorted.
Article 15 (1998)the manufacturer or importer of rrW shall bear responsibility for recycling, clearance, and disposal of such material. the epa shall officially announce the scope of rrW.
Example: rrW waste included and subject to a fee for use are iron, aluminium, glass, plastic, and paper containers, pesticide containers, general and lead-acid batteries, automobiles and motorcycles, it electronics and household appliances, and fluorescent lamps.
Article 23 (1997)From march 28, 1997, surplus fees related to joint recycling, clearance, and disposal organisations established by responsible enterprises in accordance with Wda shall be allocated to the resource recycling management Fund (rrmF)
Example: in 1997, the rrmF surplus was Ntd 5.3 billion. as of 2013, the surplus is Ntd 8.3 billion. these funds are applied to ensuring proper recycling facilities and processes exist for rrW materials throughout the country.
REGULATEd RECYCLABLE WASTE
(RRW)RECYCLING
FEE MUST BE COLLECTEd
Iron Containers
Pesticide Containers
General Battery
Automobile/Motocycle
Tyres
Lead-acid Battery
Electronics IT object
Household Appliance
Fluorescent Lamp
AluminumContainers
GlassContainersPaper
Containers
PlasticContainers
$
makiNg a more beautiful islaNd Locals and tourists walking at the
Ximending street market in Taipei.
050 051Issue 7
resource recovery
“Between 1990-2000, many EPA staff, NGOs, and local government officers visited Singapore, Japan and Europe to learn from their experiences,” says Chang Chi-Cheng, Director of Cleaning Unit Team in Beigang Township Office. “The EPA suggested building incineration plants like Singapore’s, and supported the municipal government bodies with funding and construction.”
This sorting and processing directive sees common “waste” streams reclaimed as resources in a variety of ways – everything from pig farms for food waste, to flea markets for repaired furniture.
this sortiNg aNd processiNg directive sees commoN “waste”
streams reclaimed as resources iN a variety of ways – everythiNg from
pig farms for food waste, to flea markets for repaired furNiture.According to Jou Kou-Ding, Section
Chief of the Comprehensive Planning Department of the EPA, public education was important in the campaign.
“Numerous public meetings and forums were held continuously before and during the campaign, and both industry and the public were actively engaged,” he says.
“The average Taiwanese household has probably about four bins to sort waste, including things like compostable food waste, food waste for pigs, recyclables, and rubbish. We have also done a lot of foreign language marketing to teach home helpers from Vietnam, Thailand and Indonesia how to properly sort waste.”
Role of the recycling fundA crucial aspect of success has been the use of the RRMF towards furthering the development of recycling infrastructure, especially for more hazardous or electronic goods. With parties like manufacturers and retailers paying into the fund, monies can be applied to ensure that appropriate plants exist to process the materials safely.
“For example, those recycling TV sets got incentives provided by the recycling fund,” says Jou. “Over time, more items
have been included for recycling, and funds go to organisations who participate.”
Galvanising community supportWhile the EPA took a legislative approach, there was still plenty of room left for community involvement; even the informal sector still could play a part in recycling efforts.
In each area, there are standard waste collection and recycling days every week. Households bring bags of waste down to the garbage truck on collection day, and citizens are cued to action by song from the vehicle as it nears their area. Bags are checked upon collection to ensure that they are free of recyclable material. “Respective ground officers are responsible to ensure proper sorting and that no contamination will take place,” says Jou. “Those who are uncooperative with recycling efforts will be issued a fine.”
Municipal recycling trucks come on alternating days to collect the separated resource materials. There are also neighbourhood drop points and collection
bees, informal street side collectors that pay for certain valuable materials (eg. metal and cardboard), and collection drives that are hosted by local branches of the NGO Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation at events and markets. The public has even begun ad-hoc recycling efforts at various democratic and public events.
With this prevalence of recycling opportunities in the neighbourhood, individuals and households have numerous opportunities to properly submit their resources for recovery. In many ways, recycling has become an unconscious way of life, embedded in everyday activities.
“Continuous effort by the government and people’s growing awareness of sustainable development has been important to get widespread public involvement,” Jou says. “People in Taiwan are now educated to recycle from kindergarten.”
Towards zero WasteAlready, these approaches have proven effective enough to reduce the number of waste incinerators from 36 to 26 in 2006. Against a 2001 baseline of .9kg per capita per day, the EPA aims to reduce this 75 per cent by 2020. So far, they’re largely on track: as of 2012, this had dropped to .397kg per capita per day. Remarkably, this was achieved as GNP grew.
Will Taiwan ever meet the goal of zero waste? “It is not an easy job,” Jou says, “but it will be achieved eventually. To get there, it will take a well-organised system and citizens’ cooperation.”
gettiNg itsorted
How San Francisco keeps 80 per cent of waste out of landfill
knoWn for everything from its high-tech start-ups to its colourful civic characters and progressive culture, San
Francisco gets attention for a wide range of reasons. Perhaps one of the less widely reported ones is for its handling of waste.
This city of 826,000 people has a goal of achieving zero waste to landfill by 2020. As of 2012, it has already achieved diversion levels of 80 per cent of municipal waste, according to the San Francisco Department of Environment. How did they achieve such an enviable figure in a dense metropolis?
Official mandateWaste diversion from landfill had been going on as early as 1994 at levels in the range of 30-35 per cent. Over the years this was ratcheted up through a variety of efforts, but it was the passing of the city’s Mandatory Recycling and Composting Ordinance in 2009 that helped take results skyward.
Under the ordinance, citizens and businesses (including restaurants and markets) were required to separate recyclables and compostables such as food waste. To enable this, they are issued the so-called “Fantastic Three” bins for
collection: blue for recycling, green for composting, and black for whatever remains – which comprises fewer materials as the years go on.
“We spend significant time working with, and providing technical assistance to, large apartment ownership groups,” says Jack Macy, Senior Zero Waste Coordinator for San Francisco Department of Environment.
“We attended their regular meetings, presented at workshops, met with their leadership and spent time in buildings with operations staff to assure ourselves and them that the system could work.
WASTE CLEARANCE STRUCTURE
MunicipalSolid Waste
RecyclableWaste (42%)
RRW
Food Waste(11%)
Bulk Waste(1%)
Collecting Team Recycled Item
Pig-feeding
Composting
Repairing
Combustible Waste
Non-Combustible Waste Landfill
Incineration
Flea Market
Compost Plant
Pig Farm
Recycling Plant
Treatment Plant
Garbage General
Waste (46%)
Garbage TruckRecycle Truck
052
resource recovery
053iSSue 7
This was invaluable and showed real cost-savings to ownership.”
“It also set the stage for working through industry concerns with our Mandatory Recycling and Composting Ordinance. A strong, connected experience with our department headed-off unwarranted concerns (Green Police!) and made open communication the norm – important in the political process.”
Interestingly, in older multi-storey flats where different chutes do not exist for these three types of materials, apartment dwellers are still obliged to separate and take their food waste and recyclables down to the appropriate bins at ground level. Noting tricky aspects of food waste such as smell or risk of pests, the city took extra efforts to make sure things went smoothly.
“We put green bins in every apartment building, sometimes on every floor in the existing trash areas. At the same time we gave kitchen pails for each apartment, a range of ‘how-to’ tools – from compostable bags to freezing techniques – and we educated tenants door-to-door, in meetings, through bill inserts and flyers in elevators and laundry rooms,” he says.
Disposal from these three bins are handled at a flat fee by San Francisco’s
waste collection company Recology. Households that switch to a smaller black bin size can save money, and businesses that are able to reduce amounts of landfill waste are rewarded by reduction in variable costs of collection based on size of bin or frequency of pick-up. This is an important financial incentive that not only discourages waste, but also helps cut costs.
“Our rate structure provided the composting and recycling services to residents and apartments at no additional charge. So landlords could significantly reduce their trash bill by moving materials that way,” says Macy.
While there were inevitably some detractors, seeking early buy-in and extensive public education paid off. “Some people found it inconvenient, but more found that it was quite simple and became strong adherents to the programme – including many apartment owners and managers. These folks became our advocates, speaking to reporters, posing for ad photos, speaking to their peers,” he says.
“There is always a reaction by some, but we addressed it by offering multiple options to comply and by showing the constantly growing group of folks who were making it go without any real problems.”
Creating jobs in the cityMuch of the collected materials like glass, metal, and paper get processed within the city limits at a facility called Recycle Central at Pier 96. The facility is employee owned, and most of the 180+ people working there are from low-income backgrounds in nearby neighbourhoods.
Putting it out to pastureWhile all of this may be a good show within the city limits, it is what happens with food waste just outside that also helps make the difference: composting of food and other green waste into fertiliser rich in nutrients.
Much of this takes place at facilities like Jepson Prairie Organics, situated east of the city. Once composted using high-temperature commercial facilities, the fertiliser gets used on farms elsewhere in the region, as well as for vineyards, landscaping, and other industry uses.
The story doesn’t end there however: many of the farms that utilise the compost sell produce back to consumers and restaurants throughout the Bay Area – the very people who may have produced the food waste to begin with.
This is a great example of both a virtuous local economic cycle as well as
a closed-loop industrial process. There is also a sort of psychological feel-good factor at play that helps reinforce the food waste separation mentality amongst participants: composting helps build healthy soils, which makes healthy food for them to eat.
Getting the word outWhile the city may have a generally green-minded population, to help make it easy for people to get involved and do the right thing, the San Francisco Department of Environment offers a wide range of public outreach initiatives to support separation efforts.
This includes training on backyard composting, consultancy on business recycling programme set up, local recycling centres (for collection of more hazardous materials like batteries), sample tenant letters explaining recycling
“waste reductioN, reuse aNd recycliNg coNserve
Natural resources, reduce pollutioN
aNd are cheaper thaN disposal wheN all
costs are coNsidered aNd create more jobs
iN local commuNities.”The 185,000 sq ft facility processes
750 commingled tonnes of material each day and ships more than 30 large containers six days a week to paper mills, glass plants, and other companies needing raw materials. Some 30 per cent of the facility’s electricity comes from a solar PV array on the roof.
Macy explains that part of the rationale for the city’s commitment was to help create more local employment opportunities as part of the recycling efforts.
“We built on the city’s commitment for sustainability and the zero waste policy adopted by the Board of Supervisors and Mayor. This acknowledged that landfill and incinerator disposal fees do not reflect true costs, because taxpayers pay billions of dollars in tax subsidies for virgin resource material extraction and processing, as well as bear the costs of subsequent environmental and public health damage,” he says.
“Waste reduction, reuse and recycling conserve natural resources, reduce pollution and are cheaper than disposal when all costs are considered and create more jobs in local communities.”
practices, a Signmaker tool to make signage and posters easy, bin stickers, and door-to-door outreach in several languages.
There are of course some that don’t cooperate with the separation efforts – be it by accident, ignorance, obstinacy, or the occasional language misunderstanding. While fines, liens, and other mechanisms for noncompliance can be levied by city bodies, they’re a means of last resort and seldom used with the public. Often enough, face-to-face outreach, a notification tag on a bin that was not sorted correctly or a compliance letter will get wayward binsters back on track again.
Closing the gapWhile San Francisco may be celebrated as a recycling wunderkind, even city officials acknowledge that getting to zero waste from 80 per cent diversion rate may be the toughest yards yet. Existing landfill space will run out in 2016, and new facilities will result in disposal fees more than doubling, resulting in several million dollars more in charges per year, according to Macy.
To continue the zero waste drive, work is underway on extended producer responsibility initiatives for a wide range of products that are more challenging to dispose of. The city supports state legislation which aims to partner with producers to design better products and reclaim for recycling at the end of their useful lifespan.
Beyond product take-back, whether it is complex bulky items like mattresses that still need disposal, hazardous materials like paint, excess plastic bags, or even textiles – getting people to correctly handle the remaining refuse will take some time and careful public education.
There is also the issue of contamination: even a useful material may be difficult to recycle to its highest possible use if it is deteriorated by another substance. To counteract this, some effort is still needed with the public to improve source separation.
Having gotten this far though, it is promising to see what behaviour change can happen in just two decades. Perhaps city officials have every reason to believe that extra stretch isn’t so difficult after all.
Most of the 180+ people working at Recycle Central at Pier 96 handling the material flows are from nearby low-income neighbourhoods.
Compost farm truck
SF Restaurant composting. Photo by Larry Strong, courtesy of Recology.
054 055Issue 7
resource recovery
lord of the
flies
food WaSte iS an urgent problem globally. The FAO estimates 1.3 billion tonnes of edible product are wasted per
year. This has enormous environmental ramifications: 1.4 billion hectares of land – 28 per cent of the world’s agricultural area – is used annually for food lost or wasted, 250km3 of water is used in production, and 3.3 billion tonnes of greenhouse gasses are generated, largely from landfill methane.
Such wastage also costs around US$750 billion annually. Agricultural production contributes much of the food waste in developing countries while retail and consumer activity is a cause in higher income regions. Shockingly, this happens at a time when some 842 million people are undernourished worldwide.
the black Soldier Fly is helping turn waste into food and profit
700,000 tonnes. Disposal is tricky: the waste is often wet, can develop a foul odour in the heat, and attract pests like rats and cockroaches if improperly handled.
Even when disposed at modern facilities like waste incineration plants, the high moisture content can lower plant efficiency. Incineration also destroys nutrients that might otherwise be captured via methods like composting for agricultural use.
