Singapore Launches Eco Food Courts & Envirofriendly Gets Down to Work

An obsession with food and a growing desire to do more for the environment has led to the establishment of a new certification standard for food courts, introduced by the Singapore Environment Council. Meanwhile Australia’s innovative liquid waste solution, Envirofriendly is getting down to work in Singapore at two Sentosa resorts and in the Environment Building.

Singapore Environment Council (19 January 2011):

Singapore, 19 January 2011 – Food courts are undeniably the most popular and ubiquitous communal spaces in Singapore. Their operations generate huge amounts of waste and consume massive amounts of energy and water every day. To address these environmental challenges, the Singapore Environment Council (SEC) today launched the Eco-Foodcourt certification to facilitate the adoption of environmentally sustainable practices among local foodcourt operators.

“It was reported last year that Singapore saw an alarming increase of 31 percent of waste generated since 2000, with food waste as one of the top five waste types. A natural choice was to focus on foodcourts as they are a great avenue to not only reduce waste but also to save resources. Foodcourts are a great platform for outreach on conservation and recycling because they are a big part of our culture in food-loving Singapore,” said Mr Howard Shaw, SEC Executive Director.

The Eco-Foodcourt certification assesses the environmental management system in a foodcourt. It addresses the key components of a food court’s environmental policies, air quality, the twin resource of water and energy management, as well as waste management.

One of the mandatory requirements for attainment of the Eco-Foodcourt status is the non-usage of Styrofoam packaging as a takeaway option for customers. This is a tough stance taken by SEC to promote the reduction of the harmful impact on our environment and to introduce environmentally preferable options such as biodegradable packaging.

Guest-of-Honour, Dr Amy Khor, Minister of State, Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources, unveiled Singapore’s first Eco-Foodcourt, The Deck at Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences (FASS), at the National University of Singapore (NUS). The NUS is the first educational institution to be awarded this certification. Also receiving this award at the launch was the Kopitiam @City Square Mall from the commercial food and beverage (F&B) sector.

“We are pleased to be awarded the Singapore Environment Council’s Eco-Foodcourt Certification which recognises the environmentally sustainable practices implemented at the The Deck at FASS. As the University continues to strive for positive solutions to pressing environmental problems, the adoption of these sustainable initiatives reduces the environmental impact of canteen operations. In our campus, while waste materials such as plastics, cardboard boxes, aluminum cans, cooked oil and food waste are recycled, promotional campaigns on bringing your own lunch boxes for takeaways and using fewer plastic bags drive home the message of being environmentally responsible,” said Mr Joseph P Mullinix, Deputy President (Administration), National University of Singapore.

Examples of environmentally sustainable practices implemented at the The Deck (NUS Arts Canteen) include organic food recycling, recycling of cooking oil, use of eco-friendly Microwave Packaging food boxes, use of reusable boxes and promotion of meat-free meals. Some of these practices are also adopted at other NUS canteens.

Kopitiam’s Corporate Communications Manager, Ms Goh Wee Ling, shared about the impact of going for the Eco-Foodcourt certification, “As we went about raising the awareness of our tenants on environmental sustainability, they began to see the importance of adopting practices friendly to the environment. A big bonus to the tenants for being environmentally responsible was the realisation that they were reducing their operating expenses when they managed the use of energy and water wisely. Kopitiam is happy to partner SEC in their mission to reach out to more people with the important message of being eco-conscious.”

At this event, the SEC also took the opportunity to launch its new logo. SEC has, in the last 15 years, grown from a small non-governmental organisation (NGO) that provides environmental outreach and education to businesses and the community to become an authority in the endorsement of environmental standards and the promotion of best practices. The new logo represents both its current role in highlighting environmental sustainability issues to the community, and reflects its ongoing role as an expert in framing new opportunities that others may not see.

Source: www.sec.org.sg

Envirofriendly Makes its Mark in Singapore

By Ken Hickson

Envirofriendly – the innovative liquid waste solution from Brisbane, Australia – is being introduced into Singapore and is already on trial at two resorts on Sentosa Island and in the Environment Building in Scotts Road.

Neil Christie, the inventor and owner of the microbial water saving and waste management process, was in Singapore early in January, along with Maree Norton Managing Director of Envirofriendly Product Distribution, to get the trials under way.

This followed exploratory work and market development by Sustain Ability Showcase Asia in Singapore, including gaining approval from Public Utilities Board (PUB) and National Environment Agency (NEA) for trials to be undertaken.

The Environment Building, where trials using Urinalkleen are underway in bathrooms on two floors, also houses the Ministry of Environment & Water Resources, as well as offices of the PUB and NEA.

Neil Christie has also checked out the building’s grease trap to see how its performance can be improved. The building has already set very high standards in environmental management, winning regional awards after a major retrofit, for energy efficiency, water and waste management.

On Sentosa, trials using two products – UrinalKleen and Drainsolv – are underway at the Siloso Beach Resort, which is owned by a dedicated and far sighted environmental enthusiast Ng Swee Hwa and managed by his son, Kelvin Ng. The boutique resort is the winner of many environmental awards.

Drainsolv is also being put to the test at the nearby Rasa Sentosa, a member of the Shangri-La group of hotels and resorts. As this resort has only just re-opened after many months of renovation, the Envirofriendly product will be seen at work through all the resorts nine kitchens to reduce water use and manage the waste going into the grease traps.

This Envirofriendly product works to eliminate odour causing bacteria and speeds up the breakdown of waste in sinks, drains, pipe work and greasetraps. It can also significantly reduce the frequency of costly evacuation of grease traps.

It is too early to tell from the trials at Rasa Sentosa as the resort has only just re-opened (19 January), but early observations of the use of Envirofriendly at Siloso and the Environment Building indicate it is working to plan and producing the improvements expected.

UrinalKleen ensures the effective operation of both waterless and flushing urinals in bathrooms, significantly reducing water use, breaking down waste that causes blockages and also removing lingering unpleasant odours.

Ken Hickson is based in Singapore as Founder Chairman and CEO of Sustain Ability Showcase Asia, which represents a number of businesses (products, processes and services) in Asia Pacific. For further information on Envirofriendly products and their application in Singapore and Asia, please contact Ken Hickson – kenhickson@sustain-ability-showcase.com