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.
Continue watching Climate Change: A Wicked Problem: • Climate Change: A Wick...
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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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[@sashapillai7430]

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

[@ito_tofu5324]

completely agreed! it makes me sad to see only 19k views in 5 months - most people just dont really care

[@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

[@lucretius8050]

Unfortunately Singapore will be very slow to implement this. I still hear people's arguments against plastic bag ban saying that they need it as garbage bags. www.businesstimes.com.sg/government-economy/singapore-not-in-a-hurry-to-ban-plastic-bags-minister-says

[@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...

[@TravelAndFood664]

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

[@mirandayeoh8606]

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.

[@GangetFans]

Stop using placebo, mask do absolute nothing for covid, its only a phsycological tool cheap for goverment to push to population

[@crisantocabrerajr.222]

I cut the leg part of my wife's jogging pants and made short pants and 6 washable facemask

[@the-turd-eye]

@@crisantocabrerajr.222 7 items for the price of 1. I applaud your innovative mind sir.

[@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.

[@i10v3you]

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.

[@mokeyhorsefish]

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

[@owo4470]

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

[@GangetFans]

Great documentary, thanks CNA

[@zyxw2000]

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

[@Tammissa]

I love your documentaries! Actually everything on this channel is so interesting,entertaining and informative.Thanks for all your hard work! In Canada your charged 5-10c per bag. Everything is way over packaged, plus it puts the price of everything go up.

[@appleslover]

In Turkey it's 0.5 tl or 1/14 usd

[@fangyinlee7643]

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.

[@nunoaquiles81]

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.

[@reliancehelpercrystalchai5726]

Not anymore in 2023. Right now, most countries charge for plastic bags.

[@goov6071]

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

[@sherinderkaur3409]

good one

[@susanwilliams4953]

Excellent documentary, very informative CNA Insider.

[@hc5640]

this is amazing

[@Ccb88888]

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

[@OpiumBride]

recycling doesnt do anything, and never has. i stopped recycling completely after learning about it.

[@Kumutuna]

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

[@chickeabiddy]

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

[@Treelia]

I agree that regulations need to keep up, but the regulations should be the right one and properly evaluated prior to implementation. I don't think Grab's initiatives are truly green and may do more harm than good. Intuitively, after watching the entire video, Grab initiative already didn't sit well with me even before I went to research the Grab's green initiative to decide whether I choose their eco-packaging if given the choice. It has been established that ANY material to be recycled should not be contaminated by food and Grab deliveries deal with food. I found this older CNA article that tells us that paper based packaging isn't necessarily better for the environment. I wouldn't be opting for Grab's eco-packaging. I have a stack of plastic containers from Grab takeaways that I wash and re-use for keeping the leftovers from my mum's weekend cooking, which I will not be able to do with these paper-based "eco packaging" that Grab is touting. www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/businesses-using-paper-instead-of-plastic-not-necessarily-better-12200916 One big correct step forward that has been timely by our politician is the making this video series, which has made me do my own further research and think of what green decisions I can implement in my life. No regulation required here. :)

[@lucretius8050]

It is the same when the Fairprice CEO said he don't have the answer and there's no support from others.

[@williamzabiski7653]

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

[@codydrawz9624]

My mother works at an elderly home lodge, and since Covid hit, she had to wear them 24/7. But she never throws them away, she washes them, hangs them to dry, and reuses them

[@user-bq3st4ox5o]

your videos are very good and have a wide message thank you

[@godfreytan1001]

Kudos to these CNA documentaries. So well done...

[@shawnnoyes4620]

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

[@jrukawa11]

Do you take allowances from CNA for hosting the program?

[@koon2038]

For the time put in, I hope he did

[@HoshikawaHikari]

Show this at all schools to all kids please!

[@maypong2007]

Schools and home education

[@sandyvillaruel2874]

Singapore is the best ❤❤❤

[@georgecribbs6527]

wish there was more info on the clothing company

[@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.

[@cwong5643]

Well said, Rachel!

[@sayanchakraborty4803]

But there is another problem with clothes made up of plastics. While washing them, microplastics will be released into the water. Segregating these microplastics is very difficult. So, sadly these microplastics will end up in the ocean. Some other way has to be found out without reinventing the wheel.

[@imp3r1alx]

Almost nothing can replace plastic for now.. from hygienic, price, and convenience of plastic..

[@j.f.g.8791]

Government needs to ban plastic packaging. There is so many ecologically degradable alternatives.

[@captainvijaikanth]

Governments of the world should put a price on virgin plastic. What a mind boggling stupidity, always ask what they did not say :(

[@reliancehelpercrystalchai5726]

Everything is easier said than done.

[@sramay123]

It is we all have to abstain from Plastic strictly. Crying wont work.

[@natinthechat515]

Where does the money go from the purchase of these bags?

[@sdqsdq6274]

did they check where the plastic come from, most from other countries

[@thee_others]

Good content for the masses, more people needs to know about it. For myself as a start, i always bring along fodable big size bag and a small one for my purchases, same for planned or unplanned purchases.

[@user-db4zh5rp6v]

all vehicles are also made up of plastics too...

[@haridaspanicker5888]

An excellent video, very informative and educative. If Singapore, with its small population is struggling to contain plastic overuse and recycling problems, imagine the extent of plastic pollution created in China and India! The solution has been given in your video: change our habits! Extensive education, awareness and a bit of arm twisting through legislation. But time is running out. I wrote an article for my College magazine, on plastic pollution destroying pur oceans, in 1970! It was a subject few knew or cared about! I am now 71. Fifty years on, the World is still struggling to contain plastic abuse. And now all us are eating micro-plastics,remnants of the trash we dumped into our oceans!