If source-separated, food waste could be transformed into in-demand materials like fertiliser or animal feed – both valuable commodities. But urban space constraints can make disposal alternatives like conventional composting difficult to come by.
if source-separated, food waste could be
traNsformed iNto iN-demaNd materials like fertiliser or aNimal feed
Recovering valueTo help bridge this gap, a method called bioconversion was developed by academic Dr Craig Shepherd using Black Soldier Fly (Hermetia illucens) “BSF” larvae. The process involves harnessing the voracious appetite of these larvae to pretreat food waste.
BSF larvae mature rapidly, growing from egg to pre-pupae in 10-12 days, providing a relatively quick harvest cycle. During this time, they can consume a wide variety of food and agricultural waste material. Once harvested, the larvae can become a high-protein feedstock for poultry or fish farms. Remaining waste material can be sent for further vermicast composting, resulting in high-value organic fertiliser.
There are currently several start-ups and lab-sized companies in the US, Europe and South Africa utilising such methods to naturally recover nutrients from waste.
A fly business modelSingapore start-up Terracycle is advancing use of BSF larvae bioconversion methods in Southeast Asia. Using start-up capital already raised, the company is putting finishing touches on its three acre showcase facility in the state of Johor, Malaysia. Once fully operational, it will have a capacity of 100 tonnes of waste per month.
“BSF are great in that their larvae stage consume large amounts of waste material quickly, the adult flies don’t bite or spread disease, and reproduce rapidly in their native tropical climate,” says Stephen Seah, the company’s founder.
Seah got his start working with worms to create organic fertiliser, but within recent years began learning and experimenting with BSF. “There is such huge potential to make a successful business while making positive social and environmental impacts,” he says.
It was this combination of factors that lured Alex Tay, Seah’s business partner, to join him. With several decades in manufacturing and food related businesses, Tay likewise saw the potential. “The business model is simple,” he says. “Procure waste from institutional waste generators, and convert this waste streams into useful resources for the agricultural
Remains of the dayIn the urban context, food waste is often unavoidable, be it from processing and manufacturing of food products, disposal from retail establishments and restaurants, or household cooking waste.
In a modern metropolis like Singapore, annual food waste amounts to approximately
Watch how fast a small box of black Soldier Fly larvae devour a hamburger:
http://bit.ly/1cfKNls
Watch the video
056 057Issue 7
resource recovery
industry. There is the possibility to really scale bioconversion techniques in a variety of contexts, and for a variety of waste streams.”
To that end, the duo planned the Johor facility to be a cornerstone for future expansion. They are currently trialling operations based on readily available palm plantation waste. Early results proved positive: using 50g BSF offspring and 301kg palm decanter cake, Terracycle yielded 27.4 kg of protein-rich larvae and 150 kg of organic fertiliser in just 14 days. Eventually, their target is 30 tonnes of BSF larvae per month.
“This facility will possess the world’s largest insectorium for breeding black soldier flies, a key point of difference between Terracycle and its competitors elsewhere in the world,” Tay says.
Beyond the insectorium and processing facility, they will further develop a small fish farm and orchard on site to demonstrate the entire closed-loop cycle. Terracycle is also seeking a suitable plot of land in Singapore to build a headquarters and centre of excellence facility focusing on protein extraction from organic waste. They aim to process 50 tonnes of waste per month using BSF and vermicomposting methods and
expand intellectual property and know-how for operational deployment.
Reframing the notion of waste“Globally, there is a staggering amount of food waste generated from post harvest to consumption, across multiple industries,” says Seah. “On the other side of the coin, there is a global food shortage, worsened by steadily increasing food prices – especially for protein sources. The co-existence of these two problems may seem paradoxical, but originate from
the current perception of waste and the way we process it.”
Terracycle’s method works to close the natural waste processing loop by extracting remaining value from organic waste that would typically be incinerated or disposed into landfill.
“BSF is nature’s waste management solution. Not only does it effectively reduce organic waste, it is easy to extract valuable protein from the BSF to be processed and sold as a commodity. The solution we’re offering reduces
the business cost of waste removal and creates an additional revenue stream from it with a turnkey, environmentally friendly approach,” he says.
Localised processingIn addition to its facilities where waste may be centrally processed, Terracycle is also looking at offering site-specific implementation of their technology. “Our solution can be placed on site, and sized to accommodate the amount of waste produced,” Tay says. “When coupled with a profit-sharing, contract farming model that positions the solution as a service rather than a product, BSF facilities can eventually mature into an additional business unit for the client.”
The company calculates that ROI can be as low as three years, depending on operational complexity, the waste profile being processed, facility size, and country of operation. So, be it for farms, factories, wholesalers, hotels, or even retail operations, there is the possibility to utilise waste processing on-site if the volumes exist.
The company notes that in Singapore and many other cities, space is a major constraint. As such, Terracycle has teamed up with Republic Polytechnic to explore
plans to create the black soldier fly larvae into a formulated feed for fish farming, in conjunction with RP’s aquaculture faculty. They are also looking to co-develop a space-efficient urban BSFL system that can be deployed across a city to augment urban farming solutions.
While technology constraints aren’t likely to hamper scaling of their operations, the pair acknowledge there are other challenges to overcome along the way.
“Aggregation of organic waste for upcycling through our processes can be a challenge, especially when sorting is required,” Seah says. “Depending on the exact nature of businesses we work with, there can also be some logistical hurdles to clear.”
Still, noting the urgency of the global problems Terracycle aims to tackle, the odds are in their favour. “The proposition of tackling global hunger and organic waste while helping businesses save money is pretty hard to argue with,” says Tay.
how it can develop a space-efficient urban solution to be deployed in Singapore’s built environment.
ExpansionSeah and Tay believe that Terracycle’s offerings can be replicated across Asia, and have a rapid growth strategy. By utilising a contract farming model with a central insectorium to supply BSF larvae to process waste on site, they are looking for partners in palm, food manufacturing and integrated agriculture industries in the first instance. Beyond Malaysia and Singapore, there are plans for Terracycle to expand into several other Southeast Asian countries. They are also exploring relationships with several major retailers and eventually hope to target household food waste as well.
Terracycle is also currently working with Republic Polytechnic’s School of Applied Science as an academic partner to explore ways to increase the yield from the current technology. There are
“the propositioN of tackliNg global huNger aNd orgaNic waste while helpiNg busiNesses save moNey
is pretty hard to argue with”
HOW IT WORkS: BSF LARVAE (BSFL) OPERATION PROCESS FLOW
• Clearing for contaminated containers of any kind
• On-site clearing of tanks and pipe-lines
• Vacuum tanker services
• Redrumming of all kinds of cargo
• Crushing of tablets and highly sensitive materials like electronic gadgets
asia’s logistics industry is shifting to improve
efficiency and environmental performance, but will Smes
see rubber hit the road?
Contributor
Stephan Schablinski, ceo green Freight asia Network ltd.
logiSticS makeS the World go round: the World Bank estimated that in 2010, 56 per cent of global GDP was attributed to trade. The
APAC region contributed substantially to this figure, and the regional transportation and logistics market is expected to reach US$4.09 trillion in revenue by 2016. Maritime shipping accounted for the majority of trade volume by revenue, followed by road and rail. The road freight segment accounted for some 90 per cent of all ground freight revenues in 2012. By end-of-year 2017 the Asian ground freight industry is forecast to reach US$985.8 billion in annual revenues.
Not breathing easyWhile these numbers sound economically impressive, there are stark costs to account for. The UN Framework Convention on Climate Change estimates that more than 20 per cent of global greenhouse gases emissions stem from the transport of goods and people. APAC’s advancement tallies heavily in this context. With effects of climate change being felt internationally and supply chains increasingly interrupted by climate-related natural disasters, the logistics industry is targeted to play its part in reducing emissions (see also, ENVISION Issue 5).
Beyond climate related issues, there are health concerns: air pollution is now one of the top 10 killer diseases in the world. The Global Burden of Disease (GBOD) study published in December 2012 found that in 2010 a record 3.2 million people died as a result of air pollution, compared to only 800,000 in the previous decade. Many of these deaths can be attributed to the minute particles of diesel soot and gasses emitted by cars and trucks. Ground-level ozone is also a big issue, warns the World Health Organization, causing breathing difficulties, asthma and lung disease.
The situation is especially serious in
rapidly developing APAC countries. The GBOD study found that of the 3.2 million air pollution deaths in 2010, 2.1 million were in Asia. This also has economic effects: in the most heavily polluted cities, such as Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, and Jakarta, economic losses from air pollution are estimated to reach 10 per cent of GDP according to the World Business Council for Sustainable Development.
For these reasons, logistics – especially road freight – are prime targets for improvement. Putting the health and environmental considerations aside momentarily, there is also a strong business case regionally to do so.
APAC: regionally high logistics inefficiencies, costsDue to a variety of factors, the Asia Pacific region experiences higher supply chain costs than other parts of the world: logistics costs in Europe and the US tend to hover around 10 per cent of GDP, but the figure trends higher for developing countries such as Indonesia (27 per cent) and China (18 per cent), according to the Economist Intelligence Unit according to the Economist Intelligence Unit and others.
With the majority of oil producing countries having passed peak production, and with the simultaneous increase in energy consumption of about 45 per cent in the past 20 years (120 per cent in India and 150 per cent in China), it is no surprise that by 2020, the price for oil is estimated to be at least twice as high as it was in mid-2008. According to a Green Freight Asia study, long-term increases in oil price volatility also make the APAC region highly vulnerable to cost increases.
Factors like these demonstrate that investments in efficiencies, fuel and emissions reductions would pay handsomely over time, not to mention the knock-on health and environmental benefits.
The road to progressThe growing scarcity of natural resources due to dwindling sources of raw materials and simultaneously increasing demand will pose huge challenges for all industries. As an integral component of all other industries, logistics can make a contribution to reducing the dependence on natural resources so it can continue to perform its important role reliably and economically in the future. Indeed, logistics should be viewed as part of the solution, especially since its cross-sector activity results in considerable spillover effects.
The road freight industry could be a useful starting point for wins. It is highly fragmented though, with upward of half a million trucking companies in the world, compared to a few hundred airlines and about 150 shipping lines. It also consumes more energy than airlines and shipping lines combined.
This fragmentation is especially acute in Asian countries such as China, where 90 per cent of trucking companies consist of a single truck owned by its driver, and only 0.1 per cent of companies owning 100 trucks or more, according to a study done by Clean Air Initiative Asia. Similarly, the Environmental Protection Agency notes that in the US, over 88 per cent of trucking companies are small businesses and 82 per cent operate six or fewer trucks.
Several regional initiatives launched to tackle these challenges in the ground freight industry in recent years (see sidebar) by helping to organise and provide the data needed to enable decision making towards greener supply chains. They also created incentives for companies to
increase their commitment to and progress toward more sustainable freight operations as they awarded these companies through benchmarking and labelling schemes. Such initiatives also facilitated the sharing of best practices as well as of information about green technologies.
developments in AsiaIn APAC, one such initiative is Green Freight Asia (GFA), formed in 2011 as an informal network of 25 freight logistics companies that were interested in improving supply chain sustainability.
Founding members agreed that the key objective should be to facilitate reduced CO2 emissions and lower shipping costs across entire supply chains by decreasing fuel consumption. This was to be achieved primarily through the GFA Label programme.
Like Green Freight Europe, GFA also sought to help its members align their sustainability efforts with government initiatives and coordinate with regional and global NGOs, as well as academia.
To this end, GFA established partnerships with Clean Air Asia, the Smart Freight Centre and the Green Transformation Lab.
Furthermore, GFA intended to provide a forum for its members to share information on best practices, potential partners, pitfalls to avoid, and experiences in navigating the regulatory environment as they worked to “green” their supply chains.
On 17 October 2013, with the support of founding members DHL, UPS, HP, Lenovo and IKEA, GFA was launched as a Singapore-registered non-profit organisation. Since incorporation, Heineken Asia Pacific, Procter & Gamble, Infineon Technologies as well as Ants Logistics Chengdu have also joined.
Mobilising industryWhile there has been strong initial support, the challenge ahead is that APAC companies, particularly smaller to mid-sized companies, are not as concerned about going green as their European counterparts. This presents a potentially serious barrier to adoption for any purely voluntary initiative.
However, it became clear that a programme akin to SmartWay and Green Freight Europe could offer significant value to freight and logistics companies in Asia Pacific.
Shippers could play a key role in motivating fleet owners to undertake the necessary transformation as they depended on these companies to get their products to market. As increased global competition pressures shippers to operate more efficiently, shippers in turn demand more sophisticated services from their logistics service providers, such as supply chain transparency, inventory optimisation, forecasting for production purposes, estimating risk in supply chain vulnerabilities, and streamlined delivery.
GFA intended to overcome this challenge by creating an appropriate incentive structure – in this case, tying a Green Freight Asia Label of a shipper to the Green Freight Asia Label of the carriers and logistics service providers that the shipper used in its supply chain. This tactic would cascade the incentive downwards from a multinational shipper, to the global logistics companies toward the smallest fleet owners.
Recognition for committed companiesSourcing sustainable freight suppliers is useful for companies buying road freight transport services.
However, the information needed is often not available in Asia Pacific, and this is where the GFA Label comes in. It not only provides transparency about a freight company’s sustainability commitment but also rewards the buyers of road freight transport services as they increasingly work with more sustainable companies.
