The Singapore Government launched the Singapore Green Plan in February 2021 as a whole-of-nation sustainability roadmap. Fronted by five ministries working in tandem, the Ministries of Education, National Development, Sustainability, and the Environment, Trade, and Industry and Transport. The Green Plan sets out concrete sectoral plans and targets over the next 10 years which will transform how Singaporeans live, play, work, commute, and more.
The plan includes the ambitious goal of reducing plastics waste and becoming a regional hub for plastics recycling.
In pursuit of this target, the Singaporean-German Chamber of Industry and Commerce (SGC), together with Advantage Austria, supported the launch of the Plastics Recycling Association of Singapore (PRAS) on 17th of August 2021 to develop and expand Singapore’s capabilities for plastic waste.
This was accompanied by the launch of the Plastics Recycling Centre of Excellence, and the signing of five MOUs with different partners, including the Johannes Kepler University in Austria, focusing on a range of skills training, and research and development collaborations to achieve a higher circularity of plastics.
Further promoting the close ties between Singapore and the DACH region, the Singaporean-German Chamber of Industry and Commerce (SGC), with support from Advantage Austria and PRAS, organised the German-Singapore Plastic Recycling Forum which was held on 15 October 2021.
SGC President Jens Rübbert handed over a new publication on Singapore’s Green Plan 2030 highlighting business opportunities in the field of sustainability to the Minister of State for Sustainability and the Environment, Mr. Desmond Tan.
This publication highlights future areas for sustainable development, where Singaporean, German and Austrian companies have the opportunity to add value to Singapore’s call for a greener and more sustainable future. The main topics identified are Recycling, Energy Efficiency, Water and Wastewater Management, Smart and E-Mobility.
To promote the cooperation between Austrian and Singaporean businesses, the forum was attended by the Austrian Commercial Counsellor, David Bachmann, who was accompanied by the executives of the Singaporean subsidiaries of Agrutech, Alpla and Borouge, three Austrian companies with great expertise in the field of Plastic Recycling. Representatives from several other Austrian companies attended the forum virtually.
The forum included a panel discussion on “The Journey of Plastics Recycling and Future Vision”, attended by Mr. Edwin Khew, President of Plastic Recycling Association Singapore, Mr. Jakob Lambsdorff, CEO, ALBA Singapore. Mr. Holger Linder, CEO Product Division, TUV SUD and Dr Ulrich Schwenken, CSO, CTO & CDO, Leistritz AG, who shared insights on the challenges and opportunities for businesses as Singapore moves towards an increasingly circular economy.
The forum was closed by Mr. Joachim Ihrcke, Chairman of the SGC sustainability committee.
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