Measures to Prevent Oil Spills
11 November 2024
Ms Hazel Poa asked the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment (a) whether the Government will be checking the structural integrity of all oil pipelines in Singapore’s waters; (b) what other measures can be taken to prevent the occurrence of future oil spills in Singapore’s waters; and (c) whether any penalties will be imposed on the company responsible for the oil leak on 20 October 2024.
The Senior Minister of State for Sustainability and the Environment (Dr Amy Khor Lean Suan) (for the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment): Mr Speaker, in relation to the earlier reply by the Minister of State Murali Pillai on the Parliamentary Questions on the recent oil spill incidents, let me say that for the October 24 oil spill incident, 30 to 40 tonnes of slop, which is a mixture of oil and water, leaked from a pipeline belonging to Shell at Pulau Bukom. Clean-up works have been completed and there have been no oil sightings, both at sea and ashore.
Investigations by the National Environment Agency (NEA) and the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) into the incident are ongoing. It is an offence under the Environmental Protection and Management Act for any person to discharge any polluting matter into a watercourse.
It is also an offence under the Prevention of Pollution of the Sea Act, to discharge any oil or oily mixture into Singapore waters from any place on land or from any apparatus used for transferring oil from or to any ship. Industrial facilities typically conduct regular maintenance and inspections of equipment, including oil pipelines, to reduce the risk of leaks or failure. NEA also conducts regular inspections of facilities with oil pipelines, such as refineries and petrochemical plants, to ensure compliance with environmental pollution standards’ control requirements. As part of the investigation, NEA is reviewing the measures that Shell has put in place at their facility and whether additional measures are needed to minimise the risk of oil leaks further.
As an interim measure, NEA has directed Shell to carry out a comprehensive pipeline integrity check across their Bukom plant. As investigations are still ongoing, it is premature to discuss whether and what enforcement measures will be taken. But NEA takes a serious view on the importance of businesses and individuals fulfilling their obligations to protect our environment and we will not hesitate to take enforcement action in accordance with the law against any party found responsible for negligence or wrongdoing.
After it has conducted its investigations, NEA will share relevant learning points with other industrial facilities to review and strengthen their measures and standard operating procedures and to perform checks on their systems, where needed. On the other measures to minimise the risk of oil spills, the Member may refer to the earlier response by the Minister of State for Transport, Mr Murali Pillai, to Parliamentary Questions on the recent oil spill incidents.
Ms Hazel Poa (Non-Constituency Member): I thank Senior Minister of State Amy Khor for her reply. She mentioned that there are regular inspections of the equipment. Can I clarify, what frequency that would be? Secondly, it was announced that researchers will be conducting a 15-month plan to monitor the impact of the 14 June oil spill on biodiversity in the intertidal areas. Will this plan now be extended to cover the recent oil spills in October?
Dr Amy Khor Lean Suan: First, let me say, as I have noted earlier in my response, the industrial facilities will typically conduct regular maintenance and inspections of their equipment, including the pipelines, to ensure there are no leaks or failures. In fact, the onus is actually on them to conduct this regular maintenance and checks on their equipment. But NEA also conducts regular checks on these facilities with the oil pipelines, including petrochemical plants and refineries, to ensure that they comply with environmental pollution control requirements to make sure that the measures that they put in place for pollution control is effective. Generally, we will check at the run-off of the discharge points, because if there is oil leak in any facility, the run-off will be contaminated.
How regularly do we check? We do it regularly, through the course of the year. It may depend on the assessment by the agency as to how often they will need to do checks on these facilities.
With regard to the study on the impact of the oil spills, the National Parks Board (NParks) monitors the impact of any oil spill incidents on the marine and coastal ecosystem, as well as on the wildlife. Thus far, for the October incident for instance, NParks has assessed that there has been no immediate impact on the marine and coastal ecosystem as well as the wildlife. I understand that they will continue to monitor this.
Air Quality Monitoring and Control Funding Initiative
9 September 2024
Ms Hazel Poa asked the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment whether the Ministry can provide an update on the invitation for research proposals on studies on particulate matter generated by tyres and brakes under the Air Quality Monitoring and Control Funding Initiative.
Ms Grace Fu Hai Yien: The Request For Proposal on Characterisation of Vehicular Emissions in Singapore was called in June 2023 and closed in September 2023. The project scope was revised to include additional pollutants under the new Euro 7 emission standards, which were introduced in April 2024. The research proposals received are currently being evaluated.