As the label is transparent, shippers can make a conscious decision to reduce
Region: US Europe Asia
Initiative: SmartWay green Freight europe green Freight asia
Started: 2004 2010 2011
Stakeholders: uS government programme Started with a small Formed as an informal co-developed by the group of shippers and network with a consortium environmental protection logistics companies that of freight logistics and agency (epa), the american designed and piloted shipping companies that trucking association, various an industry-driven were interested in improving industry participants, and approach to create supply chain sustainability, socio-environmental groups. a standardised system and also established for collecting, analysing partnerships with clean and monitoring air asia, the Smart Freight emissions from road centre and the green freight across europe. transformation lab, a joint later expanded into a initiative by dhl and larger industry-led, Singapore management independent voluntary university. evolved into programme. non-profit organisation.
details: offers a market-based approach built around the central offers its members for partner companies to improve goals of monitoring a single voice to help fuel efficiency and lessen the and reporting member educate and inform environmental impact of ground co2 emissions and assisting stakeholders, information freight operations. created members to reduce those pipeline on changing performance based quantification, emissions in a verifiable metrics and measurement reporting and ranking system, way. members submit data, standards as well as fuel shared best practice info, and share best practice and saving technologies. provided a tool to measure promote progress on provides recognition and emissions against industry their sustainability efforts. a fair and level playing benchmarks. field through green Freight label certification, aligning with other green freight programmes and national initiatives
Results: by 2010, SmartWay’s 3,000 plus by 2013, membership had in may 2014, at gFa’s 5th partners represented most of the expanded to over 100 bi-annual conference with larger transport companies and companies. shippers, carriers, partners also many small and medium- Ngos and academia, sized companies in the uS. the gFa label concept between 2004 and 2014, was reviewed and its SmartWay partners had saved a launch endorsed. total of 120.7 million barrels of oil, or uS$16.8 billion in fuel costs. also was model for other regional initiatives.
More info: www.epa.gov/smartway/about www.greenfreighteurope.eu www.greenfreightasia.org /index.htm
fouNdiNg members agreed that the key
objective should be to facilitate reduced co2 emissioNs aNd lower
shippiNg costs across eNtire supply chaiNs by decreasiNg
fuel coNsumptioN.
the environmental footprint of its own products, or the ones of its customers.
The scheme ties the GFA Label of a shipper to the GFA Label of the carriers that the shipper uses in its supply chain. The more ‘green carriers’ the shipper uses in its supply chain, the higher it climbs on the GFA Label ladder, and it can demonstrate this to its customers. This creates a mutual interest between the shipper and its carrier to go green together.
There are four distinct tiers of recognition in the GFA Label scheme. A company that attains one leaf has demonstrated a minimum commitment to adopting green freight practices. A company that attains four leaves demonstrates itself as a true sustainability leader, with an outstanding commitment.
GFA also leveraged academia in the design of its labelling program as it was ‘the case’ of this years’ APEX Business-IT Global Case Challenge organised
while it may take some time, the gfa label will
help galvaNise Necessary tractioN with all levels of
iNdustry players.
by Singapore Management University (SMU) which was attended by 22 universities from around the world.
Set to roll out in APAC, starting with GFA member companies and the carriers they nominated, the GFA Label will be valid for the year in which the company submitted the data. For example, if a company submits the GFA Label questionnaire in 2014, then it receives the label for the year 2014 and can renew it in the following year.
GFA has engaged two certification partners, TÜV SÜD and Business for Social Responsibility (BSR), to manage the process of collecting and validating the data as well as computing the leaf criteria based on the responses.
While it may take some time, the GFA Label will help galvanise necessary traction with all levels of industry players. By helping freight companies to make improvements, influence their own supply chains, gain recognition, and share best practice, the industry as a whole can make strides towards cost savings, environmental improvements, and reduced health impacts. With major companies keenly interested in logistics innovation already supporting the initiative, the ground freight industry has plenty of reason to get on the road.
SUMMARY OF REGIONAL GROUNd FREIGHT INdUSTRY INITIATIVES
066 067Issue 7
MARKeT DYNAMICs
the secret of sydNey’s sustaiNability success
leadership continuity has helped Sydney with an ambitious plan for a 70 per cent reduction in carbon emissions by 2030.
Lord Mayor Clover Moore shares insights on her strategy
climate change rePortS give dire WarningS for many parts of the world, and Australia is pegged to be one country heavily affected. As many of its major
metropolitan areas are both coastal and growing in population, there is cause for concern.
As a case in point, last year the annual UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report warned that alongside more deaths caused by heat waves, A$226 billion worth of Sydney’s coastal assets including rail lines, roads and properties were at risk with rising sea levels. More than 270,000 homes around the city could disappear into the ocean, the report warned.
With Australian cities experiencing population surges and increasing energy demands, the onus has fallen squarely onto the shoulders of city administrators to promote sustainability and drive energy efficiency in a bid to address climate change.
But building a sustainability plan to address the energy needs of a city is no small undertaking – it requires long-term planning beyond electoral cycles and action across the ‘whole of government’ – something governments at many levels struggle with globally.
Leading Sydney’s plan is its Lord Mayor, Clover Moore, who enacted one of the most ambitious emissions reductions targets across Australia – a cut in CO2 emissions of 70 per cent by 2030, through a ‘Sustainable Sydney’ plan that was given wide public consultation.
“Cities generate 80 per cent of emissions, so it is in cities that we need to make the necessary changes,” she says.
The initiative is aimed at combating climate change through a variety of
adjustments to Sydney’s reliance on traditional energy sources,
in particular through its buildings.
A sustainable visionFrom investing in solar panels to LED street lights – which alone saves the city A$800,000 a year and reduces those CO2 emissions by 51 per cent – and encouraging cycling as a preferred method of transport, the mayor’s big plan appears to have had the necessary ‘buy in’ from residents, if not her political
opponents.“It was hard in the
beginning: it took some time to get the right people and do
the necessary planning,” she says. “I’ve had three successful elections in Sydney, so there has been a consistency in what we’re doing. We’ve gone for long-term planning.
“What I wanted to do with the 2030 plan was ensure everyone felt engaged with it and everyone had ownership of it… so it wouldn’t matter if I wasn’t in Town Hall – the plan would still continue.”
“Other governments elsewhere do things on a much more ad hoc basis with decisions made from election to election, but here it seems to have been a long-term vision,” she adds.
Few cities have more compelling reasons to address its carbon emissions than Sydney: it had its warmest winter in 150 years last year, and summer temperatures have been known to send the mercury soaring: its hottest day on record – 46 degrees Celsius – was also recorded recently. The new climate realities are already hitting home.
Greening Sydney’s buildingsA central aspect of the Sustainable 2030 plan was to link public and private organisations to ‘green’ Sydney’s old office spaces, and promote adoption of energy efficiency in new ones. The council formed an initiative known as the Better Buildings Partnership with private landlords that owned more than half the office floor space across Sydney’s city centre.
To date, the City of Sydney has installed Australia’s largest rollout of building-mounted solar panels – with 5,500 solar panels on 30 buildings. Old council buildings have been retrofitted to reduce energy, water and waste consumption, making it also the country’s first carbon neutral council.
In 2010, they even hired a green energy ‘tsar’, Allan Jones, from the UK to promote and train staff in new green energy systems. His previous experience had included taking the UK council area of Woking in London’s outer suburbs – a
population of around 100,000 people – entirely off the national grid, through the introduction of combined trigeneration cooling, heating and power systems (CHP).
“We invited him to work with us on developing trigeneration so that we could have one of the world’s best experts in the area working in-house to develop something that was quite new for Australia,” Moore says.
Sydney’s 2030 plan also extends beyond just the central business district. To ease traffic and congestion, a light rail system was built and a cycle network now runs throughout the city to its inner suburbs.
Inspiring Chinese citiesSydney’s 2030 plan piqued the interest of city administrators in Beijing and Wuhan at the recent World Cities Summit in Singapore.
While trips to the region give Ms Moore a chance to share her 2030 vision, she says Sydney has more relevance to growing Asian cities than looking towards Europe and the US.
“They see that there is much more relevance for them in Sydney than there is in London or New York. They relate to Sydney – it is their part of their world,” she says.
The drive now for Moore is to ensure that the Sustainable Sydney 2030 plan gets executed and its targets get met.
“There is this knowledge out there that we have this long-term plan,” Moore says. “Our motto is, as I always say, ‘Consult, commit and do’. Right now, we’re at this exciting stage of doing.”
“our motto is, as i always say, ‘coNsult, commit aNd do’. right Now, we’re at this
excitiNg stage of doiNg.”
To date, the City of Sydney has installed Australia’s largest rollout of building-mounted solar panels – with 5,500 solar panels on 30 buildingsLED street lights
068 069Issue 7
MARKeT DYNAMICs
the circular ecoNomy: Not so hard to wrap up
Some thoughts from the uK experience on closing the loop, decoupling growth and consumption, and what has worked so far
if We continue conSuming reSourceS at the same rate as we do now, by 2050, globally we will need three times more material resources.
We will need 70 per cent more food, feed and fibre. In the next 20 years, we will need 40 per cent more energy and water. Increases in the global population and a growing middle class means there is more demand and more consumption.
Collectively, there’s a need to work out how we can live the lifestyles we all aspire to without using as much natural resources. In order to close technical or biological loops and achieve synergy locally, it is advantageous to use what is already present nearby instead of obtaining raw materials from far away.
Singapore relies heavily on imports and has little space for dealing with the consequent waste, so strategies focused on decoupling consumption from growth may help for the future. By extension Singapore can also decouple waste from consumption in order to realise the benefits of growth without the proportional increase in impacts – particularly scarce landfill. Replacing the linear “make – use – dispose” model with a circular approach to growing the economy is one step Singapore could consider.
There are significant challenges – design, production, retail consumption
Contributor
Mervyn Jones, head of products and materials programme, Waste & resources
action programme (Wrap), uK
and end-of-life recovery – in developing a circular economy and in creating closed natural cycles (reuse, recycling) but these can and have been addressed in many parts of the world. There are also significant benefits to economies like the UK and Singapore that rely heavily on imports and have significant limitations in dealing with the waste from increasing consumption. Closing loops through waste prevention and increased reuse and recycling not only
creates cost savings, it reduces the need for landfill and the associated carbon and environmental impacts. Further, it can contribute to economic resilience by increasing resource security.
Explaining the benefitsIn order to address these challenges, policymakers, businesses and individual householders all have a role to play. The UK experience shows that behaviour change is required within all these
groups to get the full benefits of a circular approach. It is not difficult once the benefits are clear to all. WRAP has been at the very heart of the circular economy debate in the UK and of making the transition a reality. In practice, WRAP has created what some call a public-private partnership in key sectors like retail, construction, commerce, recycling and government and across high impact products like food, textiles, electrical and packaging.
Encouraging designers and manufacturers to reduce unnecessary weight – so-called “rightweighting” – has had significant impacts in reducing glass container weights and waste. Glass containers in the UK can range from 350g to more than double that for a 75cl bottle – almost all imported. The UK GlassRite initiative reduced waste glass packaging by over 27,000 tonnes (35,000 tonnes CO2 equivalent) in under two years.
Designing for plastic packaging recyclability has enabled recyclate to be used in many formats including food packaging like salad trays with up to 50 per cent recycled content. Reducing contamination from labels, inks and adhesives has played a significant role. This in turn makes the different waste polymer streams more valuable when separated at end of life.
Sectoral approaches offer the greatest benefits through collective action across whole supply chains. Last year the Sustainable Clothing Roadmap and Action Plan (SCAP) 2020 Commitment was launched, with over 60 signatories from the clothing sector agreeing to cut their environmental impact by 15 per cent. Signatories include businesses like Marks & Spencer, ASSOS and Next, as well as designers like Stella McCartney.
Better communicationIn terms of consumption, national communication campaigns have changed consumer behaviour by addressing both waste prevention, for example through the Love Food Hate Waste campaign, and increased recycling via Recycle Now. In tight financial times, sharing how the UK throws away seven million tonnes of food and drink from homes every year, the majority of which could have been eaten, helps drive the message home. That’s equivalent to nearly SG$1,400 per household per year that could be saved.
Not all waste can be prevented and in the UK and increasingly across Europe there is a realisation that extracting as much value from waste before energy recovery is not only economically better,
but the life cycle analyses show it is a better environmental option too.
For example, anaerobic digestion is involved in the treatment of domestic and commercial food waste. It provides nutrient-rich digestate and compost, generates renewable energy and contributes to growth in the economy. The UK Anaerobic Digestion Loan Fund aims to support the development of infrastructure with a capacity of over 300,000 tonnes per annum.
The circular economy benefits the many, not the few. In the UK WRAP is working not just with global brands such as Panasonic and Samsung but also with small businesses – often more capable of quicker decision-making, action and therefore impact.
Addressing these challenges and helping develop a more circular, market-based approach to resources is good for business, for our environment and for long term security and growth. By the year 2020, wide-scale adoption of the circular economy in Europe would allow for business competitiveness improvements of €400 billion – that’s over SG$650 billion! So encouraging business to act means the environmental benefits can be much greater as business also prospers.
more recycling of plastic bottles from 2000 to 2011
£3.5bn benefit to courtauld commitment signatories and their customers on prevented food, drink and packaging waste
RECYCLING
ADVICE ONWASTE COLLECTIONS
FUND INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENTS
ENCOURAGE RE-USE
DEVELOP END MARKET FOR WASTE
EXTEND PRODUCT LIFETIME
DESIGN BETTER PRODUCTS
REDUCE MANUFACTURING
WASTAGE
HELP CONSUMERS TO REDUCE WASTE
AND RECYCLE
WASTEPREVENTION
RESOURCEEFFICIENCY
PRODUCTSUSTAINABILITY
SUSTAINABLECONSUMPTION
800 signatories halved waste to landfill saving £400 million
New business models trading in clothing resale contribute to positive impact on uK gdp
5% to 48%2.4mt
A world where resources are used sustainably
50% £1bn
Experience from the UK in recent years has proven positive results, both economically and environmentally
Developing a successful Circular Economy depends on a holistic approach covering multiple stages of the value chain and product use.
