Melissa Low is a research fellow in the NUS Energy Studies Institute and has participated in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Conference of Parties for over a decade. She is also an active member of the National Youth Council – Ministry of the Environment and Sustainability Youth Circle which is a youth empowerment initiative that aims to broaden the co-deliberative space and opportunities at the policy level for youth. Together with other members of the NYC-MSE Youth Circle, Melissa has been advocating for environmentally sustainable policies, particularly towards food donation. She is currently pursuing her PhD studies in the NUS Department of Geography and we thank Melissa for taking the time to share her insights with us. We would also like to thank Prof Taylor for connecting us with her.
What is one important thing that our readers should understand about food wastage in Singapore?
Firstly, we ought to understand that we are all part of the chain and we need food to survive. However, we also drive demand for food types with the money we spend. Hence, we need to start to become more aware of the demand we are driving and what are the impacts that have on the environment as well. Avocadoes from Mexico will highly likely have different environmental concerns than locally sourced food produce. When we reduce demand, the likelihood of the supply of these food products also declines, resulting in less waste during the various phases from cultivation to arriving on the shelves of the stores.
This is especially important in Singapore as we have high contact with every region in the world. In addition to the spending power that drives demand for food from across the world, the food products pass through numerous middlemen who contribute significantly to the problem. Unfortunately, we, in Singapore, are not able to witness the impacts that we have from farm to fork but rather end up shifting the burden.
“One thing we, therefore, can take away is that while we are part of the problem, we are also part of the solution.”
What are some environmental effects of food waste in Singapore? What are some initiatives in place to reduce these effects?
In Singapore, due to the limited land space, we end up sending our food waste to the incineration plants. However, we do utilise this to our benefit by undergoing ‘Waste to Energy’ which generates electricity from the burning of waste, albeit it is about 3% annually.
Heavy water weight in food structures can result in longer burning time and inefficient burning if not extracted prior. By compressing and dehydrating our wet food waste, it helps with both reducing the volume going to the incineration plants and inefficiency. Segregating food waste into organic waste and bones, for example, would also be helpful due to the different burning points. The latest Resource Sustainability Act (2019) would require premises that generate large amounts of food waste to segregate their food waste for treatment, either on-site or off-site.
What are some tips you have for individuals who might want to reduce their food waste?
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- Reconsider our treatment of perishables
Remember we control demand with the spending power we have, so buy only what you need. Ensure you are storing them probably and using them promptly. - Try picking up composting
I have been composting with a worm compost system for close to a decade. It might seem scary at first, especially with many unanswered questions. Do your research and ask for help. If not, you can always look for community composting. - Wet market shopping
This relates more to the packaging waste generated by food products, especially in supermarkets. Try to reduce this by shopping for fresh produce in wet markets which use less packaging.
- Reconsider our treatment of perishables
In conclusion, we have laid out a good foundation as a country for Singapore to become more resource and food sufficient with the Zero Waste and 30 by 30 masterplans. Now, it is time as individuals to reconsider our actions and contribute to reducing the food waste we have control over.
Trailing off,
Jade and Ridzuan
References
Low, M. (2020). Expert’s Take: Tips to reduce food waste. 12 Oct.
