1.

Notifying Member: SINGAPORE

If applicable, name of local government involved (Article 3.2 and 7.2):

2.

Agency responsible:

National Environment Agency (NEA)

Name and address (including telephone and fax numbers, email and website addresses, if available) of agency or authority designated to handle comments regarding the notification shall be indicated if different from above:

Mr Bryan Ong

Executive Engineer, Department of Sustainability Strategy, Sustainability Division, NEA

40 Scotts Road, Environment Building, #19-00

Singapore 228231

Email: bryan_ong@nea.gov.sg

Ms Toh Swee Hoon

Senior Engineer, Department of Sustainability Strategy, Sustainability Division, NEA

40 Scotts Road, Environment Building, #19-00

Singapore 228231

Email: TOH_Swee_Hoon@nea.gov.sg

3.

Notified under Article 2.9.2 [X], 2.10.1 [ ], 5.6.2 [ ], 5.7.1 [ ], 3.2 [ ], 7.2 [ ], other:

4.

Products covered (HS or CCCN where applicable, otherwise national tariff heading. ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable): All pre-packaged beverages in plastic bottles and metal cans that are 150ml (inclusive) – 3000ml (inclusive)

5.

Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document: Resource Sustainability (Amendment) Bill

6.

Description of content: The Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment and the National Environment Agency will be introducing a beverage container return scheme (otherwise commonly known as a Deposit Refund Scheme, Container Deposit Scheme or Bottle Bill) for Singapore. Under the scheme, a small deposit will be applied to certain beverage containers when consumers buy a pre-packaged beverage. Consumers can then claim a deposit refund by returning their empty beverage container to a designated return point. The beverage producers (i.e., importers, manufacturers) will pay for and/or run the scheme for the collection and recycling of the returned empty beverage containers. To help consumers identify containers covered under the Scheme, beverage containers must be labelled with a deposit mark. Otherwise, refunds could be wrongly claimed on beverage containers where a deposit was not paid in the first place, such as those bought overseas. The deposit mark will also facilitate the return of containers at manual return point locations.

7.

Objective and rationale, including the nature of urgent problems where applicable: Through the implementation of the scheme, Singapore aims to:

1.    Increase the recycling rate of beverage containers and reduce the amount of waste disposed of as well as carbon emissions at waste-to-energy plants; and

2.    Raise consumer awareness on the importance of 3Rs (i.e., Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) and encourage good recycling practices.

8.

Relevant documents:

Further details of the Scheme can be found in the following documents:

https://www.go.gov.sg/nea-bcrs:

1.    Annex: Public Consultation on Proposed Beverage Container Return Scheme (28 pages)

9.

Proposed date of adoption: First quarter of 2023

Proposed date of entry into force: Mid-2024

10.

Final date for comments: 60 days from notification

11.

Texts available from: National enquiry point [ ] or address, telephone and fax numbers and email and website addresses, if available, of other body:

Please write in to:

National Environment Agency

40 Scotts Road, Environment Building

Singapore 228231

Email:

bryan_ong@nea.gov.sg

TOH_Swee_Hoon@nea.gov.sg