070 071Issue 7
MARKeT DYNAMICs
hacKS
iNspiriNg iNterNatioNal ideascreative and innovative environmental solutions
sourced globally
Try out the tool
http://bit.ly/1rxvzlb
WRI Palm Oil Production Map – Global Forest Watch Commoditiesglobally, some palm oil is produced sustainably, but the volumes that aren’t destroy forests and degrade ecosystems on an epic scale. until now, corporate buyers of palm oil, government agencies, and international organisations have not had a mapping and satellite data tool to help identify forestry issues related to its production. the World resources institute, roundtable for Sustainable palm oil, and 40 other partners created the global Forest Watch commodities platform to help alert stakeholders to potential supply chain issues and create better transparency.
Street view of climate impactsever wonder what the effects of climate change will be on your street or favourite tourist destination? using google Street view, bbdo and proximity Singapore created a visualisation of potential sea level rise effects for many noteworthy places. check it out at: http://bit.ly/1klrlp4
A Noah’s Ark for pollution in Chinaavant-garde chinese artist cai guo-Qiang sent a vintage fishing boat from his home village filled with 99 fabricated, languished-looking animals sailing down the huangpu river in Shanghai to draw attention to ongoing global environmental crisis. See for yourself: http://bit.ly/1mykktd
Penalty called on marine pollutionWith the help of the public in 41 different countries and islands, uK photographer mandy barker collected 769 marine debris footballs, using it to create a series of four images highlighting the prevalence of marine pollution ahead of the World cup. learn more about the haunting and surreal “penalty” series here: http://bit.ly/t3uh83
Floating message to clean up Pasig Riverlike many watersheds in developing countries, manila’s pasig river has infiltration from a wide range of pollutants from agriculture to dumpsites. to help draw attention to the problem, while simultaneously making a stab at cleaning it up, Shokubutsu hana, the pasig river rehabilitation commission, vetiver Farms philippines and tbWa\Smp created a floating billboard. entitled cleaN river SooN, it was made of a non-invasive vetiver grass that can absorb many contaminants, helping clean 2,000-8,000 gallons (7,570-30,283 litres) of water per day. visuals of this unique project available here: http://bit.ly/1pb3pkh
Santa Monica plans for wellbeingmany municipalities and governments worldwide are trying to centre their planning on what will create wellbeing among their citizens. Santa monica, california is one of the latest pioneers, developing a wellbeing index that will incorporate both quantitative and qualitative indicators that will inform city policy. the index will launch by 2015, and more details can be found here: http://bit.ly/1ovlghb
Mosquitoes hate the newspaperSri lanka is heavily
affected by the dengue virus, carried by Aedes mosquitoes. For the national dengue awareness week, local newspaper mawbima featured promotional posters and newspaper runs with inks infused with citronella essence, a naturally derived mosquito repellent, aimed to help protect readers from being bitten. it also ran a public education campaign at the same time to raise awareness. learn more about the project: http://bit.ly/1q2jShq
Bacteria can’t run from the iPhonerecently crowdfunded on Kickstarter, the “microbescope” is a pocket-sized, 1micron zooming, iphone-ready device that can function quite readily indoors or outdoors. capable
of viewing microscopic bacteria in action and taking live video or images, it holds enormous promise for public health fieldwork. For more on this unique gizmo, visit: http://kck.st/t8Nohb
Advertising solutions to air pollutionFrom rivers in philippines, to air in peru where rapid urban development has increased pollution: billboards can do more than convey a message. engineering college utec and Fcb mayo developed one using thermodynamic processes and water filtration which can clean 100,000 cubic metres of air per day. this followed on from a previous billboard project that converted humid air into drinking water for the community. there’s huge potential for major impacts if these technologies roll out worldwide.
driving on sunshinereplace asphalt and concrete surfaces with durable solar panels that you can walk and drive on? Why not? this technology could be a total game changer when it comes to transport, renewable energy, and climate change – and it’s gotten both major interest and funding: http://bit.ly/1msN2ea
Smart parking meters charge for polluting vehiclesif you thought coe was expensive, consider this: to conquer high urban air pollution levels, parking rates at meters in madrid, Spain are getting an overhaul to charge more polluting classes of vehicles as much as 20 per cent more. hybrids will get a 20 per cent discount and any electric vehicles can park for free. think twice before getting behind the wheel of an Suv: http://bit.ly/1fQpufp
Urban sustainability hacksFrom creative re-use ideas to reimagining common urban infrastructure, there are a number of ways your city experience could be made more functional and pleasant with just a few creative tweaks: http://www.rottenapple.us/
Shrimp shell bioplasticsa Blue Economy idea gone to real life in the lab: harvard researchers are developing a new bioplastic made from chitosan, a long-chain polysaccharide that makes crustacean shells hard and durable. New processes are being developed to make chitosan casted or injected-moulded into everyday usable objects. the material biodegrades in a fortnight and release substances that spurs plant growth. great example of turning waste into resource: http://bit.ly/1qakndx
Progressing citizens towards greener productsrecyclebank encourages people to recycle in their communities and take simple steps towards buying greener products and services. users earn points and perks as they take actions, which they can redeem for everything from a night out to supporting a local school project. in their latest move, they have also started an online marketplace called one twine where participants can cash in their points for ethically sourced, eco-friendly products. throughout the process, people are educated on many environmental issues from reclaiming resources to ethical procurement. really a unique way to shift people’s behaviour in everyday life: http://bit.ly/1maos8m
Coupons save 5,000 tonnes of used textilesclothing retailer h&m started a recycling programme where shoppers get a voucher for bringing back one shopping bag of used clothes. did the fashionistas go for it? absolutely: the company saved 25 million t-shirts’ worth of textiles in the first year and started introducing new products with recycled fibre content. learn more about the details: http://bit.ly/1w8ghh2
Repair café – collaborative economyas a response to the “throw away” economy, common household and consumer items are getting the diy overhaul through increasingly popular group fix sessions. Find out about how you can fix everything from the toaster to the iphone screen: http://repaircafe.org/
EMERGENT GREEN TECHNOLOGY BEHAVIOUR CHANGE ANd ENGAGEMENT
Pssst: make sure to check out eNviSioN issue 6 on the green economy to learn more about recycling efforts, materials recovery, and building circular business models like these. it can be viewed for free by visiting: http://tinyurl.com/ksnbcos
Reinventing the toiletWhat do you get when you put excrement into a parabolic mirror and fibre optic solar device under the hot sun? a brick of bio-char fertiliser that is cooked at 700 degrees Fahrenheit (371 celsius), and a waterless solution to dealing with human waste. check out this “reinventing the toilet” competition winner from the university of colorado: http://on.fb.me/1rF9vk4
076 077Issue 7
hacks
“GLOBAL WARMING AND ITS ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT IS AT ITS HIGHEST PEAK AND HERE IN SINGAPORE, WE ARE NOT INSULATED FROM THE IMPACT OF CLIMATE CHANGE. A COMBINED EFFORT IS REQUIRED TO ENSURE THE REDUCTION OF CARBON EMISSIONS, AND BUSINESSES NEED TO LEAD THE WAY.”
ALIFE Air Automobiles – a “Vehicle” for Sustainability
DEVAN NAIRFounder & Group CEOALIFE AIR AUTOMOBILES
ALIFE Air Automobiles is a relatively new automobile company that entered the Singapore market last year. They’re new but they have big visions – first of all, they are Singapore’s only automobile manufacturer. In addition, they just opened their new service centre and launched Singapore’s very first 24 hour towing service for the island nation’s motorbike users. So there’s no doubt ALIFE already runs a good business caring for their customers and the community.
BuBut if you talk to Devan Nair, ALIFE Air Automobiles’ founder and Group CEO, the company’s ambitions reach further than that. The company’s concerns are equally about the environment rather than their business. He talks about why Singaporeans need to be worried and that global warming is a very real problem here as well: “Global Warming and its environmental impact is at its highest peak and here in Singapore, we are not insulated from the impact of climate change. A combined effort is required to ensure the reduction of carbon emissions, and businesses need to lead the way.”
TTo give some context, Mr Nair actually started a couple of decades ago, looking at designs, planning, also bringing in other innovators who focused on sustainable solutions for the automotive industry. Although they had good momentum, they were not able to press forward with their solution. Consumers were not ready for green technology and there was no backing from the various governments as well. On top of that, the cost of fuel was still affordable at that time and people were not sold on the idea of green fuel technology and the reason for it. But recently, things have changed – on a global scale as well as locally here in Singapore.
“Consumer“Consumers can now see and feel the impact of pollution. From our perspective, now is a good time to introduce a sustainable solution for clean air technology and we decided to fight this battle within the automobile industry for a reason. With the rapid population growth globally, and particularly here In Asia, there’s the obvious population growth and automobile population growth. With that, there’s also a rapid increase in automobile pollution with more than 1.5 billion metric tons of greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere each year,” explains Mr Nair.
“A“At ALIFE Air Automobiles our vision is to find a sustainable solution for the automobile industry. With this in mind, we will be launching our very own range of Singapore-made automobiles closely followed by a clean air solution for Singapore and the region – stay tuned for more details.”
Your Trusted Partner in ServicesWeishen Industrial Services Pte Ltd (WIS) was incorporated in Singapore since 1993. Through progession, springing from an initial involvement with clients in manpower logistics, general and industrial cleaning, operations have been extended into residential, commercial, conservancy and industrial facilities management services, domestic, pest control, landscaping and industrial waste management, engineering and maintenance services.
WIS adopts strong belief and commitment in maintaining good practices in Health and Safety Policies providing solutions in the specialized field of Facilities and Environmental Management for our valuable clients, ultimately ensuring sustainable cost savings and assuring quality services.
Nea launched ENVISION magazine because it believes informed discussions are crucial for achieving a cleaner, healthier and more beautiful world.
it’s now easier than ever to read compelling articles on environmental management by accessing its tablet-friendly edition.
Simply visit www. nea.gov.sg or scan the Qr codes found below for the latest government and industry news and perspectives, or see http://bit.ly/1t6j92v to download a pdF version.
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Over 50 Years of Partnership in Building Our Economy Together
A pioneering company incorporated in 1962, Chemical Industries (Far East) Limited (CIL), is part of Jurong Town Corporation (JTC)'s initiatives to jumpstart Singapore's industrialization drive through rapid land and factory development, including providing key chemical ingredients for our country’s first industrial water treatment plant.
Our plant at Jurong Island One of the pioneers at JTC
Ensuring the safety of essential products every day......We, at CIL, ensure our core products conform to international standards, as our products are key basic components and ingredients to many every day essential products like water, pharmaceutical drugs, cleaning and disinfecting reagents and others in the electronics, petro-chemical and healthcare industries. Our products include liquid chlorine, caustic soda, hydrochloric acid, sodium hypochlorite and calcium hypochlorite.
Our core values are to ensure superior quality, reliability and consistency and optimal safety standards for our products and services. Located in Jurong, we serve as an integral part of our customers' supply chain to enhance our overall customer service.
cleaning Public areaS in a highly urbanised city like Singapore can be complex due to the different characteristics
of the various outdoor spaces. Roads, beach waterfronts, parks, playgrounds and drains pose different cleaning challenges and usually require teamwork from multiple stakeholders.
Therein lies one difficulty: the different public areas in a modern city may have many players, each responsible for their own turf, and occasionally gaps can emerge arising from boundary issues.
DPC also began a number of initiatives to ramp up technology as a workforce multiplier – both within DPC itself and with cleaning service providers. This has many benefits in terms of boosting productivity and cost-effectiveness of existing cleaning regimes.
The need for technology As in many countries, Singapore’s cleaning industry is large and diverse, providing both general and specialised cleaning services. General cleaning – which includes commercial premises, food and beverage establishments and conservancy areas – makes up the majority of the services in the industry, employing an estimated 60,000 plus cleaners.
While this may sound like a lot, considering the cleaning coverage, frequency, and the standards which need to be maintained, it may at times still prove to be inadequate, leading to service lapses. Manpower constraints may also limit availability of trained personnel to do a quality job in a timely fashion.
To counter this, DPC actively works towards a number of technology solutions starting with its own stakeholders to enhance its inspection and audit functions, and subsequently for cleaning works carried out by the cleaners.
Connecting stakeholdersDPC has piloted and implemented a wide range of technology innovations and encouraged its cleaning service providers to use more technology in their operations. DPC has also shared its initiatives with other government agencies to show them the differences technology can bring. DPC constantly looks into better and more efficient ways to connect to members of the public to enable them to play their part.
At the backbone of DPC’s technology efforts, it has developed a Technology Master Plan, which involves integrating available technological systems into a unified platform called the Integrated Public Cleanliness Management System (IPCMS). IPCMS is loaded onto mobile devices such as tablets and PDAs used by all DPC field officers to increase
IPCMS CONSISTS OF THE FOLLOWING MOdULES PROGRESSIVELY ROLLEd OUT IN PHASES:
Field asset management System (FamS), which was implemented in october 2012, contains key operational information on public areas such as roads, pavements, drains, vacant land, litter bins etc which dpc is cleaning.
cleanliness Quality management System (cQmS), which was fully rolled out in June 2013, maintains records of officers’ inspection and audit results and also allows the issuing of defect notices to Service providers on the go.