Progress of “30 By 30” Food Production Goal Given Recent Farm Closures
6 August 2024
Ms Hazel Poa asked the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment (a) what is the Government’s assessment of the impact of rising interest rates and operating costs, such as electricity and water costs, on Singapore’s high-tech farming sector; and (b) whether open farm style traditional agriculture can be equally supported to meet the goal of local farms producing 30% of Singapore’s nutritional needs locally by 2030.
Ms Grace Fu Hai Yien: This will be addressed in the next Sitting on 7 August 2024, together with similar Parliamentary Questions for a more holistic reply. [Please refer to “Progress of “30 By 30″ Food Production Goal Given Recent Farm Closures”, Official Report, 7 August 2024, Vol 95, Issue 139, Oral Answers to Questions section.]
7 August 2024
The Senior Minister of State for Sustainability and the Environment (Dr Koh Poh Koon) (for the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment): Mr Speaker, Sir, my response to Mr Melvin Yong’s Parliamentary Question (PQ) will also address related “30 by 30” PQs filed by Mr Dennis Tan, Mr Don Wee, Ms Hazel Poa and Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim.
Last month, my Ministry responded to PQs by several Members regarding the “30 by 30” vision. As the PQs for this Sitting are related, let me first provide a brief recap.
Since its formation, the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) has been undertaking efforts to grow our local agri-food sector, alongside import source diversification and stockpiling. Local production adds to Singapore’s food security by helping to buffer the impact of supply disruptions.
The “30 by 30” vision was conceived in 2019 as an ambitious aspiration of building the capacity and capability to locally produce 30% of our nutritional needs by 2030. At that time, there was strong investor interest in the global agri-food sector, a low interest rate environment and lower global energy prices. Since then, the business climate has become less favourable due to factors such as the COVID-19 pandemic, geopolitical tensions and inflation. Ms Hazel Poa asked about the impact of rising business costs on the farming sector.
During the COVID-19 pandemic and initial phase of reopening, our farms faced a shortage of foreign workers and construction delays. Since then, in the post-pandemic period, inflation and energy price hikes exacerbated by geopolitical tensions, as well as a more challenging financial environment, have added to their challenges.
Some farms have taken a pause in development works to re-evaluate and fine-tune their business models. Global agri-tech companies have also not been spared from these headwinds. That said, while there have been some farm closures, we are also seeing existing players looking to expand their operations as well as new players entering the agri-food sector. So, overall, the total number of land- and sea-based farms have remained relatively stable at about 250 since 2019.
Given the nascency of our agri-food sector and the challenging environment, SFA has provided our farms with support in various areas, including availing land and infrastructure for farming, improving energy efficiency and productivity, and increasing demand offtake for their produce.
First, we are making land and infrastructure available for farming by regularly launching land and sea space tenders. In 2022, we also introduced the option for the typical 20-year land lease and sea space leases to be extended for a further 10 years to give more certainty to farms when planning and seeking investors. To Mr Don Wee’s question, we will continue to press on with the Lim Chu Kang Masterplan and co-develop the Singapore Aquaculture Plan with our stakeholders, including other Government agencies, nature groups, academics, industry players and offtakers.
Second, we have increased support to farms to improve their energy efficiency and productivity so as to reduce their cost and to increase revenue. To Mr Dennis Tan’s query on how the Government will assist businesses in coping with business cost challenges, SFA ensures that the Agri-Food Cluster Transformation (ACT) Fund remains relevant in meeting farms’ business and growth needs. In 2022, the ACT Fund was enhanced to extend the higher co-funding quantum of 70%, or up to $6 million per project, to a wider range of food types, such as fruited vegetables, mushrooms and shrimps, allowing more farms to benefit from this higher co-funding. The ACT Fund encourages our farms to invest in productive and resource-efficient technologies that can help to manage resource use and, consequently, operating costs. In 2023, SFA introduced the Energy Efficiency Programme (EEP) under the ACT Fund to co-fund energy efficiency audits and the adoption of energy-efficient equipment and technologies to help our farms better manage their energy costs for the longer term.
Ms Hazel Poa asked about the Government’s support for traditional open style agriculture. Given the reality of our limited land, manpower and natural resources, farms that adopt more productive, climate-resilient and resource-efficient farming methods have greater commercial viability potential. Regardless, SFA assesses all farm applications for the ACT Fund and considers the merits of each case, each and every proposal on its own merit, and its ability to contribute to our food security.
Third, we are working to increase demand for local produce. SFA is supporting the industry through the Singapore Agro-Food Enterprises Federation Limited (SAFEF). SAFEF has taken on the role of an industry level supply and demand aggregator that partners farmers, traders and food processing companies to better match demand and supply. Through the efforts of SAFEF and its partners, locally grown vegetables and fish are now sold under the brand names “The Straits Fish” and “The SG Farmers’ Market”, respectively, at FairPrice supermarkets under a six-month trial. And, in fact, consumer response to these products have been encouraging.
