Summary Readers Response Draft 1

In the article “Parliament:Singapore looks to create Newoil by transforming waste plastic into alternative fuel,”  by Liu (2020) highlights how Singapore struggles to manage its waste, discussing the different methods of recycling waste to move closer towards being a zero-waste nation.Liu notes that Singapore ambitiously wants to generate Newoil, using plastic waste to replace fossil fuels.Singapore is looking at developing its chemical recycling industry and establishing a pilot plant for this.Liu also mentions that National Environment Agency (NEA) would implement deposit refund scheme by 2022 to encourage recycling.Producers and retailers of packaged products need to submit packaging data annually to NEA to reduce amount of waste sent to Semakau Landfill. NEA introduces Newsand, made from incinerated bottom ash and slag, construction materials that will be tested to build roads.Liu states that Singapore are developing developing three new facilities to process more than 50,000 tonnes of e-waste per year when fully functional.    Liu claims premises contributing large amounts of food waste would be required to segregate the waste for treatment by 2024.

Although the article mentions Newoil in its topic, it focuses on Singapore’s Resource Sustainability Act which tackles three key waste streams: electronic, food and packaging. I will be focusing on packaging waste, and how Newoil can improve its recycling rate.

Firstly, I believe Singapore should support Newoil. It creates pyrolysis oil by utilising plastic waste as fuel through chemical recycling to generate pyrolysis oil. This reduces the plastic waste going to landfill and greenhouse gas emissions. (Yang et al., 2016) states that the whole carbon cycle might be renewable as net greenhouse gas emission is zero. Therefore, the environmental benefits of Newoil helps Singapore move towards the ideal zero waste nation it wants to be as mentioned  Liu (2020).

Additionally, as Newoil develops, there is economic growth for Singapore as jobs can be created for Singaporeans. Liu (2020) mentions that a pilot plant will be created soon and that will give opportunities for people to work in this sector. Therefore, jobs will be created as a result of saving the environment from its plastic waste problem.

The article has failed to mention one critical disadvantage of Newoil which is the financial benefits. (Lane, 2017) states “The U.S. government’s NREL lab estimates the minimum selling price per gallon of a drop-in fuel made from current fast pyrolysis oil is about $2.53 per gallon.” compared to “NREL estimated the minimum selling price of a gallon of gasoline derived from catalytic pyrolysis could eventually be as low as $1.28 per gallon.” Despite its ability to turn waste into pyrolysis oil and its environmental benefits, Newoil faces financial setback as it costs more than conventional fossil fuel, which might discourage consumers from purchasing it.

A more accurate and unbiased statement should have been published in the article discussing the advantages, as well as the disadvantages of creating Newoil so that readers can make their own decisions about Newoil. The article only shows the positive impact regarding Newoil, therefore leading readers to assume that it is the most ideal way to deal with plastic waste.

Hence, as Newoil develops in Singapore within the next few years, it create economic opportunities while increasing the recycling rate of packaging waste. Despite its financial setback, the benefits of Newoil outweighs it disadvantages and I believe it is a step towards a zero-waste nation.

References:

Liu, V. (2020, March 4). Parliament: S’pore looks to create Newoil by transforming waste plastic into alternative fuel. The Straits Times.

https://www.straitstimes.com/politics/parliament-singapore-looks-to-transform-waste-plastic-into-oil

 

Yang, Han, Chen, Yang, Chen (2016, January). Greenhouse gas emissions of a biomass-based pyrolysis plant in China. ScienceDirect.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1364032115010199

 

Lane,J.(2017, June 8). Biomass Pyrolysis Comes Of Age. The Digest.

https://www.biofuelsdigest.com/bdigest/2017/06/08/biomass-pyrolysis-comes-of-age/

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