Singapore's Plastic Problem: Can We Curb Our Plastic Addiction? | Climate Change: A Wicked Problem

From cutlery, to disposable shopping bags, to packaging, plastic has become the superhero of modern life. Yet nearly all plastic is made from fossil fuels. From its manufacture, to its use and disposal, single-use plastic is a major contributor to global warming.

In this episode, Dr Janil Puthucheary takes a deep dive into the problem, and finds out what Singaporeans, innovators, and businesses are doing to curb our plastic addiction.

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About the show: Confront a global threat – climate change – with host Janil Puthucheary. From plastics to electricity to food, he breaks down the little things that’d make up unique solutions for a unique nation.
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#ClimateChangeAWickedProblemCNA #JanilPuthucheary #ClimateChange #Singapore

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[sashapillai]

I wish millions of inhabitants of this world would watch informative documentaries such as this and do their bit to protect our future generations.

[leejinxing]

During my stay in Korea, the supermarket don't provide plastic bag but charges consumer for bags at a cost when they require but they have packing stations where they place cardboard boxes they got from unboxing the products for consumers to pack their groceries. This can help to not only cut down plastic bags usage and also to reuse those cardboard boxes before they are thrown into recycling bin on sold to recycling firms for recycling. Hoping to see this in SG as well

[nunoaquiles]

Singapore still gives plastic bags in Supermarkets? That is so outdated. In my country supermarkets were forced by law to stop giving plastic bags. People adapted quickly, now almost everybody uses reusable bags.

[HoshikawaHikari]

Imagine aliens also discovered plastics and thought it was so great that they had to share it with others and came here to see...

[mirandayeoh]

In Covid times, we have to use cloth masks that can be washed and reused. I sewed masks from 4 layers of old cotton sheets. Comfortable and soft. I saw Pelosi wearing masks with pretty patterns, not disposable surgical masks.

[TravelAndFood]

Ohoho.. 12% dislikes on such a serious problem.. Reduce reuse and recycle is the only way..

[epiphadipity]

65% say they will recycle?! Sure or not, everyone i know just throws it away. They're even too lazy to carry around or make a trip to the toilet to wash a reusable straw. Pretty sure everyone just knows what they're suppose to do but they don't actually do it... The results don't really seem accurate to me lol.

23:13 FALSE. Even when I do not ask for cutlery, 50% of the time the restaurant itself doesn't read the instructions AND STILL PUTS DISPOSABLE CUTLERY INSIDE.

29:50 don't need to trial lol just start charging. Numbers will drop like crazy.

[Ethanolic]

The survey has either response bias or wasn’t done properly. I doubt many know the importance of recycling much less the proper way to do it.

[ivyou]

What a great content addressing climate change and the plastic problem. Industry players like Grab & NTUC Fair Price should just implement their plans without going through any trial, with or without regulations. Individuals like us should also play our part on reducing single-use plastics.

[fangyinlee]

The lady from fair price is saying something illogical.
They hire old aunties to pack the food. Many aunty and many patron think that if items are not packed, jobs will be cut. How will a group of people in this level get job in future? They are protecting this job for like minders.
To save blemished item, they did not make enough discount to motivate purchasing behavior. Go see a smaller fruits stall, they make good discount.
Not too wise to make decision for consumer, and under-estimate human ability to adapt.

For chargeble plastic bag, malaysia has implemented no plastic bag on saturday for years. Still many singaporean buys grocery from malaysia on saturday. Instead of providing recyled boxes to ease thru the beginning stage where consumer may forget to bring own bag, fair price starts selling fossil fuel reusable bag. Now, the man said because competitors do not follow the same, and they need regulation. Fair price is a social enterprice, isnt it. Could they afford to persist thru? Or profit is the main kpi?

Semb waste also didnt dare to say, plastic were sent to oversea landfill. This is in-equality.

The best line is wall of shame.

However, it is worth to compliment the various ministry to educate our youngs. Youngs child had made better choices and reminded the mother, however not supported by the mum.

[owo]

Just saying
most paper containers have a small amount of plastic in them.

[williamzabiski]

Face mask made of non biodegrable polyester fibers make it worst. Imagine using these facemask once a day and throwing it away to the bin

[chickeabiddy]

the Grab VP is correct in saying that the regulations need to keep up.

[goov]

Plastic have provide so much convenient to our daily life. Education on how to dispose plastic wasted is more important and how to reuse it

[zyxw]

Excellent documentary, well constructed, and it doesn't apply just to Singapore.

[shawnnoyes]

Advanced nuclear power plants - usually provides process heat between 500 and 600 degree Celsius. Plastic pyrolysis is the thermal degradation of plastic waste at different temperatures (300–900°C), in the absence of oxygen, to produced liquid oil (Rehan et al., 2017). Reduce, Re-use, Recycle

[mokeyhorsefish]

This is one hella solid documentary 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 Well done to the team and everyone involved in producing this video 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[Ccb]

Surprised that such an advanced society still doesn’t have a recycling system set

[Kumutuna]

These documentaries are meant to make awareness. I hope people learn from this and make a change

[susanwilliams]

Excellent documentary, very informative CNA Insider.