Environmental Updates

Environmental Public Health Act & Subsidiary Legislations

a. Environmental Public Health (Amendment) Act 2008
b. Environmental Public Health (Amendment) Act (Commencement) Notification 2008

Environmental Public Health (Amendment) Act was revised by adding the following:

i. Under section 2 of the principal act, interpretation of "recyclable” was added. "Recyclable" is interpreted as ”means such refuse, waste or other material or thing as may be prescribed by the Agency, with the approval of the Minister, to be capable of being recycled or reused;”

ii. Under section 10 of the principal act, a new requirement was added to allow the Director-General to, by notice in writing requires the owner or occupier of any premises to provide, construct or reconstruct receptacles in accordance to specification specified by the Director-General for the purposes of depositing recyclables. This provision, construction or re-construction will be at the expense of the owner or occupier.

Environmental Public Health (Amendment) Act will come into operation on 1 November 2008.

c. Environmental Public Health (General Waste Collection) (Amendment) Regulations 2008

Environmental Public Health (General Waste Collection) (Amendment) Regulations 2008 was revised to expand its scope to include the management of recyclables. This is more applicable to general waste collectors who manage recyclables, e.g. location of recyclables are to be collected and conveyed; type of receptacles used for collection of recyclables; frequency of collection of recyclables; recycling facility where the recyclables being sent to, etc.

Moreover, additional schedule (Second Schedule) was added specifying the types of recyclables.
Environmental Public Health (General Waste Collection) (Amendment) Regulations 2008 will come into operation on 1 November 2008.

d. Environmental Public Health (Toxic Industrial Waste) (Amendment) Regulations 2009

Environmental Public Health (Toxic Industrial Waste) (Amendment) Regulations 2009 will come into operation on 1 July 2009. It specifies detail process on submission of consignment notes electronically and also specifies the responsibility for waste generator, consignees and drivers. Drivers are also to ensure a copy of the e-consignment note at all times when the waste is being transported. The penalty for any contravention to this regulation will increase from $2,000 to $10,000.

The Schedule was also amended, e.g. inclusion of "Asbestos wastes generated from industrial activity, demolition, renovation and delagging works and ship repairing", "Pathogenic wastes from healthcare and research institutions, clinics and laboratories", "Pharmaceutical wastes", etc.

e. Environmental Public Health (Toxic Industrial Waste) (Amendment) Regulations 2010

Environmental Public Health (Toxic Industrial Waste) (Amendment) Regulations 2010 added the following in the schedule: 

Environmental Protection and Management Act & Subsidiary Legislations

a. Environmental Protection and Management (Vehicular Emissions) (Amendment) Regulations 2008

Regulation 21 of existing Environmental Protection and Management (Vehicular Emissions) Regulations states that any driver who does not stop the engine when such vehicle is in stationary (other than traffic condition and for the purpose of examination/repair) is an offence.

The new inclusion in the Environmental Protection and Management (Vehicular Emissions) (Amendment) Regulations mentions that the owner or person who is in charge of such vehicle shall provide information such as the identity of the person who violates Regulations 21 as required by the Director-General or the authorised officer. It will be an offence if the owner or person in charge fails to furnish the required information within 7 days of the date on which the information was required from him. It is also an offence if any person wilfully furnishes any false or misleading information.

b. Environmental Protection and Management (Hazardous Substances) (Amendment) Regulations 2009

The Schedule to the Environmental Protection and Management (Hazardous Substances) Regulations is amended by including "Acetic Anhydride". This regulation will come into operation on 1 July 2009.

c. Environmental Protection and Management Act (Amendment of Second Schedule) Order 2009

Second Schedule of the EPMA was amended, e.g. inclusion of "Acetic Anhydride" and "Mercury in Clinical Thermometers", amendment of Fipronil, etc.

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Sewerage and Drainage Act & Subsidiary Legislations

Sewerage and Drainage (Trade Effluent) (Amendment) Regulations 2008
This amendment added a new regulation, 11A specifying discharging trade effluent containing trace amounts of certain substances mentioned in regulation 9 of the Sewerage and Drainage (Trade Effluent) Regulations is allowed if permission is granted from the relevant authority. This is more practical approach controlling the trade effluents in the industries since traces of such substances found in trade effluent are sometimes inevitable.

Moreover, Perchloroethylene, Acetone, Ethanol, Iso Propyl Alcohol & Methanol are deleted under the First Schedule (List of Prohibited Organic Compounds). This regulation will comes into operation on 01 February 2008.

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Disclaimer: The above information is accurate based on the best of our knowledge and QuESH Consultants (Pte.) Ltd. will not be held liable for any misinterpretation of the legislation and its subsidiaries.