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SINGAPORE – People may have gotten used to buying takeout after the two-month circuit breaker, when dining at restaurants was not allowed to reduce the spread of Covid-19.
But a local charity hopes that the people here can help reduce the use of disposables by using their own containers.
Zero Waste SG launched a new Bring Your Own Container (BYOC) campaign on Saturday (December 19) at the Tiong Bahru market.
Under the initiative, the zero waste ambassadors will remind diners at five street vending centers on weekends to bring their own containers or to reject unnecessary disposables.
Diners who prove to an ambassador that they have brought their own take out containers can enter a drawing and win prizes like a UnionPay prepaid card.
In addition to the Tiong Bahru Market, the other restaurants involved in the campaign include the street vendor center at block 448 Clementi Avenue 3, block 84 Marine Parade Central, the Kopitiam at Our Tampines Hub, and Kampung Admiralty.
Dr. Amy Khor, Senior Minister of State for the Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment, was the guest of honor at the launch of the campaign.
He said there has been an observable change in consumption patterns due to the pandemic, with more people buying takeout and opting for online shopping.
“This change has resulted in more waste in disposables. The Bring Your Own Container campaign is therefore timely,” he said.
Previously, the zero waste campaign had focused more on reducing the use of disposables on other fronts, like having shoppers bring their own bags when they shop, for example.
Noting that all disposable products, whether made of paper, plastics, or degradable materials, leave a carbon footprint in their production, transport and disposal processes, Dr. Khor said that bringing in takeout containers is something that people they can do for the environment.
“By making small changes in our daily lives, we can help build a greener and more sustainable Singapore for our future generations,” he said.
An earlier survey by alumni of the National University of Singapore’s Master of Science (Environmental Management) program found that there were 1,334 additional tonnes of take-out packaging, equivalent to the weight of 92 double-decker buses, generated from meals to take away and take away. during the two month breaker.
Ms. Pek Hai Lin, Executive Director of Zero Waste SG, said consumers can also save on disposable packaging charges imposed by some street vendors.
“Street vendors also save money on packaging costs, and we benefit from the resources saved and cleaners will not overwork,” he said. “This is even more important as many of us continue to work from home and we have to practice social distancing.”
One diner, Elgin Teng, 43, said the initiative was a good effort.
The engineer pointed out, however, that it is convenient to bring your own container to take meals if you come from home, but less if you are away from home. “Finding a place to wash the utensils and containers will also be a challenge,” he said.
Joseph Tan, 46, who brought his own container when he brought the food from the Tiong Bahru market, said his family has been practicing this habit for a while. Pointing to her tingkat container, the housewife said that it helps keep food warm and is also easy to wash.
“But street vendors need to be involved too,” he said, noting that certain dishes were more difficult to eliminate due to portion sizes.
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