So, consumers, too, can play a role in strengthening our national food security. They can choose to purchase local produce which can be easily recognised by the red “SG Fresh Produce” logo or dine at food establishments using local produce under the Farm-to-Table Recognition Programme. Together, we can continue to safeguard Singapore’s food security.
Members have also asked about the progress for “30 by 30” and if we remain on track despite the recent news on farm closures. To Mr Zhulkarnain’s question on the reasons for the farm closures, let me explain that these are commercial decisions that are farm-specific in nature. And as with any nascent sector, our agri-food sector will need time to grow and prove their business models.
The “30 by 30” vision has always been an aspiration, which seeks to rally our collective efforts around the important task of enhancing Singapore’s food security. As my Ministry shared in our reply to Parliamentary Questions on this matter last month, we have achieved some results in a few areas. For example, our local egg production now contributes more than 30% of local consumption, an increase from 26% in 2019. Local beansprout production has also come in at more than 50% of local consumption. So, the progress is expected to be uneven. Some sectors will move ahead faster and closer to our aspirations, some will still need some collective efforts from all of us. We have seen both new and existing farms harnessing technology and innovation to scale up production and operate productive, viable models. Some have expanded their operations to higher value products that better cater to consumers’ evolving demands. I want to assure Members that SFA will continue to anchor more of such farms and help them to scale up over time.
Capacity and Performance of NEA ePortal
3 April 2024
Ms Hazel Poa asked the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment (a) what is the maximum number of concurrent users that the NEA ePortal can accommodate; (b) whether the number of users has frequently exceeded this maximum capacity when the e-appointment booking for visitors parking at Choa Chu Kang Columbarium and Mandai Columbarium is opened during the Qing Ming period; and (c) whether there are plans to upgrade the NEA ePortal to improve the e-appointment booking process.
Ms Grace Fu Hai Yien: The National Environment Agency (NEA) e-appointment booking system for parking during Qing Ming was upgraded this year to concurrently handle up to 800 applications, double that of last year. Additional applicants would be placed on a queue to await their turn.
The e-appointment booking system experienced some technical issues when it was opened for booking on 4 March 2024. This led to intermittency and longer than expected queue time for some users in the first two hours after booking opened. Thereafter, most users were able to complete their bookings within five minutes. NEA will further improve on the e-appointment system for Qing Ming next year.
Arrears on Utility Bills
26 February 2024
Ms Hazel Poa asked the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment how many Singaporean households were in arrears on their utility bills in 2023 and what were the median and maximum number of months they were in arrears.
Ms Grace Fu Hai Yien: As at 31 December 2023, 6,300 (or 0.5%) of all resident households had water bills in arrears for six months or more, with the median duration of arrears being less than one month.
Eligible households receive U-Save rebates from the Government to help offset their utility expenses. As announced at Budget 2024, eligible households will receive two-and-a-half times the amount of regular U-Save rebates, or up to $950, in Financial Year 2024. Resident households that require additional financial assistance can tap on various community and social assistance schemes.
Note: Figures stated above are rounded off to the nearest hundred.
Food Hygiene Ratings after Food Poisoning Incidents
3 October 2023
Ms Hazel Poa asked the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment (a) why did it take eight to 10 months after food poisoning incidents to downgrade the Food Hygiene ratings of food outlets in Nanyang Girls School and the Shangri-La Hotel; and (b) what is the usual range and median for such time intervals.
Ms Grace Fu Hai Yien: To safeguard food safety, the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) requires food establishments involved in food poisoning incidents to take immediate corrective action to rectify the food safety lapses. SFA may also issue a direction to stop the sale of food until the lapses are rectified. This is done for incidents assessed by the Ministry of Health (MOH) to have significant public health risk, or where SFA had detected severe food safety lapses.
Based on joint investigation findings by SFA and MOH, SFA will take the necessary enforcement actions against the offender for lapses detected. Examples of these include prosecution in Court and the issuance of composition fines. SFA will also assess if a downgrading of the premises’ food hygiene grade is warranted. In cases involving prosecution, this takes place after the offender has been convicted of the alleged offences. This allows all relevant facts to be taken into account. The time taken for food establishments to be downgraded can vary, depending on the complexity of the case, such as whether multiple food establishments are involved. It ranges from six to eleven months, with the median being eight months.
Rodent Glue Traps
4 April 2022
Ms Hazel Poa asked the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment whether glue traps for pests and rodents will be banned from use, given the possibility of catching unintended targets after deployment.
