‘My mother doesn’t think she has a problem’: Challenges faced by those helping hoarders in S’pore
SINGAPORE - Mr Chng, 26, took this video as he carefully made his way up the stairs to his mother's second-floor Chinatown home. There is barely enough space for him to walk, a narrow path on the stairs is flanked on both sides by mounds of stuff. To the right are boxes stacked shoulder height or higher against a wall. To the left, paper bags and plastic bags packed with unidentified objects are strewn, alongside an assortment of items seemingly picked up from the trash - random bits of paper and empty drink bottles. Please subscribe or log in to continue reading the full article. Get unlimited access to all stories at $0.99/month Latest headlines and exclusive stories In-depth analyses and award-winning multimedia content Get access to all with our no-contract promotional package at only $0.99/month for the first 3 months* Subscribe now *Terms and conditions apply.
FairPrice’s ‘no plastic bag’ initiative extended for another year following positive response
SINGAPORE - NTUC FairPrice will extend its "no plastic bag" initiative for a year from Thursday (Nov 12) following positive responses from customers, the supermarket giant said on Wednesday (Nov 11). A total of 15.6 million plastic bags were saved since the initiative began last November with 25 outlets onboard, FairPrice said. Customers at these outlets who require bags could purchase them at 20 cents for each transaction at FairPrice, FairPrice Finest and FairPrice Xtra supermarkets, or at 10 cents for each transaction at Cheers and FairPrice Xpress convenience stores. "About seven in 10 customers who shopped at participating supermarkets chose to bring their own bags or refused plastic bags, while close to nine in 10 customers did the same at convenience stores," said FairPrice. The $600,000 in plastic bag charges collected in the past year will be donated to environmental and community causes. "The significant number of plastic bags saved in this short span of one year is a testimony of the greater public awareness for the environment," said FairPrice group chief executive Seah Kian Peng. From Thursday (Nov 12), there will be 11 FairPrice, FairPrice Finest and FairPrice Xtra su...
Reusable plastic bags most eco-friendly option in Singapore: Study
SINGAPORE - Being an eco-friendly shopper in Singapore means opting for and using a reusable plastic bag many times instead of using a cotton one, a new study has found. Forgot the plastic reusable bag? Then the next best option would be to use a single-use plastic bag, instead of a paper one or one made of biodegradable polymers. These findings by researchers from Nanyang Technological University (NTU) and their colleagues in Finland were published in August in the Journal of Cleaner Production. In the paper, the researchers noted that while plastic grocery bags are one of the most common single-use packaging products, other options have been gaining traction. They include single-use bags made of paper or biodegradable plastic; or reusable bags made of cotton or polypropylene non-woven plastic. But how do they stack up against each other in terms of how environmentally friendly they are here? The latest study provides the answer, with the researchers modelling the environmental impact of each type of bag based on a host of factors, such as how the bags are made, transported, distributed, collected as waste, treated and disposed of. For example, the study took into account the quan...