Self-reporting System (SrS) consists of two components. the first component, a mobile application known as “See, Shoot & Send” (S3) which was rolled out in November 2013, is for dpc’s own higher environment Support assistants. the second component will be rolled out to new cleaning service providers in phases. both components allow self-reporting of respective cleaning works through regular submission of photographs capturing the progress of cleaning.
remote cleanliness monitoring System (rcmS) will leverage on video cameras, placed in cleaning hot spots and other sensitive areas with public cleanliness issues, to allow remote monitoring of public cleanliness at any time. the system is targeted to be rolled out by end of 2014.
cleaning performance monitoring System (cpmS), which was successfully test-bedded in october 2012, utilises gpS tracking with mounted cameras and sensors on mechanical sweepers to track the routes taken by the sweepers and monitor their cleaning performance. the system is targeted to be implemented in stages together with the roll-out of each new integrated public cleaning contract in 2014.
Rising to the challengeTo overcome issues like these, NEA formed the Department of Public Cleanliness (DPC) in 2012 as the one-stop coordinator and catalyst for managing cleanliness of public outdoor spaces. By eliminating the lines and cutting red tape between different agencies, more rapid actions can be taken on cleaning issues that arise in public areas. This helps to maintain a pleasant living environment and meet demanding public expectations.
With the integrated cleaning approach,
public areas which belong to different stakeholders can now be cleaned at the same time by the same cleaning Service Provider. Previously it was possible for the pavement to be clean but the drain next to it was dirty due to different cleaning schedules. Now NEA, as the sole manager of public cleanliness in Singapore, can avoid such situations easily by arranging for the same Service Provider to carry out cleaning at the same frequency for improved standards and consistency.
waste reductioN, reuse aNd recycliNg coNserve Natural resources, reduce pollutioN
aNd are cheaper thaN disposal wheN all costs are coNsidered aNd create more jobs iN local commuNities.
their ground situational awareness and enhance their audit and inspection capabilities (see sidebar for more details).
These tablets, and the applications within, have truly transformed DPC officers into a mobile independent field force with the ability to respond faster and better in handling public cleanliness issues. From the field, a DPC officer may access the Field Asset Management System (FAMS) which is one of the core modules in IPCMS. FAMS is basically a mobile database of all the public areas which require cleaning works, together with relevant operational information required to facilitate DPC’s work in monitoring the cleaning of these public areas. Via FAMS’ location based search function, DPC officers can easily identify all the public areas under its regular cleaning regime. If during their inspections, DPC officers discover any new public areas which will require cleaning, they can also use the FAMS geo-tagging function to easily create a new record direct on the spot.
IPCMS also consists of the Cleanliness Quality Management System (CQMS), which allows officers to electronically record all the findings from the inspections and audits of the various public areas. CQMS creates a direct and dynamic interface between DPC officers and cleaning service providers.
Mechanising the industryDPC also furthers technology development through the implementation of the integrated public cleaning contracts and collaboration with various industry partners.
An example is the street cleaning contracts, which have already been highly mechanised through technology such as
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wheN a dpc officer is alerted to a feedback oN public cleaNliNess issue,
he or she caN quickly retrieve more iNformatioN about the feedback via email,
while fams caN provide operatioNal iNformatioN such as the cleaNer details
aNd the frequeNcy of cleaNiNg.
the all-terrain litter vacuum vehicles and mechanical sweepers. As part of constant reviews, it is also a requirement for service providers to integrate a vacuum suction device on mechanical sweepers to enhance productivity.
Companies were also encouraged to propose use of other new machinery for cleaning operations. For example,
productivity for DPC and service providers has been boosted, allowing more to be done with existing manpower.
One example of this is the CQMS app on iPads. DPC staff can take pictures of areas that needs cleaning attention and send them directly to service providers for quick action.
Once the areas have been cleaned, service providers can send an image of the result back to DPC to close the incident. By making the cleaning and audit process visual and accessible on mobile devices, the need for extensive reporting and follow-up on the part of both parties has been reduced.
With all these technological tools available, DPC officers are able to work faster and more efficiently. When a DPC officer is alerted to a feedback on public cleanliness issue, he or she can quickly
retrieve more information about the feedback via email while FAMS can provide operational information such as the cleaner details and the frequency of cleaning. He then can use CQMS to record the results of his inspections and immediately activate the appropriate cleaner or cleaning service provider.
The cleaner or cleaning service provider can self-report the progress of the cleaning works via their respective SRS system, which can be verified via the pictures submitted or the cameras in CPMS and RCMS. He can close the loop immediately after updating the feedback provider.
The cleanest years still aheadBut progress doesn’t stop there – NEA is continually looking to the future to see what new innovations
can be implemented. DPC is embarking on multiple
collaborations such as the Smart and Safe City Testbed project, led by the Ministry of Home Affairs and Economic Development Board, and the Jurong Lake District Project, led by Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (IDA).
In this initiative, DPC is piloting several new sensor technologies such as smart bins that transmit refuse levels, cameras for monitoring public cleanliness in cleanliness hotspots, video analytics for littering and cleanliness surveys. Once evaluated in operational settings they may be considered for future implementation island-wide.
While these projects are government-led, there is also the possibility of innovations and spinoffs being developed by the cleaning industry.
The openness of the public sector to be at the forefront of technology or lead the test-bed of new innovations can motivate companies to develop projects on their own.
Fully automating cleaning works and realising maximised cleaning industry productivity will take time, development of infrastructure, and ongoing collaboration between government agencies and service providers.
Ultimately through these collaborations, the goal in the next decade is to develop a functional, integrated smart city that puts citizen needs at the centre of operations.
Veolia ES Singapore Industrial Pte Ltd will be using a new machine which compacts collected waste to 33 per cent of its original size, thereby reducing the dumping cycles, which leads to more area covered in less time.
A local first, Clean Solutions Pte Ltd, is looking into piloting robotics technology for indoor cleaning such as carpet vacuuming,
sweeping and scrubbing of hard floors. This technology could potentially triple the efficiency of cleaning compared to traditional methods and machines.
These robots can operate unattended for eight hours a day, freeing up 240 man-hours a month, while ensuring consistent cleaning standards. Workers can then be deployed to perform periodic and higher skilled cleaning tasks like carpet shampooing, glass cleaning, and floor polishing. These require better trained and skilled cleaners who also enjoy higher salaries.
Innovations like these hold enormous potential in modernising and improving the cleaning industry.
Realising improvements and benefitsNumerous benefits and improvements have started to be realised. Manpower
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aviation iS big buSineSS, worth $606bn a year, and airports around the world have scrambled to cash in.
Hong Kong opened what was the world’s largest passenger terminal in 1998. In 2014, Dubai overtook London Heathrow as the busiest international airport in the world by some measures.
But amid all the focus on the biggest terminals and the most eye-catching architecture, as any air traveller would know, the humble washroom is often overlooked. After a long haul flight, the airport toilet may well be one of the first experiences a visitor has in a new country. And unfortunately for many, this is one area where many air hubs fail. Whether a dingy toilet or clogged sink, this creates an immediate negative impression.
Not at Singapore’s Changi Airport however. According to Jayson Goh, the Senior Vice President of Airport Operations Management at Changi Airport Group, cleaning is viewed not as a necessary inconvenience or overlooked aspect of airport operations, but as a way to genuinely enhance the airport’s service offering.
“It’s not just about a larger structure
the cleaN customer experieNcehow cleaning moved from a backroom function to a central part of the customer service offering at Singapore’s award-winning changi airport
or a more modern facility, it’s about the passenger experience,” he says. “We think that a happy customer is a customer who will return.”
Getting SWIFT about cleaningWith 53.7 million passengers in 2013, up from 51.2 million the year before, they certainly are returning. In part, that’s down to Changi’s SWIFT system, which stands for Service Workforce Instant Feedback Transformation.
SWIFT comprises two components: the Instant Feedback System (IFS) and e-Inspection.
IFS will be familiar to anyone who has ever visited Changi thanks to its most visible component: the screens with smiley faces at the exit of every toilet. But those simple, colourful panels hide a sophisticated system that has transformed the way the airport is cleaned.
Each screen contains five options, from excellent to poor. If a customer provides negative feedback they are taken to a second screen where they are presented with a list of options: wet floors or overflowing bins, for example.
“This feedback is very important to us,” says Goh. “If you collect sufficient
data you actually know what are the most important things to look out for. If you just get a ‘good’ or ‘no good’ then you don’t get the granularity. This allows us to deploy intelligently the necessary resources.”
Effectively allocating resourcesIt is here that the system really delivers: any negative user feedback is sent instantly to the supervisor’s smartphone, who then deploys cleaners to take remedial action within 20 minutes. The system has enabled Changi to eliminate hourly cleaning schedules, which are inefficient for two reasons.
First, toilets are cleaned every hour even when they don’t require it, which is a waste of time and resources. And second, if a customer comes along and makes a mess immediately after the cleaner has finished, that toilet will remain in a poor condition for the best part of an hour until the cleaner returns for the next scheduled session, potentially exposing hundreds of passengers to the problem during peak periods.
The system has proven popular with customers, says Goh, with feedback provided through the screens more than one million times a month.
Creating staff ownershipMoving to an on-demand scheduling system required a change of mind-set among all staff, particularly the cleaners, but Goh says that has proven relatively straightforward. Each screen contains the name and picture of the cleaner, encouraging a sense of ownership.
“Cleaning staff must share the process with you,” he says. “They must take ownership and we share with the staff positive feedback and on a monthly basis announce the best kept toilet, and they feel very proud of that and it creates a very positive spirit. “The system helps cleaning staff reduce their effort because they are smartly deployed and have clear direction.”
Currently Changi aims to respond to any incident within 20 minutes, and Goh is keen to look at how that can be reduced to 15 or even 10 minutes across the airport’s more
than 500 toilets. Not only has the SWIFT system helped cut the response time, it has lowered costs too. Against a backdrop of rising passenger traffic every year, not only has Changi’s facilities management manpower been reduced by five per cent, outcomes have actually improved over time as well.
e-InspectionModern bathrooms are fitted with dozens of automatic sensors on lights, taps, hand driers, urinals and toilets. While these are undoubtedly useful in limiting the spread of germs and conserving resources, most readers who have moved with soap covered hands from one washbasin to another in an attempt to find a sensor that works will testify to the frustration they can cause when not working correctly.
It is here that the second component of
SWIFT, the e-Inspection, comes into play. Whenever a faulty sensor is spotted by a cleaner he or she files a real-time report through a smartphone. It is sent to a central system from where jobs can be allocated to technicians. The technician visits the site, fixes the problem, and then uploads a picture to the supervisor, again using a smartphone.
“This enhances the efficiency,” says Goh. Previously a technician would either have to check every sensor for problems, or rely on paper reports submitted by cleaners or unhappy customers. “The problems are registered to a common system so regardless of the partners you are working with you can have one system to collate all this information. The template also ensures completeness of information.”
The other major advantage of a computerised system is that the data become useful in predicting which sensors are likely to fail and when. Not only is there a cost saving but, as Goh says, “If I can predict which sensors will fail I can reduce the exposure of customers to service lapses.”
Lowering maintenance costsSWIFT has led to lower costs, cleaner facilities and happier customers, but it required a change in mind-set, moving cleaning from a function to be tolerated to a central part of the customer service offering. From an environmental standpoint, some 10,000 sheets of A4-sized paper are saved every month as a result of automation of inspection processes and reports.
“Facilities management at Changi Airport is definitely not back room,” says Goh. “In fact it’s one of the top priorities of management, because Changi Airport is the first impression for many visitors to Singapore.”
To demonstrate the importance of cleaning, Goh describes his own job. “When people ask me what is my job, I tell them the responsibility includes looking after the cleanliness of the airport toilets. And that’s not a joke: housekeeping for us is a key touch point. Airports are all about experience, and because of that, keeping up the cleanliness is a secret sauce that we have used for many years.”
SWIFT IN NUMBERS
cost sAVinGs
sGD
1MFeeDbAck
reports From toilets Alone
90%+oF neGAtiVe FeeDbAck AcknowleDGeD
within 20 mins
1,200+ cleAninG stAFF
more thAn 160 checklists From VArious serVice proViDers At the Airport hAVe been consoliDAteD AnD reDuceD to Fewer thAn 40.
celebrating excellence in environmental sustainability
As the agency that champions safeguarding, nurturing, and cherishing the nation’s environmental quality, Singapore’s National Environment Agency pursues
excellence in its own operations and supports leaders from all sectors championing environmental sustainability. ENVISION Magazine salutes the many individuals
and organisations making a demonstrated impact on environmental issues.
SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS AWARd – LARGE ORGANISATION
BEST PRACTICE (REGULATION) AWARd AT THE EXCELLENCE IN PUBLIC SERVICE AWARdS 2014
The NEA was recognised at this year’s awards for its commitment to sustainable best practice in recent years. the agency set up a sustainability office in 2010 to drive and coordinate corporate sustainability efforts within the organisation. With senior management robust sustainability framework in place, in 2011 Nea launched an internal “8 effective habits 10% challenge” initiative to engage staff in reducing resource consumption. in 2013, it underwent eco-office recertification for all of its premises, and also published its second sustainability report, which attained a level a rating in accordance with gri 3.1 standards. the agency continues to contribute actively by reaching out to the community in promoting awareness and facilitate greater adoption of sustainability practices.
NEA also won Best Practice (Regulation) Award for adopting an integrated approach towards promoting energy efficiency (ee) in the industry sector at this year’s excellence in public Service awards (epSa). the best practice (regulation) award aims to encourage the adoption of regulatory practices that improve outcomes in a Whole-of-government manner. mr Joseph hui, dceo (technology & corp devt), received the award from dpm teo chee hean on behalf of Nea at the epSa award ceremony. over the years, Nea has actively engaged industrial stakeholders through various consultation sessions to promote the adoption of ee measures and garner greater buy-in. coupled with the energy management capability development programme and incentive schemes, companies were well prepared for the new mandatory energy management requirements under the energy conservation act (eca), which encourages them to put in place processes to monitor, manage and improve their energy efficiency.
