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RESULTS ACHIEVED
Singapore has come a long way from
the 1960’s when the streets were used as rubbish dumps, rubbish was collected
by handcarts, unlicensed hawking was rampant, nightsoil was collected in
buckets and the waters of the Singapore River were polluted and widespread
flooding occurred when there was heavy rain. Today, we are able to enjoy
fresh air, clean water and other elements, which constitute a high quality
environment. I will thus go on to evaluate by how much the objective to
maintain that delicate balance between the needs of urbanization, industrialization
and the environment of Singapore has been realised. I will go by the categories
of air, water, land
and public health.
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AIR
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Objectives Realised
Judging from our air pollution levels, we can say that ENV’s objectives in this aspect have been realised. Despite the rapid growth of industries in Singapore, our air quality is not compromised.
Air quality is measured by the acidity level (now known as Sulphur Dioxide level), smoke level, nitrogen dioxide level and dust fallout level. Recently, from 1996, other indicators of air quality are included whilst some of the old ones are dropped. Those added are PM10 (Particulate Matter ? 10 microns), carbon monoxide and ozone. Those dropped are smoke level and dust fallout level. So far, the air pollution level in Singapore has fallen within the standards and goals adopted by the World Health Organization and the United States Environmental Protection Agency. The standards for air quality are as follows:
Sulphur Dioxide = 80mg/m3 (annual mean), 122mg/m3 (monthly mean)
Nitrogen Dioxide = 100mg/m3 (annual mean), 153mg/m3 (monthly mean)
PM 10 = 50mg/m3 (annual mean), 76mg/m3 (monthly mean)
Carbon Monoxide = 10mg/ m3 (maximum 8-hour value)
Ozone = 235mg/m3 (maximum 1-hour value)
These measurements of air quality are corrected to reference temperature of 25°C and pressure of 760mm of mercury.
The air pollution level has seen great
improvement throughout the years. In 1976, sulphur dioxide was recorded
at a level of 70mg/m3,
nitrogen dioxide at 69mg/m3 for
non-industrial urban area. This has since dropped to today’s 9mg/m3
and 28mg/m3 respectively.
This falls way below WHO’s specified levels of 80mg/m3
and 100mg/m3. A look
at the statistics from the yearbook of statistics of Singapore shows that
the ENV has successfully abide by the standards set by WHO for all areas
in Singapore.
Impact on National Strategy/Policy
One of the impacts on national strategy
is that JTC, HDB, PSA and other private industrial developments have to
consult the Anti-Pollution Unit (APU) when they want to set up new factories.
This makes sure that heavy industries are far away from residential areas,
reducing air pollution to the people.
Allocation of Resources:
Human Resource: the job of APU officers is created for the purpose of making regular inspections of factories.
Technical Resource: the Air Pollution Monitoring Station
is set up to keep track of the pollution level every day.
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Objectives Realised
The ENV has indeed seen great success in the aspect of dealing with water problems. The results are most visible in the clean-up of the Singapore River. In 1977, the ENV launched the clean-up process. It was completed in 1987. Today, we can even fish in the Singapore River because the clean-up is so successful. It is no longer an eyesore and even offers a scenic view. The Kallang Basin was cleaned up at around the same time. Now, those residential developments with a view of the rivers even command a premium. Surely this fulfills the objectives of ENV to maintain a high quality environment!
Another water problem plaguing Singapore
is the floods that affected such areas as Bedok, Jurong/Pandan, Geylang,
Opera Estate and other catchments in the 1950’s. The most recent extensive
drainage project carried out was at Opera Estate. In addition, plans are
underway to raise up the walkways at Robertson Quay so that the area will
not flood. Today, we no longer experience floods that rise up to the level
of our knees.
Impact On National Strategy/Policy
The impact of water pollution control on National policy is that industries and other possible sources of water pollution cannot be planned near the water catchment areas. This means that when URA does its land-use planning, it must keep in mind not to locate industries at places where they can easily discharge trade effluents into any watercourse. It is best to site new factories in areas where public sewers are available to receive any trade effluent discharged.
Another impact is on the education
policy. Schools are required to educate students on the importance of water
conservation and that the watercourse is not a dumping ground. The strategy
is to raise up a generation of people with a different attitude towards
our treatment of drains, canals, and rivers.
Allocation of Resources
Human Resource: the job of officers was created in the Sewerage Department to do regular inspections of industrial and trade premises to check their discharge. Samples of wastewater are collected for analysis.
Technical Resource: chemical treatment units, activated sludge plants, trickling filters and sedimentation units were some of the technical resource use in achieving ENV’s objective.
Financial Resource: a lot of money is pumped into the
clean-up of the rivers in Singapore.