[@H3adl3sschick3n]

I need to go to rehab for my plastic addiction

[@daniellekat4064]

This man is my hero, he has put into a single video what I have thought for years, thank you!

[@sramay123]

i give all plastic bottles/disposable pouc wash and give if i use it. but most are taught as only manager and waste generated by him/her or is not their responsibility. govt must stop manufacturing of single use plastic immediately.

[@needmoreramsay]

12:43 NICE green screening. Lol

[@icecrambringer123]

All i am saying, every company should start using Vechain blockchains Carbon credit project. #Vefam #Vechain

[@ngochuyenphamnguyen8411]

Thanks CNA for a relatable document. I wish there would be other language subtitles like Vietnamese, so people from my country can watch and understand it too.

[@sarvamsivam6557]

We have already done enough damage we can't reverse it 😔

[@apelsinuke]

but, uhm, if plastic is incinerated, it's good? because incineration produces heat which is used to make electrical energy etc., and proper air filter ensure that toxic fumes become harmless, so isn't it good? i just wish more countries incinerated their trash. *with proper fumes filtration* of course.

[@bixbe_sglearn]

There are those who would not sacrifice a bit of comfort and convenience to help save the planet and the future of their children. Maybe they don't think of it that way. Why else would they be so selfish?

[@_h__22]

Why is the government not regulating all of this

[@lucretius8050]

According to the minister. www.businesstimes.com.sg/government-economy/singapore-not-in-a-hurry-to-ban-plastic-bags-minister-says

[@reliancehelpercrystalchai5726]

They did but everything is easier said than done.

[@yvielam]

Can please put in Chinese subtitles , it’s important for the elderly generation to know and do their part.

[@JASONTang0911]

Plastic bottle = bad for environment Then we switch to paper cup = bad for environment too because the cups contain pfas(forever chemical ) We need to bring our own metal cups from now on

[@DataUser1357421En]

Ceramic/glass cups?

[@ALuckyDonkey]

Tax plastics. Make recycling better understood. Incentives reuse or reduction. Biodegradable plastics largely can only degrade in specific facilities. Reducing plastic bags have been shown to just increase purchase of plastic rolls for waste bins.

[@AstroIzzy07]

Us humans are trash I mean most of us except those trying their hardest to clean up the trash Everyone can make a small difference even buying lose fruit and veg and trying your hardest to avoid buying things in plastic can make difference lots of small efforts can make a big difference even if that difference is reading e-books instead of real books because the cover’s are lined with plastic (I ruined one of my favourite books trying to take the plastic off the cover so don’t try it at home just take my word for it also take the covers off books before you recycle them)

[@huiyingtanyayap]

don't even m mention fairprice is doing sth. it is too little, ppl doesnt feel the pain. all grocery stores must charge 1 bag for at least $0.50 or more.

[@needmoreramsay]

Was curious to also know what *percentage* of the items in his fridge contain plastic.

[@needmoreramsay]

Was looking like 100

[@axalonnightshade9958]

Would like to see stronger governmental support and regulation to combat this.

[@justinteng9503]

employees got abused.. sigh

[@stargalactic4255]

Already prices of food and other essentials are spiraling out of control and not to mention the impending increases in consumption taxes soon. Who would want to be so altruistic when our population is but a small drop in the vast ocean. It only serves to decimate our poor and the dwindling middle classes residing in the heartlands. How many of the well to do will actually go " ta bao" for their meals on a regularly?. Would it make a difference if we ditch plastic altogether in this minuscule population of SIngapore ? Stop kidding ourselves and think that we can really make a difference in plastic use comparatively to the whole wide world and if you actually think we can be a model, think again as it can be as silly as ditching drinking straw ... can you imagine ditching plastic straw will make a difference and saving the world and in balancing out our plastic use? We are already recycling conscientiously compare to all those other countries globally and not to mention just in Asean alone. It likens to ask Bruneians not to drive in order to lower down the green house gases. Laughs!

[@mingyuhuang8944]

As an Australian, the amount of plastic bags used in Singapore and other Asian countries is insane. A breakfast with rotis and some buns would mean more than 3 little plastic bags + a larger plastic bag... Crazy, both inconvenient and also dangerous to the environment! Why???

[@dannychong7842]

WHO PRO DEMOCRATS? Me from Malaysia and aware, who won HongKong election, just the lady still pop out on TV.. Democrat mean majority voters decide HongKong future since it was held during riots.. Riots indeed wrong since its causing disruption to normal lifestyle yet 90% of HK people choose changes even their normal life disrupted.. Why Hongkong people don't support Pro CHINA during election even everywhere were chaos? Your perception about riots mean what did by the govt cannot be wrong, were not the right conclusion.... (Google "Danny Woo Vk" in Bing for book of life, A science book that don't exist in human world, if link broken)

[@sramay123]

why produce, consume and cry? Cant we wake up?

[@reliancehelpercrystalchai5726]

Everything is easier said than done.

[@billyhighfill]

Available in gay colours huh? 🤣🤣🤣 o how the times have changed.

[@bsways]

@5:14"... available in gay colours" so comes in rainbow colours? 🤣

[@whitehorse7965]

He cries wine and sells vinegar

[@fuljoladagibfu5114]

The stimulating dessert extragingivally obtain because sailboat partly crack since a superficial scanner. humdrum, wholesale bear

[@dennisj.isreal8263]

*Isaiah 59:19 So shall they fear the name of the LORD from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard against him.*

[@nathanhutton5304]

Using face masks as an analogy for adapting new trends, hilarious! Most people only wore those things because they were required by other businesses and individuals to do so. Today, mask wearers are a rarity, and people look at them weird.