Two of NEA’s next generation hawker centres received recognition from the building & construction authority (bca) for outstanding user-centric design and environmentally-friendly features.
Kampung admiralty was awarded bca universal design mark gold plus (design). it is an integrated development, expected to be completed in early 2017, with retail shops, a community plaza, a hawker centre with 50 cooked food stalls and about 900 seats, two-level medical centre, two blocks of studio apartments comprising 100 elderly-friendly units, childcare and eldercare facilities. in the design of the hawker centre, Nea has incorporated user friendly features like toilets for the handicapped and tables for easy access by persons of limited mobility. there will also be a family room for nursing mothers. Kampung admiralty has received the bca universal design mark gold plus (design) for its user-
centric philosophy in their design, operations and maintenance. the recognition by bca aims to raise greater public awareness towards user-friendly buildings.
bukit panjang hawker centre clinched the bca green mark platinum award for its environmentally-friendly features and bold design. Scheduled to be completed in 2015, the two-storey building will accommodate 28 cooked food stalls, 14 market slabs, 15 lock-up stalls and a sundry store. the hawker centre incorporates innovative environmental strategies and features to inspire its users to embrace green practices and be more environmentally responsible. green features of the development include green label for sustainable products, use of energy saving products, daylight design with photo sensors, high floor to floor height with ventilation screens that allow better air flow and sunlight into internal space and a green wall.
At the FutureGov 2014 Awards Ceremony and Summit, the agency achieved three awards including the prestigious government organisation of the year award, recognising the outstanding leadership in modernising the administration and improving citizen service delivery, as well as the strategic vision and leadership to capitalise on opportunities presented by technology. the two other awards conferred to Nea were the technology leadership award and e-government award for Nea customer relationship management System (crmS) and engaging the public on haze Situation through use of information technology respectively. awards were received by mr S Satish appoo, group director (Joint operations & technology), and ms elaine phang, chief information officer.
BCA AWARdS FOR NEA’S NEXT GENERATION HAWkER CENTRES
NEA CLINCHES THREE AWARdS AT FUTUREGOV 2014
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Mr Eugene Tay Tse Chuan, as director and Founder of Green Future Solutions, promotes environmental
awareness and action for our green future by engaging the community, and providing consultancy services to help companies become more sustainable. For example, he organised conversations on Sustainable Singapore (coSSg) to gather feedback for the review of the Sustainable Singapore Blueprint.
Mrs Tang-Lee Choon Tien started the environment club in bedok green Secondary School, where she teaches,
in 2005 and has been organising hands-on activities for students to reach out to the community. She believes in a real-world approach that helps students gain first-hand experience of environmental issues.
Mr Jarel Tang Jun Ren, Former president of hwa chong institution’s green council, created dialogue sessions
for students to engage in environmental activities and tackle issues. he found out that the most effective way of communication was through dialogue or feedback sessions where ideas and empirical data were shared. therefore in school, he presented the hwa chong carbon Footprint report in which he identified various factors that contributed to the school’s carbon footprint
dr Goh Mong Song leads ite college West’s green efforts by engaging staff and students in environmental
initiatives in the colleges and in the community. one of the key environmental projects is the green energy mobile office and School (gemoS), which was conceptualised as a portable energy system to power a mobile office in a typically sized container.
Mr Victor Lee Hong zhi, Former president of Smu verts, Singapore management university, led the
university’s conservation efforts through various programmes. in the Joint university
Mr ken Ong is the vice-chairman of lam Soon community club youth executive committee (lam Soon cc yec) and is
an experienced mentor and facilitator for various community and school programmes. he served as a mentor for “go green for the community”, an annual project that reaches out to residents in the Keat hong constituency to encourage recycling as a sustainable way of life. in 2011, a single day’s effort resulted in the collection of 4,000kg of clothes and 18,000kg of paper.
Mr Low Beng Huat, general manager of the environment and external affairs group at Panasonic Asia Pacific Pte
Ltd, sets the standard for the company’s environmental guidelines and resource practices. he is also the key driver for many educational outreach programmes for schools, bringing students to panasonic facilities to learn environmental awareness.
Mrs Chew Lai Mun, principal of marsiling primary School, strongly believes in nurturing students to appreciate the
importance of environmental sustainability. under her guidance and leadership, marsiling primary School engages their students right from the start with a series of green programmes paired with their
existing primary school curriculum to give back to the community. the school’s green citizenship programme cultivates students to take ownership of their environment and surroundings.
Sharing Session, he led representatives of environment clubs from the National university of Singapore, Nanyang technological university and Singapore university of technology and design in sharing their practices and exploring opportunities for collaboration. he also made efforts to convince Smu’s office of Facilities management and libraries to switch off non-essential lighting during earth hour.
The EcoFriend Awards was developed and launched by NEA in 2007, to recognise and honour individuals who have made significant contributions to Singapore’s efforts in achieving environmental sustainability. This annual award also aims to encourage and inspire individuals at all stages and walks of life to do their part for the environment, by showing that an individual’s effort can have a significant, lasting and positive impact on our clean and green environment.
In the ninth annual awards ceremony, three distinguished recipients were presented with the President’s Award for the Environment (PAE) from Singapore President Tony Tan. The award is the highest environmental accolade in Singapore, and this year received 26 outstanding nominations.
Mr Eugene Heng, a guardian of our waterways, has been committed to environmental and waterway protection since the 1980s. he is also the chairman of the Waterways Watch Society (WWS) – a volunteer group which keeps Singapore’s waterways clean – which he founded in 1998. a dedicated leader who walks the talk, mr heng has spearheaded many initiatives under the WWS for students and has been spending at least three hours patrolling rivers with WWS volunteers every weekend throughout these 16 years. mr heng fights for environmental causes on many fronts – besides protecting the aesthetics of our waterways, he is also actively involved in improving public cleanliness and recycling.
The Institute of Technical Education (ITE), a steadfast green advocate, has been actively promoting environmental awareness and getting recognised for its efforts in recent years. ite students learn about environmental issues both in and outside their classrooms. besides infusing environmental knowledge in curricula and activities, ite empowers its students to impart their know-how to the community through eco-programmes under its partners. ite is Singapore’s first post-secondary education institution to participate in the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF)’s eco-Schools programme which trains students to lead environmental initiatives. ite has adopted green building technologies, won awards for eco-friendly design and introduced an environmental Sustainability initiatives Framework in its headquarters and three colleges.
Ngee Ann Polytechnic (NP), a pioneer in environmental advocacy, stands out for its remarkably long track record on the environment scene. the institution has started doing voluntary environmental work proactively and built an eco-garden long before it was fashionable for schools to go green. Np has left its own green legacy on students as many of its graduates have continued making their mark by contributing in their communities. Np has formed many international and local partnerships. Notably, it has partnered governmental agencies in developing some of its courses and in spearheading the gardens@Np initiative to build mini-gardens on campus. Np has an environmental committee to implement environmental strategies. Np won the 2013 bca green mark platinum award for a block and aims to have 80 per cent of its buildings certified by 2020.
PUBLIC SECTOR CATEGORY
ecofrieNd
awards
presideNt’s award
for the eNviroNmeNt
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Launched in 2010 as part of the Energy Efficiency National Partnership (EENP) programme, the National Energy Efficiency Award winners represent a wide range of industries including petrochemicals, pharmaceuticals, printing and marine engineering. All have either demonstrated their commitment to excellence in energy management or achieved significant energy savings.
mr cheong Kok onn leads the energy management committee in glaxo Wellcome manufacturing, and is the project manager for most of the 60 energy saving projects that were completed from 2011 to 2013. these projects resulted in a total saving of 5,821 mWh or $1.3m (16 per cent of energy usage). mr cheong also carries out annual energy conservation campaigns which include site tours to ee projects, and recognition to staff who provided good initiatives and participated in energy conservation activities, as well as sharing best practices with other companies. mr cheong is also the chairman of bio-pharmaceutical manufacturers advisory committee (bmac) utilities Workstream since 2012, which facilitates sharing of energy-saving measures and setting of targets for the pharmaceutical sector.
Mr Syed Yousuff s/o Jakkariya Mohamedassociate director – engineering and energy managermSd international gmbh (Singapore branch)
Abbott Manufacturing Singapore Private Limited Since 2012, abbott has achieved reductions of 40 per cent in energy intensity and 25 per cent in energy costs. these improvement were achieved through a culture that engages employees in finding new ways to deliver sustained energy efficiency and improvement, as well as investments in technology including a new energy management system to provide greater visibility into energy usage.
Shell Eastern Petroleum (Pte) Ltd (Pulau Bukom Manufacturing Site) Shell aspires to improve energy efficiency by 2 per cent a year at its pulau bukom manufacturing site through a dedicated cross-disciplinary team, close energy monitoring and a good energy efficiency programme. bukom refinery’s energy performance, based on the global industry benchmark Solomon energy intensity indextm, has improved in the last five years by about 14 per cent. Since 2011, bukom’s ethylene cracker complex has also raised its energy efficiency by about 16 per cent.
German Centre for Industry and Tradechiller system and air-con Upgrading Works
german centre embarked on an energy strategy at the end of 2012. an audit found that a 19-year-old chiller plant was operating inefficiently at about 1.2 KW/rt.
between 2013 and 2014 a series of improvements were made, including replacing the old chiller with three sets of water-cooled chillers and energy-efficient variable speed drives; digital thermostats; motion sensors in restrooms; carbon monoxide sensor-operated carpark ventilation and led lighting.
the existing building management system was also upgraded to include more accurate temperature sensors, flow meters and power meters for the chiller plant to meet the bca green mark requirements.
NatSteel Holdingsorganic Rankine cycle (oRc) Waste heat Recovery system for steel Rolling Mill Reheating Furnace
NatSteel installed an organic rankine cycle (orc) Waste heat recovery System to recover large amounts of heat energy from the reheating furnace’s hot off-gas, which can then be converted into electricity.
a benefit of this project is that the organic working fluid is neither consumed nor discharged into the atmosphere. the system does not require continual attendance by operation personnel and has a low maintenance and operating cost.
United Microelectronics Corporation (Singapore Branch) installation of heat pump system for hot de-ionised Water system
the boilers of the hot de-ionised water (diW) system consume town gas to supply hot water. to reduce consumption, two sets of heat pumps were installed to supply hot water at 82oc and 57oc. besides generating heat, the cooling effect generated by heat pumps is used to pre-cool water that is used for cooling of air compressor.
boiler load was reduced, cutting gas consumption by as much as 30 per cent. With the success of this project, umc intends to replace all three boilers with heat pumps by 2015.
Joint project between: Micron Semiconductor Asia & Singapore Oxygen Air Liquide Pte LtdMicron Fab 7 bulk gas energy efficiency project
through employing new technology and equipment integration, this project aimed to reduce the overall energy consumption in Soxal-designed nitrogen gas plants and simultaneously meet micron’s operational demands. a new and larger capacity
City developments Limited eco-developer and landlord cdl implemented a 10-year green programme to enhance energy efficiency at its commercial properties in 2006. Since then, cdl has achieved a 17 per cent reduction in total energy intensity over the last seven years, and a 28 per cent reduction in total energy consumption annually, which is equivalent to energy savings of 14gWh/yr and cost savings of $3.6million/yr. in 2014, cdl became the first property developer in Singapore to achieve the iSo 50001 certification for energy management Systems.
HSL Constructor Pte Ltd in 2012, hSl became the first local company in Singapore to be certified iSo 50001 – energy management System. From 2011 to 2014, hSl reduced its energy consumption by 36.9 per cent. hSl supports an energy efficiency culture through quarterly campaigns and both internal and external training programmes.
EXCELLENCE IN ENERGY MANAGEMENTOUTSTANdING ENERGY MANAGERS OF THE YEAR
BEST PRACTICES
Tien Wah PressUpgrading of chiller plant Room,air handling Unit (ahU) and exhaust Fans
the existing chiller plant room was retrofitted in 2007 to improve efficiency from 0.956kW/rt to 0.62kW/rt. 15-year-old deteriorating cooling towers and piping were replaced, and variable speed drives for cooling towers and auto tube cleaning system to the existing chiller were also installed.
there are 24 ahus in tien Wah press: three were replaced from 2007 to 2010 and the remaining 21 were replaced in this project. the 21 ahus featured low face velocity ahu coil (200 fpm-300 fpm), low air and water pressure drop coil design, deletion of return air duct if applicable and
Mr Wong Tat Choonassistant vice president, Singapore Newspaper Services pte ltd
mr Wong tat choon leads the energy team in SNS. one of his greatest challenges was to overcome the misconception that energy conservation work required high capital investment and long return on investment. to do so, he searched for opportunities to reduce energy usage and operational cost, with little or no capital investment, and immediate returns. mr Wong achieved this by monitoring the maximum demand of the plant from 2007 to 2008, and lowered their maximum demand thereafter, resulting in annual energy savings of about $440,000.
he also assessed and optimised the requirements recommended by SNS’s building consultants and equipment manufacturers, which resulted in further annual saving of $480,000.
eNergy efficieNcy NatioNal partNership
(eeNp) awardslow pressure drop disposable filters. a new continuous monitoring and control system was also introduced to the ahu system.
lastly, variable speed drives and a direct drive system were installed to control and reduce the energy consumption of two exhaust fans.
gas plant was constructed to replace the existing gas plants. two improvements were achieved: the new plant no longer requires an electric refrigerator at the front end purification unit, and it recovers mechanical energy from turbine gas expansion for compression work, thus cutting annual energy use by about 7,954 mWh.
mr Syed yousuff leads the Singapore site energy management and business improvement team to deliver mSd’s target of 30 per cent reduction in energy consumption by 2015 (from 2011 baseline). one of mr Syed’s achievements was leading and conducting an energy treasure hunt in 2013. more than 100 participants from mSd global energy team, bio-pharmaceutical manufacturers advisory committee, energy service providers and internal cross functional team were involved. the energy treasure hunt identified potential 40% energy reduction opportunities, with corresponding elimination of 23,300 mt of greenhouse reduction, and potential operational savings of uS$9.77 million – far exceeding the initial goal of uS$4 million.in 2013, mr Syed completed 31 energy efficiency projects and saved 11,522 mWh (equivalent to about 8 per cent of mSd Singapore’s energy use).