Changing People’s Attitudes
In the past, people thought of the
river as a place for washing, bathing, defecating and a convenient place
for throwing rubbish. This has since changed. Today, we no longer view
the river and other watercourses as dumping grounds.
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Objectives Achieved
5 per cent or 3,130 ha of Singapore’s land have been set aside for nature conservation. However, many times, this target has to be compromised. For example, in building the Bukit Timah expressway in 1985, a 50-m wide swath was cut through the forested catchment area isolating the Bukit Timah nature reserve from the central catchment area. This year, 11 ha of nature reserve land had to be sacrificed to build giant water storage tanks. Some marshes have to make way for Punngol 21. Our nature reserve land may face further reduction in area in the future because the government’s stand is that social and economic needs take precedence over nature conservation. As, Mr Seow Kah Ping, head of local planning, says, "Future development and reclamation affecting some nature areas cannot be precluded given that there could be more important uses for such land, particularly if they are of national or strategic interest, for example, housing and infrastructure needs." One of the issues raised up by Dominic Nathan, journalist of Straits Times, is why the government draws up a plan that commits 3,131 ha of land to be conserved but does not give the land any legal protection. Nature-lovers have been calling for the boundaries of the 19 sites that make up the 3,130 ha to be demarcated clearly and to be given some form of legal protection. However, up to now, nothing has been done and no one can say if it will. In the light of this, perhaps the objective to conserve 5 per cent of our land cannot be realised. The government has done its best to preserve our nature reserves. This can be seen from the 2277 plant species, 85 mammal species and 180 bird species that make their home in our nature reserves. New Zealand’s native plant diversity is slightly lower than Singapore’s although it is 400 times larger. Our land constraints do not allow us to say for certain that 5 per cent of our land will remain untouched by developments in the future. But as for now, the government has done what is necessary to preserve our nature reserves and has achieved its objective to ensure the health of the nature areas.
Another aspect of the environment pertaining
to land is the provision of greenery in the urban areas. So far, the provision
of greenery has contributed greatly to a high quality living environment
in Singapore. Although there is no quantitative measure of the impact of
greenery on the living environment, people would generally agree that the
amount is sufficient and the impact positive.
Impact on National Strategy/Policy
The impact on national policy is that, in as far as possible,
other land uses are not to encroach into land meant for nature reserves.
Allocation of Resources
Human resource: people were required to maintain the health
of the nature reserves.
Changing People’s Attitudes
Nowadays, more and more people are aware of the importance
of nature conservation and are at times, even more fervent than the government
in fighting for the protection of our nature reserves.
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The years before the 70’s were the dark ages of public health. Spitting, indiscriminate littering and large-scale, illegal dumping were common. Today, this has changed greatly.
Our streets are one of the cleanest in the world. Our domestic refuse collection is provided daily whereas most other countries provide it only once or twice a week. The bucket-system was replaced by the flushing system is toilets. This had a very great impact on the environment. Immediately, hygiene standards improved and we no longer need to tolerate the pungent smell of faeces when we walk past toilets. Also, toilets of the past were an eyesore, being made of metal or wooden planks. Food hygiene has also improved, the results being seen in the number of food poisoning cases which have dropped to one of the lowest in the world. Vector-borne diseases have also dropped tremendously. Good urban planning has resulted in a comprehensive drainage system that denies mosquitoes of their breeding grounds.
Impact on National Strategy/Policy
The impact on national policy is that every new building must have their own internal sanitary system which will be connected to the sewers provided by the Sewerage Department of ENV. They must also be fixed with a waste disposal system. Thus, HDB and other private developers must take these into considerations when they are designing their buildings. The impact of promoting food hygiene on the national strategy is that HDB and JTC have to build new markets and food centres to resettle street hawkers.
The impact on education policy is that
Singaporeans have to be educated on the maintenance of a litter-free environment
and also to get rid of breeding grounds for mosquitoes.
Allocation of Resources
Human Resource: in the past, a lot of manpower is involved in nightsoil collection. Since the introduction of the flushing system, their services have become obsolete. Over the years, we also see a reduced need for road sweepers. With the introduction of mechanical sweepers, we now need more operators to drive these machines. Also, in the past, we need a lot of manpower for refuse collection. The Central Rubbish Chute system seems set to reduce this need. Another type of human resource required is the Public Health Officers.
Technical Resource: Mechanical sweepers and refuse compactor are two of the technical resource made use of.
Financial Resource: finance is channeled into the building of new markets, food centres, the development of drainage and sewerage system and building new incinerators.
Changing People’s Attitudes
Nowadays, people are more concerned
about food hygiene. Also, people now think twice before they litter or
dump rubbish at public places for fear of being fined.
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