Air Quality Tests Done at End of Incineration Plant Flues
Ministry of Sustainability and the EnvironmentSpeakers
Summary
This question concerns air quality monitoring at incineration plant flues and the publication of emission test results to ensure public health and safety. Ms Anthea Ong enquired about the specific toxins tested during plastic waste incineration and requested greater transparency regarding the results of these tests. Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Masagos Zulkifli B M M replied that operators must conduct annual accredited tests for pollutants like dioxins and face fines for non-compliance. He stated that the National Environment Agency conducts biannual equipment inspections and, while individual results are not mandatory to publish, data for its own plants are released annually. The Minister confirmed that Singapore’s emission standards align with international jurisdictions and are strictly enforced under the Environmental Protection and Management Act.
Transcript
7 Ms Anthea Ong asked the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources given that Singapore incinerates over 90% of its plastic waste (a) how is air quality coming out of the flue monitored; (b) whether there is a testing for a broad range of toxins and, if so, which toxins are tested for; and (c) whether the results of the air quality tests done at the end of the incineration plant flues be published in order to give comfort and shed light on the safety and health impact of this process.
Mr Masagos Zulkifli B M M: The National Environment Agency (NEA) requires all operators of Waste-to-Energy (WTE) plants to engage an accredited laboratory to conduct emissions tests and submit results of those tests to NEA at least once a year. This is to ensure that the emissions from WTE plants comply with emission standards specified under the Environmental Protection and Management (Air Impurities) Regulations. These standards cover key pollutants associated with the incineration of plastics waste, such as carbon monoxide, oxides of nitrogen, as well as dioxins and furans. Under the Environmental Protection and Management Act (EPMA), operators who fail to meet the specified standards can be fined up to $20,000 on the first conviction and up to $50,000 on the second or subsequent conviction. To complement emissions testing, NEA inspects WTE plants twice a year to verify that pollution control equipment are properly maintained and operating effectively.
Singapore's emission standards are published as part of the Environmental Protection and Management (Air Impurities) Regulations under the EPMA. They are comparable with those in other jurisdictions. Our regulations do not require operators of individual facilities, including WTE plants, to publish their emissions test results. Nonetheless, operators of WTE plants may do so voluntarily. For the NEA-operated plants, data on the most common pollutants of concern, namely particulate matter, sulphur dioxide and oxides of nitrogen, are published annually on NEA's website.