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SEC-CdL OUTSTANdING SINGAPORE ENVIRONMENTAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARd ANd THE SEC-SETSCO SINGAPORE ENVIRONMENTAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARd (MANUFACTURING)
SEC-SENOkO ENERGY GREEN INNOVATION AWARd
SEC-kIMBERLY-CLARk SINGAPORE ENVIRONMENTAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARd (SERVICES)
Glaxo Wellcome Manufacturing Pte Ltd operations in Jurong island successfully adopted a dual-purpose combined technology to integrate waste heat and solvent recovery technologies into one complete system. prompted by ceo Sir andrew Witty, glaxo targeted being the “Sustainable Factory of the Future”, and proceeded to reduce its carbon footprint from 5 per cent to 8 per cent in 2013. the two pharmaceutical manufacturing sites in Singapore began their sustainability journey in 2003 with an energy conservation programme and now have a comprehensive sustainability strategy preparing them to be future-ready and to supporting their ambition to be carbon neutral by 2050.
Grand Hyatt Singapore houses the world’s first retrofitted trigeneration plan, consisting of a gas-driven generator powered by town gas, a hybrid boiler and a patented desiccant-dehumidifier jointly designed by National university of Singapore and the hotel. trigeneration enables the hotel to produce up to 30 per cent of its own electricity while waste heat is used for the production of hot water and steam, and cooling for outdoor air dehumidification. the hotel will now see an elimination of 60,000 litres of diesel and reduction of 720 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions as a result of this innovation, which was realised through close collaboration between university and hotel staff.
Novotel Singapore Clarke Quay has adopted numerous green practices as a hotel. these have included changing boilers to heat-pumps, thereby eliminating carbon emissions, changing bulbs to led lights, improving efficiency of chiller plants and systems, changing to more efficient water tap fittings, using eco-friendly cleaning chemicals, creating a centralised recycling centre for a variety of materials, and processing and recycling used soap for distribution to underprivileged families in cambodia. the hotel has also created a towel reuse programme which realises a tree planted for every five towels reused. these efforts have reduced their energy and water consumption as well as the hotel’s carbon footprint, and created substantial cost savings.
BEST ENERGY EFFICIENCY PRACTICES IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR: SCHOOLS
Housing development Boardhdb hub achieved 20 per cent reduction in energy consumption between 2011 and 2013 through a series of measures such as retrofitting their chilled-water plant system for a guaranteed efficiency of 0.641 kW/rt, and retrofitting energy intensive high bay lightings to led lamps. the management also embarked on a project to encourage tenants, such as KouFu Food court, to use their chilled-water plant system instead of a less efficient unitary/vrv system for air-conditioning.
Punggol Primary Schoolpunggol primary School implemented more than seven environmental education packages on energy conservation topics for their students, and hosted several ee-related workshops, such as the Nea environment champion workshop, between 2009 to 2013. the school also changed the lamps in 10 classrooms to high efficiency super t8 lamps (22 W per tube), and replaced 77 older air-conditioners with inverter units.
Innova Junior College innova Junior college adopted the physical resource management framework to plan annual ee reduction actions for the school. ideas included the installation of timers to control unitary air-conditioner usage and baS to control air-conditioning usage for lecture theatres. trees were also strategically planted next to the office windows to reduce heat, and iJc’s staff also set up natural ventilated study corners to encourage students to minimise the usage of air-conditioned facilities.
Sembawang SchoolSembawang Secondary School involved green club and project Work teachers to lead students to participate in environmental activities such as a community outreach programme, and integration of energy conservation topics in Science and geography lessons. half the school’s older air-conditioners were replaced with inverter units, and sub-meters were installed to identify energy savings potential.
(Remark: Sub meters does not directly help to reduce energy. It requires someone to analyse the data and perform some intervention to reduce energy consumption.)
eNergy efficieNcy NatioNal
partNership (eeNp) awards
Launched in 1997, this long-running accolade is presented by the Singapore Environment Council and aims to inspire Singapore-based and regional organisations to become more committed to environmental and social responsibilities. From the public sector to manufacturing and services industries, the SEAA has been key to influencing some of the best practices in corporate sustainability.
siNgapore eNviroNmeNtal
achievemeNt awards BEST ENERGY EFFICIENCY PRACTICES IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR: LARGE BUILdING
096 097Issue 7
envIronmental award wInners
Infineon Technologies Asia Pacific Pte Ltd focuses on innovative semiconductor solutions addressing three modern society challenges: energy efficiency – efficient generation, transmission and consumption of electrical energy, mobility – efficient powering of electric high speed trains, commercial and passenger vehicles, and Security – ensuring personal freedom through protection of privacy and secured communications in a connected world. it was listed for the fourth time in succession in the dow Jones Sustainability index 2013.
Alternative Energy Corporation Pte Ltd delivers waste water treatment to renewable energy projects. as one example, they use waste water at agricultural processing facilities and capture the resulting biogas for client partners to use for heat or electricity destroying the greenhouse gases (“ghg”) in the biogas. local air quality is improved by reducing toxic gasses and odours, and non-methane volatile organic compounds like Sox and Nox. over 8.5 million cubic meters of waste water are processed annually, nearly 20,000 tonnes of lignite coal, 50,000 tonnes of biomass, and 8mW of diesel generation can be displaced, cutting over 600,000 tonnes of co2 equivalent annually.
Ecospec Global Technology Pte Ltd has invented and patented cSNox solutions to remove co2, So2 and Nox from flue
Ricoh Asia Pacific Pte Ltd is a two-year consecutive winner of this award. the ricoh group places great priority in its sustainability efforts, including the unified communication system, a second generation projector that greatly reduces power consumption. ricoh also has tools to track the impact of its products on the environment, giving customers a clear idea of potential energy savings.
Uniseal Singapore Pte Ltd’s green technology solutions started on the roof, moved to the façade and then to the ground. innovative product development led to four patents and 10 design registrations to-date. the products are certified “green products” by the Singapore green building council (Sgbc) and are also eco-labelled by the Singapore environment council (Sec) as they utilise recycled material.
Sky Urban Solutions Holding Pte Ltd’s scalable and flexible vertical farm was created to increase land productivity and adapt to fit urban areas, increase output by up to 20x compared to traditional farms, remove need for arable land, save up to 95 per cent of water used, reduce energy use, remove agriculture related sources of pollution, revolutionise farming as a high-tech industry, create new job opportunities and lure younger generations back to food production.
keppel Corporation’s efforts to drive sustainability were recognised by several sustainability benchmarks in 2013. it makes investments to support education, community development and environmental initiatives, including $10.7 million in social causes in 2013, and employees committed over 9,000 volunteer hours to community engagement initiatives. it received the president’s award for philanthropy (corporate) at the 2013 president’s volunteerism & philanthropy awards.
WINNERS
GREEN TECHNOLOGY AWARdS: TOP HONOUR (SMALL & MEdIUM ENTERPRISE)
SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS AWARdS: TOP HONOUR (LARGE ORGANISATION)
SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS AWARdS: TOP HONOUR (SMALL & MEdIUM ENTERPRISE)
WINNERS
City developments Limited (CdL) returns as a winner for the second time. as a landlord, cdl has over 70 bca green mark properties, with 32 accorded platinum status. it also introduced the cdl 5-Star ehS assessment System and awards to raise worksite ehS standards of builders, pioneered many green building firsts for Singapore, and holds several green condominium records. it has principles, policies, guidelines and outreach initiatives to ensure pertinent business issues are addressed, is iSo 14001-certified, and was the first Singapore company to publish an annual Sustainability report and also be listed on three global sustainability benchmarks. cdl aims to reduce carbon emissions by 25 per cent against 2007 levels by 2030, achieve a minimum of bca green mark goldpluS certification for all new developments, and adopt gri g4 reporting guidelines with integrating report approach by 2015.
Sindicatum, as an owner, operator and developer of sustainable resources projects since 2005, raised a $230 million fund against which 32 green projects have been built, the majority in asia, with 573,000 mWh of clean power generated to-date. these projects abated 9 million tco2e since 2008 from methane with plans to further mitigate 12 million tco2e over the next seven years. they demonstrated that clean energy projects in emerging markets can be profitable and therefore have wide potential. projects also ensured the highest hSe standards, introduced new technologies and provided jobs and skills transfer to local communities. the company set out policies that outline commitments to sustainability for staff and stakeholders in areas like fair employment practices and zero-tolerance to corruption.
Building and Construction Authority (BCA) has greened Singapore’s built environment through the green mark certification Scheme and green building masterplan. in eight years 24 per cent of the nation’s building projects have been certified, with a target for 2030 of 80 per cent. in 2013, bca was conferred the Singapore Quality award by Spring Singapore, and their contractors registration System also won the united Nations public Service award in 2012. bca also took the lead with 15 other regulatory authorities in developing and launching the construction and real estate Network (coreNet) electronic submission system for paperless government approvals, reducing the sector’s carbon footprint and saving more than S$30 million on printing and delivery.
dSM Singapore Industrial Pte Ltd emphasises eco+ solutions, and these now account for 45 per cent of all sales and over 90 percent of their innovation pipeline. as one example, five years ago it started identifying products that could use halogen free polymers, and now the entire product range of engineering plastics is available in halogen free. over the next three years, its Senoko manufacturing plant will undergo a revamp to achieve greenmark certification.
gases. crucially, the process captures more co2 than it generates. ecospec has many other patented green technologies including corrosion control, cooling water treatment, bio-fouling control, and fuel oil combustion improvement technologies.
The 2014 Singapore Sustainability Awards hosted by the Singapore Business Federation at the Grand Copthorne Waterfront Hotel saw a record number of applicants and the highest quality submissions to date. This year’s ceremony also had several winners return to once again clinch their categories.
