Treasures in the trash: Companies save over $44m from reduced packaging waste

Environmental concern is good business sense, says NEA.

Packaging waste makes up about a third of domestic waste disposed of in Singapore. Efforts to reduce waste generation at source have proven to be both environment friendly and increasingly cost-effective.

The first Singaporean Packaging Agreement (SPA) was signed in 2007. It provides a platform and structure for industries to reduce packaging waste from product packaging, and to raise awareness and educate consumers on the benefits of reducing packaging waste.

“Signatories have reduced a cumulative total of more than 20,000 tonnes of packaging waste, saving an equivalent of more than $44 million to date,” the NEA reported in a statement on June 3.

The second SPA commenced on July 2012, and a total of 149 signatories have joined the agreement to date.