Ms Grace Fu Hai Yien: Pest control operators (PCOs) have various means to manage the population of pests and would assess the situation to determine the most appropriate means to ensure effective and safe pest control.
When used responsibly and safely, glue traps are an effective tool for trapping and removing rodents. To minimise the risk of non-target animals being trapped by glue traps, NParks, in consultation with NEA and the Singapore Pest Management Association (SPMA), had issued guidelines to PCOs on the responsible use of glue traps.
NParks, NEA and SPMA will review these guidelines from time to time.
Flood Management
14 September 2021
Ms Hazel Poa asked the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment whether she can provide an update on the flood management measures and early warning system in view of the recent flooding.
The Minister for Sustainability and the Environment (Ms Grace Fu Hai Yien): Mdm Deputy Speaker, the effects of climate change are increasingly felt around the world. Recently, we saw widespread flooding caused by a record rainfall in parts of Europe, China and the USA.
Singapore has also experienced intense rainfall events in recent months. On 17 April and 24 August, more than an entire month’s rainfall fell on our western parts within three to four hours. Given climate change, we must prepare for more extreme weather scenarios as we are likely to see more flash floods from intense rain.
Mdm Deputy Speaker: Minister, are you taking Question Nos 43 to 45 together?
Ms Grace Fu Hai Yien: Yes, Mdm Deputy Speaker. I beg your pardon. Three questions, please.
Mdm Deputy Speaker: Please proceed.
Ms Grace Fu Hai Yien: Thank you. PUB has invested almost $2 billion on drainage works in the last decade and reduced Singapore’s flood-prone areas from 3,200 hectares in the 1970s to 28 hectares today. PUB will continue to monitor these flood-prone areas closely. Another $1.4 billion will be invested over the next five years on drainage improvement works. It is, however, not practical to expand all 8,000-plus kilometres of our drains and flood protection infrastructure to accommodate every extreme rainfall event, as this would require massive land take and much higher costs.
Flash floods arising from intense rainfall occur in limited areas and are transient – most will subside within 30 minutes, given our extensive drainage system. Moreover, PUB deploys more immediate and practical measures to protect our properties against flash floods, including portable flood barriers that can be installed at doorways or erected on roads and pavements. These flood barriers protect residents and businesses against flash floods and minimise potential damage to their premises.
PUB is using technology to better predict and respond to floods. PUB will complete enhancements to its rainfall forecasting capability by first quarter of 2022. This will help forecast locations which will face heavy rainfall, issue earlier public alerts and enable early deployment of portable flood barriers in areas at risk of flash floods. Coupled with an extensive network of water level sensors and CCTVs installed at flood-prone areas, PUB’s Quick Response Team can also be deployed on site faster and assist premises owners to set up flood barriers, if needed. Information on floods and road closures is communicated to the public promptly through radio broadcasts, news media, myENV Mobile App, PUB Facebook and Twitter, as well as LTA’s Expressway Monitoring Advisory System. SMS alerts are also sent to those who have registered to receive flood warnings.
These measures will also help build preparedness to extreme weather events and strengthen community resilience, as we check weather advisories and warnings and adjust our daily schedules accordingly. I encourage members of the public to subscribe to NEA’s and PUB’s SMS alerts.
PUB will continue to strengthen our forecasting and sensing capabilities and implement cost-effective measures to minimise flood risks. However, PUB cannot minimise flood risks on its own. Building owners must ensure that flood prevention measures in their developments remain effective. Contractors must also implement proper flood prevention measures at their worksites. We have seen cases of contractors failing to do so, resulting in floods in their locations.
This brings me to the flash flood incident that occurred on 20 August 2021. This flash flood was reported at the junction of Tampines Avenue 10 and Pasir Ris Drive 12 towards TPE entrance at around 8.00 am. PUB’s Quick Response Team was immediately deployed to assist drivers and pedestrians, together with SCDF and Police. PUB also issued advisories to motorists and members of the public to avoid the area.
This location is not a flood-prone area and the drainage system is more than adequate to cope with the rainfall intensity experienced on 20 August 2021. PUB’s investigations found that the contractor carrying out road widening works along Tampines Avenue 10 had altered the public drainage system there without PUB’s approval. As a result, storm water could not discharge effectively into downstream Sungei Api Api.
PUB does not condone such illegal works and will be pressing charges against the contractor under the Sewerage and Drainage Act.
Under the Sewerage and Drainage Act, no one can carry out any works to alter our storm water drainage system without PUB’s approval. PUB also requires contractors working in the vicinity of any watercourse to put in place measures to prevent construction materials from falling and choking up the drainage system. PUB takes a serious view of all works that affect our public drainage system. We have reminded all contractors to comply with the requirements and will take enforcement action against errant contractors.