siNgapore sustaiNability
awards
098 099Issue 7
envIronmental award wInners
Resourcing the world
Veolia specializes in liquid and solid, non-hazardous and hazardous waste management. Our expertise covers the entire waste life cycle from collection to recycling, leading to the final recovery of waste as materials or energy, including a complete range of related industrial services to companies and local authorities.Veolia’s Waste division has a worldwide workforce of more than 51,000,000 and operating 719 treatment plants. Veolia services 570,000 customers (excluding industrial maintenance) and this includes collection services on behalf of local authorities in major cities. In Singapore, with more than 800 dedicated employees, Veolia focus on optimal use of resources & integrated technology to provide the following services to municipal, commercial and the industrial sectors:- Integrated Industrial Services: automated tank cleaning, sludge treatment and recovery, chemical cleaning and facilities management, vacuum loading and high
pressure water blasting - Solid Waste: street cleansing, drain cleansing, collection, sorting and recyclingVeolia ES Singapore Pte LtdVeolia ES Singapore Industrial Pte Ltd
Around the globe, Veolia helps cities and industries to manage, optimize and make the most of their resources.Veolia designs and delivers services that are vital to human development and sustainable performance through three complementary business activities: water management, waste management and energy services. The company provides innovative, sustainable solutions to improve people's everyday lives and protect future resources.Veolia Waste Division provides waste collection services to more than 51 million people on behalf of local authorities and operates 719 waste treatment plants globally.In Singapore, with more than 800 dedicated employees, Veolia focuses on optimal use of resources and technology to provide waste management services to municipal, commercial and industrial customers:
Veolia ES Singapore Pte LtdVeolia ES Singapore Industrial Pte Ltd17 Tuas Ave 12 Singapore 639037
Veolia specializes in liquid and solid, non-hazardous and hazardous waste management. Our expertise covers the entire waste life cycle from collection to recycling, leading to the final recovery of waste as materials or energy, including a complete range of related industrial services to companies and local authorities.Veolia’s Waste division has a worldwide workforce of more than 51,000,000 and operating 719 treatment plants. Veolia services 570,000 customers (excluding industrial maintenance) and this includes collection services on behalf of local authorities in major cities. In Singapore, with more than 800 dedicated employees, Veolia focus on optimal use of resources & integrated technology to provide the following services to municipal, commercial and the industrial sectors:- Integrated Industrial Services: automated tank cleaning, sludge treatment and recovery, chemical cleaning and facilities management, vacuum loading and high
pressure water blasting - Solid Waste: street cleansing, drain cleansing, collection, sorting and recyclingVeolia ES Singapore Pte LtdVeolia ES Singapore Industrial Pte Ltd
Around the globe, Veolia helps cities and industries to manage, optimize and make the most of their resources.Veolia designs and delivers services that are vital to human development and sustainable performance through three complementary business activities: water management, waste management and energy services. The company provides innovative, sustainable solutions to improve people's everyday lives and protect future resources.Veolia Waste Division provides waste collection services to more than 51 million people on behalf of local authorities and operates 719 waste treatment plants globally.In Singapore, with more than 800 dedicated employees, Veolia focuses on optimal use of resources and technology to provide waste management services to municipal, commercial and industrial customers:
Veolia ES Singapore Pte LtdVeolia ES Singapore Industrial Pte Ltd17 Tuas Ave 12 Singapore 639037
Veolia specializes in liquid and solid, non-hazardous and hazardous waste management. Our expertise covers the entire waste life cycle from collection to recycling, leading to the final recovery of waste as materials or energy, including a complete range of related industrial services to companies and local authorities.Veolia’s Waste division has a worldwide workforce of more than 51,000,000 and operating 719 treatment plants. Veolia services 570,000 customers (excluding industrial maintenance) and this includes collection services on behalf of local authorities in major cities. In Singapore, with more than 800 dedicated employees, Veolia focus on optimal use of resources & integrated technology to provide the following services to municipal, commercial and the industrial sectors:- Integrated Industrial Services: automated tank cleaning, sludge treatment and recovery, chemical cleaning and facilities management, vacuum loading and high
pressure water blasting - Solid Waste: street cleansing, drain cleansing, collection, sorting and recyclingVeolia ES Singapore Pte LtdVeolia ES Singapore Industrial Pte Ltd
Around the globe, Veolia helps cities and industries to manage, optimize and make the most of their resources.Veolia designs and delivers services that are vital to human development and sustainable performance through three complementary business activities: water management, waste management and energy services. The company provides innovative, sustainable solutions to improve people's everyday lives and protect future resources.Veolia Waste Division provides waste collection services to more than 51 million people on behalf of local authorities and operates 719 waste treatment plants globally.In Singapore, with more than 800 dedicated employees, Veolia focuses on optimal use of resources and technology to provide waste management services to municipal, commercial and industrial customers:
Veolia ES Singapore Pte LtdVeolia ES Singapore Industrial Pte Ltd17 Tuas Ave 12 Singapore 639037
Veolia specializes in liquid and solid, non-hazardous and hazardous waste management. Our expertise covers the entire waste life cycle from collection to recycling, leading to the final recovery of waste as materials or energy, including a complete range of related industrial services to companies and local authorities.Veolia’s Waste division has a worldwide workforce of more than 51,000,000 and operating 719 treatment plants. Veolia services 570,000 customers (excluding industrial maintenance) and this includes collection services on behalf of local authorities in major cities. In Singapore, with more than 800 dedicated employees, Veolia focus on optimal use of resources & integrated technology to provide the following services to municipal, commercial and the industrial sectors:- Integrated Industrial Services: automated tank cleaning, sludge treatment and recovery, chemical cleaning and facilities management, vacuum loading and high
pressure water blasting - Solid Waste: street cleansing, drain cleansing, collection, sorting and recyclingVeolia ES Singapore Pte LtdVeolia ES Singapore Industrial Pte Ltd
Around the globe, Veolia helps cities and industries to manage, optimize and make the most of their resources.Veolia designs and delivers services that are vital to human development and sustainable performance through three complementary business activities: water management, waste management and energy services. The company provides innovative, sustainable solutions to improve people's everyday lives and protect future resources.Veolia Waste Division provides waste collection services to more than 51 million people on behalf of local authorities and operates 719 waste treatment plants globally.In Singapore, with more than 800 dedicated employees, Veolia focuses on optimal use of resources and technology to provide waste management services to municipal, commercial and industrial customers:
Veolia ES Singapore Pte LtdVeolia ES Singapore Industrial Pte Ltd17 Tuas Ave 12 Singapore 639037
We provide Engineering Consultancy services in: • Design of advanced Steel and Concrete Structures
• Pre-cast Concrete Construction
• Composite Construction
• Earth Retaining or Stablising Structures (ERSS)
About LSW Consulting Engineers Pte Ltd
LSW is one of Singapore’s leading consultancies for civil and structural engineering, with unparalleled expertise in building cost-efficient, environmentally friendly and safe infrastructure projects. The company’s distinctive portfolio of projects includes residential, commercial and industrial buildings, drainage, foundation and temporary works.
What is an ORDE Emission Test?• A regulatory requirement by NEA for all off-road diesel
engines imported into Singapore on or after 01 July 2012.• Ensures the compliance to EU, US or Japan off-road diesel
engine emission standards.• Targets equipment or machinery with diesel engines as the
main or auxiliary prime mover, not registered with LTA for use on public roads.
We are the first company to be accredited by SAC to perform the emission test and provide the certification conforming to ISO 8178 standards. Our team of highly experienced officers operate a mobile test lab to perform the testing at customers’ location. This helps our customers to save time and resources transporting their equipment to us.
Singapore Test Services (STS) is the first accredited test centre in Singapore for Off-Road Diesel Engine (ORDE) Exhaust Emission Test & Certification.
For sales enquiries, call 6660 7271 or
book a test slot at www.orde.com.sg
For sales enquiries, call 6660 7271 or
book a test slot at www.orde.com.sg
Play a part in building a sustainable Singapore
x
x
Highest anti-slip Accreditation.
Solid, not hollow. Stable and does not warp or rot like wood.
Anti-abrasive and designed to withstand demanding applications.
At the heart of Fisher & Paykel refrigerators is the ability to sense and respond to daily use in an intelligent way. The combination of temperature sensors with smart electronics and variable speed fans cre-ates a controlled environment and optimum temperature for better food care. We call it
ActiveSmart™ Technology.
NE
A_7
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METEOROLOGISTyou will provide advisories, early warnings and alerts of meteorological, environmental and geological hazards to the general public and key customers such as the civil aviation sector. officers will also have opportunities to participate in international conferences and seminars. professional training in meteorology will be provided. after a stint in operational forecasting, officers may also pursue other areas such as climate and weather research where they may be offered a postgraduate scholarship. Requirements:• degree in physics, mathematics or meteorology.• a good command of spoken and written
english and excellent communication skills.• good knowledge in information technology
and experience in scientific programming, including scripting languages in unix/linux environment is preferred.
• able to perform shift work including on weekends and public holidays.
SENIOR IT SYSTEMS ANALYST you will support the research programmes in the centre for climate research Singapore (ccrS) and hazard risk and impact assessment unit (hru). you will be responsible for managing a high performance computing system (cray hpc) and its associated parallel file storage system, and the development and maintenance of internal websites and graphical display systems.your duties include:• ensuring efficient use of the cray hpc
facilities.• maintaining it aspects of external
relationships, including developing effective means of data transfer between collaborating organisations (nationally and internationally).
• Working with the research scientists to develop and maintain internal web-based display and visualisation system for weather and climate prediction.
• developing and maintaining a database of external climate information, including surveying requirements and acquiring datasets for in-house use.
Requirements:• 2 years post graduate, preferably in academic
or research environment. • Familiar with handling, troubleshooting and
maintaining uNix/linux system.• Familiar with common programming
languages such as uNix/linux shell script, Java script, and c/c++ etc.
• basic knowledge of website implementation and maintenance.
• ability to work effectively on individual projects and as part of a team effort.
• ability to multi-task. • Strong analytical, problem-solving and project
management skills.• good communication and customer
orientation skills.
SENIOR ASSISTANT dIRECTOR (STRATEGIC PLANNING)you will work in the Strategic planning department and will be responsible for:• develop and review the strategic priorities of
Nea with guidance from senior management, and in consultation with Nea operating divisions.
• conceptualise and develop strategic planning products and tools to drive Nea’s planning processes.
• drive and coordinate the strategic planning process, which includes key planning events.
• oversee and coordinate Nea’s role in inter-agency collaborations.
Requirements:• degree in engineering, Social Sciences,
economics or humanities preferred• at least 6 years of experience in strategic
planning or environment-related work• Strong interest in the environment• good writing and analytical skills• good interpersonal communication skills• highly self-motivated
MANAGER, CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS (SOCIAL MEdIA & ONLINE COMMS)you’ll engage Nea’s stakeholders to enhance its reputation as the lead agency in improving and sustaining a clean and green environment. conceptualise, implement and monitor social media initiatives to profile and strengthen the Nea brand, and support its diverse range of initiatives and programmes on its online platforms. interested applicants should submit at least three samples of their recent work (written) together with their application.
Requirements:• degree in mass communications
or relevant discipline• minimally 4 to 6 years of experience in
corporate communications or marketing communications
• experience in social media and online communications management and a good understanding of online engagement
• agency experience in social media engagement would be an advantage
• excellent oral and written skills• good analytical skills, resourceful and able
to work independently as well as in a team
• Knowledge of photoshop/illustrator, Fireworks required
MANAGER / SENIOR EXECUTIVE, CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS (PUBLIC COMMS & BRANdING)you’ll actively engage Nea’s stakeholders to enhance its reputation as the lead agency in improving and sustaining a clean and green environment. conceptualise, implement and monitor public communications and branding to profile and strengthen the Nea brand and its diverse range of programmes. applicants should submit at least three samples of their written work together with their application.
Requirements:• degree in mass communications or similar• minimally 2 to 6 years of experience in
corporate communications, marketing communications, branding or advertising
• experience in developing and implementing integrated public relations and communications programmes
• experience in corporate branding/identity work and corporate collaterals/publications
• excellent oral and written skills• good analytical skills, resourceful and able to
work independently as well as in a team• candidates with more relevant work
experience will be considered for a more senior position
MANAGER/SENIOR EXECUTIVE, CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS (MEdIA RELATIONS)you’ll engage the media to enhance Nea’s reputation as the lead agency in improving and sustaining a clean and green environment. conceptualise, manage and implement integrated media relations and marketing programmes to profile Nea and its diverse range of initiatives and programmes. applicants should submit at least three samples of their written work together with their application.
Requirements:• degree in mass communications or relevant
discipline• minimally 2-6 years of experience in media
relations, public relations or corporate communications
• experience in developing and implementing integrated public relations and communications programmes
• excellent oral and written skills• good analytical skills, resourceful and able to
work independently as well as in a team• candidates with more relevant work
experience will be considered for a more senior position
ENGINEER (ENERGY EFFICIENCY ANd CONSERVATION dEPARTMENT)you will be responsible for formulating strategies, developing policies and programmes, and implementing programmes to promote energy efficiency, clean energy and greenhouse gas emissions mitigation to households and industry sectors.
Requirements:• degree in engineering or environmental
related field • Keen interest in energy efficiency and the
environment • Strong analytical and writing abilities• good interpersonal and communication skills • highly self-motivated, independent
and resourceful
ENGINEER (PCd INSPECTORATE)Work with government agencies, the industry and academic institutions in the development and implementation of programs to manage noise pollution in Singapore, and help regulate noise from the construction industry.you will be responsible for the following:• Work with builders and developers on the
implementation of various initiatives to manage noise pollution
• Work with builders to fulfil the adoption of noise mitigating measures
• look into noise standards and guidelines in collaboration with other government agencies, the industry and consultants
• manage and implement outreach programmes on noise
• manage, analyse and respond to public feedback
Requirements: • degree in engineering• Keen interest in pollution control issues • experience in construction industry
is an advantage
• team player with good analytical, writing, communication and interpersonal skills
• good knowledge of microsoft office• able to handle adverse situations
ENGINEER/ SCIENTIFIC OFFICER (ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING ANd ASSESSMENT UNIT)this role will help oversee and assist in the operation of an enhanced air quality monitoring network and undertake studies related to environmental quality. duties will include: • oversee the operation of enhanced air
quality monitoring network and the Qa/Qc programme for air quality monitoring
• carry out benchmarking and reviewing of international and country specific guidelines, standards and criteria for air quality
• undertake modelling and source apportionment studies to determine sources of air pollution
Requirements: • bachelor or masters in Science or
environmental engineering in a field related to coastal and marine water quality monitoring and management
• preferably with 1 to 3 years’ of experience in the area air pollution monitoring
• ability to manage a multi-disciplinary team is essential
• excellent writing skills, good presentation and negotiation skills
• possess strong analytical and problem solving abilities
EXECUTIVE (ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH)implement and enforce key environmental public health programmes and policies in various areas such as pest (e.g. mosquitoes and rats) control, food hygiene and environmental cleanliness to upkeep Singapore’s image of a clean and hygienic city.
Requirements: • degree in Science, engineering or arts and
Social Sciences [with elective module(s) in economics or geography touching on environmental related topics]
• Keen interest in environmental public health • a passion for working with the community • excellent communication and interpersonal skills • Strong leadership skills and a good team player • resourcefulness and willingness to work outside
office hours
SENIOR RESEARCH SCIENTISTyou will be responsible for supervision of scientists and preparation of scientific content in the following:• development and regular enhancement of
a system able to forecast the transport of windborne contaminants
• conduct analysis of source terms (e.g. nature of forest fires, ash emissions from volcanic eruptions)
• maintenance and improvement of components where needed
• analysis and risk assessment of geohazards and emerging hazards that may affect Singapore and the region
• preparation of detailed hazard impact assessments • Networking and teamwork with local and
international research institutes, on an ad-hoc basis.
Requirements:• postgraduate degree in physical science or
engineering disciplines (or equivalent working experience). atmospheric or earth science degrees are preferred.
• 7 –10 years of experience in the fields of scientific research / analysis
• anticipatory mindset; ability to think ahead• commitment to rigour and a high standard
of delivery• good time management and
communication skills
Please note that successful candidates will be placed on an initial 2-year contract employment.
Issue 7
OPPORTuNITIes
107106
DOWA ECO-SYSTEM Co., Ltd. (Japan)
Landfill
Waste management
Clean soil
Soil remediation
Metal recycling
Collection transportation
OUR BUSINESS IN SINGAPORE• Waste Management• Collection Transportation
