ADDRESS BY MR EDWIN TONG, SENIOR MINISTER OF STATE, MINISTRY OF LAW & MINISTRY OF HEALTH, AT THE SINGAPORE PACKAGING STAR AWARDS CEREMONY AND GALA DINNER ON 16 AUGUST 2019, 8.00PM, AT SINGAPORE MARRIOTT TANG PLAZA HOTEL

Mr Douglas Foo, President, Singapore Manufacturing Federation (SMF)

Ms Betty Tan, Chairperson, SMF’s Packaging Council of Singapore Industry Group

SMF Council Members

Members of the SMF’s Packaging Council of Singapore Industry Group

Distinguished guestsLadies and gentlemenAll the awardees and winners

1    My heartiest congratulations to all of you. It is such a pleasure to join you this evening at the awards tonight. They say this is the star awards. Do you knowwhat the star awards mean? These are the stars that will shine bright in the packaging world, not only for today or the foreseeable future, but certainly for lasting sustainability as well, as our two speakers had said.

2    For many manufacturers in our midst today, packaging is almost as  importantas the quality of their products. It is an integral part of how their customersexperience their product – first to be introduced to their products, be attracted to theproduct, and then eventually how they market to and communicate with theircustomers. In some industries, packaging is also important for compliance withregulatory laws. It also plays roles in communicating a brand’s message – the coremessage and the philosophy behind the item that you are trying to put across toconsumers. We also want to use the product to help increase sales, to shape consumers’ behaviour and of course, there is an element of communicating and raising awareness as well.

3    Product labels give a lot of information, especially when it comes to food. TheMinistry of Health and Health Promotion Board have been working closely with food and beverage manufacturers to make it easier for consumers to understand what items go into the product and empower them to make decisions for themselves onwhat they consume and how much they consume.

4    Globally, the packaging industry is a big economic generator and I think it isno different in Singapore. Statistics from the Smithers Pica organisation indicate that the world packaging industry’s market value is set to reach over $1 trillion by 2021.Changing consumer trends, which change very often and the cost pressures and global regulatory requirements for packaging, all have created opportunities for businesses in related industries and this in turn helps to power and drive the growth of the packaging industry.

5    There is much optimism in the sector that you are in, and much to look forward to. I would like to challenge our local packaging industry, and I mean alsothe young ones whom I have spoken to earlier, to do more in at least two ways: (i)innovation; and (ii) the use of sustainable materials.

Innovative packaging 

6    Rising awareness among brand owners and marketing experts now demands even more innovative packaging, which I am sure you all agree, in addition to fit-for-  purpose requirements. I am heartened to see that the local packaging industry is really stepping up the game, and if what I saw outside is anything to go by, I think the future is bright. We have innovators amongst us, we have people who pay attention to small practical details - how we consume our tea; how we make sure there is no wastage; and how to ensure that the amount of pasta that you want to dish out is fit for an adult or a child. I think these are not just innovations, but they show a deep appreciation of common day-to-day usage of the items that we sometimes take for granted.

7    One example is the team from Starlite Printers (Far East) Pte Ltd, whose 2018 Chinese New Year Gift Pack is a winning entry tonight. Differing from a conventional normal four-sided Mandarin Orange box and utilising a self-locking holder, its design eliminates the need for an additional holder to reduce excessive packaging materials. Despite the openness of its design, the packaging’s ability to serve its purpose has certainly not been compromised. This innovative product not only won the WorldStar Award but also bagged two other special Awards: a Silver in the President’s Award and a Bronze in the Marketing Award. My heartiest congratulations to you.
 
8    I have no doubt that the technological advancements in packaging, coupled with a rise in the demand for products sold in innovative, attractive and fun ways, will indeed be a keen contributor to the industry’s growth even further. I hope our local companies will take up the challenge to increasingly, and this is no pun, think out of the box, both literally and figuratively in Starlite’s case, to ride on the crest of this surging wave. Sustainable and safe packaging

Safe and sustainable packaging

9    Another challenge for the industry would be to increase and move towards the use of sustainable materials, and for this to be the norm rather than the exception. It is fashionable to say we have one item which is very sustainable, but actually everything else is not. We have to move towards sustainability, recycle and reuse, and this should be the norm, the baseline, rather than just an exception. According to data from the National Environment Agency (NEA), plastics was the largest category of waste disposed in Singapore in 2017. Despite that, only six percent of the 815,200 tonnes of plastic waste generated was recycled. These are numbers that, I think, really have a bearing on what others have said about sustainability and what impact it has on our environment. We can definitely do more. Our Prime Minister is making the issue one of the items on the agenda for Sunday’s National Day Rally because sustainability is actually not for ourselves. It is not for this generation and arguably not for the next generation, but for the generations that come after. How to keep Singapore a place that remains vibrant, a place that remains exciting and also liveable for generations that come after us - those are responsibilities that we have to bear. If we do not take this on, it will be our children’s children who will suffer. As we all know, July has been very warm. The average temperature today in July is about
26 degrees. If we do not do anything and continue at this rate, in the year 2100, about 80 years from now, the average temperate will be 31 degrees. So in 80 years, it will go up by 4 degrees. It becomes a significant challenge for us. It is something that we must think about today and take action and not just advocate, but live it and do it.

10    Exploring the use of sustainable materials in packaging is sometimes seen as an additional expense. But seen in the context of what I had just said, I think we understand why now it is so important. For example, producing a single cubic foot of Styrofoam requires about 1.5 litres of petroleum. In contrast, sustainable packaging maximises the use of recycled materials and low-impact production processes, thereby conserving raw materials, which in turn preserves precious natural resources for our future generations.

11    Some conventional packaging materials could in fact be not environmentally friendly, but also unsafe. For example, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), a plastic commonly used to store beverages, contains antimony, a toxic metalloid. Exposure, especially for prolonged period, to antimony can lead to nausea, diarrhoea and stomach ulcers.

12    On the other hand, sustainable packaging clearly minimises exposure to potentially toxic and hazardous chemicals. Packaging crates, which I saw outside as well, made out of agricultural waste (like rice hull, corn fibre and straw) are safer, and definitely less hazardous, than Styrofoam crates. Food packaging made from unbleached natural paper offers reduced exposure to bleach, inks and dyes.

13    One such local company who clearly has their workers’ health and the environment in mind is Magna International Pte Ltd. They have designed and developed a product to replace the hazardous conventional anti-rust oils and solvent-based rust coatings that are harmful to the environment due to the emission of Volatile Organic Compound (VOC). Made from minerals such as sand, calcium carbonate and stone, its award winning product Vappro 830. There was a gentleman who demonstrated it to me just now, and I could see the pride in his eyes when he said this is patented worldwide. I think that is the success story we want to build, not just items and products that are safe, good to use, sustainable but also innovative and makes Singapore a world leader in this field. We also want to make sure patents are not just copy registered here, but also provide a conducive environment for the inventors to patent products.

Closing

14    By leveraging technology and innovation, and certainly in marrying that to appreciating how people use their product and packaging on the daily basis, I believe the industry will take the initiative to get onto the next level. You will seize global business opportunities while benefiting its customers through better designs and more sustainable packaging and certainly safer and less hazardous materials.
 
15    My warmest congratulations to the Singapore Packaging Star Award Winners this evening. You deserve the awards and the applause, and I hope that you look forward to this evening not just for the recognition, but I hope we use it as a spur, as an incentive, to go higher, to be more innovative, and to be even more bold. Thank you.