Commentary: Cut plastic packaging? Not so straightforward in modern Singapore
Plastic use in supermarkets extends far beyond disposable carrier bags at checkout counters. But there are few easy, plastic-free alternatives for storing and transporting perishable food, says cookbook author Pamelia Chia.
BREDA, The Netherlands: The mandatory plastic bag charge of at least S$0.05 (US$0.04) kicked in at large supermarkets across Singapore on Monday (Jul 3). First announced in March 2022, the charge aims to nudge consumers to be mindful of and reduce their usage of disposable bags, and is a step towards tackling the ecological bane of single-use plastic.
Only 6 per cent of plastic waste was recycled in Singapore in 2021 and 2022. The rest of the waste ends up in incinerators, and the ash residues are then buried in Semakau Landfill, which is estimated to run out of space by 2035.
Plastic in supermarkets extends far beyond the disposable bags at checkout counters. On a recent trip home to Singapore, I was appalled to see nearly every piece of vegetable and fruit shrink-wrapped in plastic.
My initial reaction was outrage: Is it truly necessary and sensible to wrap something as fleeting as food in plastic, a non-biodegradable material that lasts forever?
But as I pondered alternatives, I realised that there are no easy answers.
EXTENDING SHELF LIFE
Plastic packaging serves the critical function of slowing decay and extending the shelf life of perishable food items. Strawberries, for example, when nestled into clamshell packaging and stacked in light, sturdy crates, are protected during transport - there is minimal bruising and damage, if at all.
Leafy vegetables, when wrapped in impermeable plastic sleeves, also stay green longer. This reduces food waste all along the supply chain - in the world of agriculture and grocery retail, where every less-than-perfect fruit or vegetable represents a loss of profit, the extended shelf life makes a big difference.
When I lived in Australia, I enjoyed shopping at Terra Madre, Melbourne’s largest organic wholesaler which aims to minimise its impact on the environment across all aspects of its business.
It does this through establishing relationships with their farmers and suppliers, who ensure that much of its produce is delivered in reusable crates. The staff at Terra Madre also sort the polystyrene and plastic packaging used and send it back to the farmers.
In a country like Singapore, however, where more than 90 per cent of its food is imported rather than locally produced, this model can be hard to achieve.
Doing away with plastic packaging would also require consumers to alter their shopping and eating patterns. My grandmother belonged to the generation that would make a trip to the wet market every day to procure the freshest produce, buying only what her push trolley would fit.
While it is a wonderful practice, it can be impractical for many Singapore residents who lead busy, modern lives. With cars and refrigerators being common, many consumers have shifted away to shopping for groceries for an entire week, buying what they can load into their car boots and backseats.
This consumption pattern means that shoppers look for products that last longer. Enter plastic packaging.
What might help alleviate our dependency on plastic packaging is widespread education about produce storage. During my time working in restaurants, the entire team would often stop what they were doing when suppliers arrived to unpack produce and store them in a way that keeps them fresh for longer.
This meant wrapping bunches of herbs in dampened kitchen towels and stowing them in airtight storage containers, for example. Good storage habits such as these are just as relevant in the space of a home, keeping produce fresh for longer while simultaneously reducing our reliance on plastic packaging.
PLASTIC-FREE ALTERNATIVES AROUND THE WORLD
As supermarkets worldwide grapple with their culpability in climate change, a variety of solutions have emerged. Thai, Vietnamese and Filipino supermarkets have begun using banana leaves to wrap vegetables, a practice that is not uncommon at traditional markets in these countries.
While creative, the banana leaves only serve to bundle up produce - they do not provide the same airtight protection for meat, seafood, vegetables, and fruit as plastic does. Also, banana leaves as packaging might pose problems for those suffering from latex allergies.
Zero waste stores are abundant in the Netherlands, where I live. Large dispensers house everything from nuts to rice, and consumers are encouraged to bring their own bags, jars, or containers. While bulk has a buy-only-what-you-need appeal, it requires a whole overhauling of the grab-and-go supermarket experience.
Cross-contamination also poses another challenge. UnPackt, the first zero waste store to open in Singapore, has reported customers not respecting the hygiene required to keep the packaging-free foods fresh. Because of this, to supermarkets, bulk remains a liability that outstrips its environmental virtues.
NO STRAIGHTFORWARD SOLUTIONS
It is clear that there isn’t a magic bullet that eradicates plastic in supermarkets. A carrot-and-stick approach, where Singaporeans are rewarded for positive climate action or given disincentives as negative reinforcement, however, does not truly reach the heart of the matter.
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In some cases, it might even backfire. Though Singapore supermarkets said that proceeds from the plastic bag charge would be channelled towards social or environmental causes, slapping a fee on single-use plastics can be perceived by some as thinly veiled capitalism.
Care for the environment has to come from within. I have observed that in the Netherlands and Australia, it is mainstream for both young and old to bring their own tote bags to the supermarket, proving that it is not simply the habit of a few climate activists.
Beyond plastic consumption, there are also other major lifestyle factors with devastating environmental impacts when compounded in the long term. These are behaviours that we can easily change, such as driving in a small country with world-class transport, reliance on food delivery services and an overconsumption of meat.
For truly sustainable change to happen, Singapore has to make the shift to a culture that prioritises the environment over convenience. But until then, 5 cents a bag is a start.
Pamelia Chia is the author of the cookbooks Wet Market to Table and Plantasia: A Vegetarian Cookbook Through Asia, and the founder of Singapore Noodles, a newsletter with the mission of keeping Singapore's food heritage alive.