Singapore – new plastics bottles buy-back & recycling programme launched

Channel News Asia (CNA) reports that a new $6 million (GBP1.9 m) recycling plant has just opened its doors in Singapore, and it is launching a buy-back scheme for used plastic bottles.



Residents will get one cent for every two plastic bottles, or 20 cents for a kilogramme. KK Asia is the company behind the recycling plant – a first in Southeast Asia. It says the money adds up and hopes that is what will get Singaporeans recycling.



Mr Robin Loh, Managing Director of KK Asia, said: "Now we start this buy-back scheme to buy back all the household bottles which include shampoo bottles and mineral water bottles. We wash the bottle, crush the bottle and sort out all the different bottles. We recycle into raw material again and this raw material we recycle into garbage bags."



Dr Yaacob Ibrahim, Minister for Environment and Water Resources, said: "Companies are coming out on their own, being very proactive. For example, KK Asia is launching the buy-back scheme. That means they are confident enough to collect waste and pay people for the waste, and make money out of it."



KK Asia says recycling habits in Singapore have not quite extended to plastics. Singaporeans dump $11 million worth of plastics every year. And instead of these going straight to the landfill, the recycling plant converts them to other plastic products. These are then exported to countries like China, Vietnam and India. The company says it will approach the Community Development Councils to help spread the "cash-for-plastic" message down to individual homes. – CNA