Environmental Engineering Project: Circular Economy in Singapore

This project report delves into the concept of a circular economy, examining its principles and applications within the context of Singapore. The introduction defines the core elements of ethical, sustainable, and socially impactful approaches, emphasizing their importance for achieving organizational ...Read More

Project

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................1
Task 1...........................................................................................................................................1
Task 2...........................................................................................................................................3
Task 3...........................................................................................................................................6
Task 4...........................................................................................................................................7
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................9

INTRODUCTION
Ethics, Sustainability and Social Impact refers to the various types of approaches which
can be taken in order to ensure that the ethical way of doing things can be maintained in a highly
effective manner (Ajmal and et.al., 2018). The consideration of all of them is highly essential in
order to make sure that the overall goals and objectives can be attained in the right manner.
Therefore, it is very important for the firms that they are able to make sure that they are able to
consider the particular level of impact which will be created by them. In this report, a detailed
discussion will be made on defining and discussing the Circular Economy, development of a city
in the Commonwealth Country, measures which can be taken for the development of circular
economy. Additionally, specific analysis will be made on report for commonwealth local
government ministers meeting as a part of this particular project.
MAIN BODY
Task 1
Circular Economy refers to a particular model of production and consumption in which
the involvement of sharing, leasing, reusing, repairing, refurbishing and recycling of the existing
materials is done so that the life cycle of the products can be extended in a highly effective
manner (Bacq and Eddleston, 2018). It is a chain in which there are various types of elements
and the adequate consideration has to be given to each one of them effectively and efficiently.
Thus, In this way it can be said that the development of Circular Economy can be done in a right
way.
The concept of Circular Economy is a circular model in which there is a detailed
discussion of various types of elements which influence the overall cycle of production and
consumption within an economy. The discussion of these elements is explained in the following
manner-
Design/manufacture- This refers to the designing of the different types of products in
the right manner which will be quite helpful in ensuring that the products which are being
manufactured are according to the needs and requirements of the customers in the market
(Borges and et.al., 2017). Therefore, In this way this can be highly helpful for the customers to
be able to ensure that their needs and requirements are fulfilled.
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Retailer- This refers to the different types of retailers who can make sure that they can
make use of the products which are manufactured (Costa and Pesci, 2016). Therefore, In this
way this can be highly helpful for the customers to be able to ensure that they can get the right
products highly effectively and efficiently.
Consumer/householder/LAs- This is the stage where the products can reach the
consumer/householder/LAs (Harjoto and Salas, 2017). In this way, the customers will be able to
ensure that they are able to get the right products which are desired by them.
Re-use/repair/recycling- This is the stage where the products reach a particular stage
after usage where they can be re-used, repaired and recycled (Jordan and Kristjánsson, 2017). In
this way, the customers can make sure that they can make the use of these particular products in
the right manner effectively and efficiently in a proper manner.
Recycling sector- This is the stage where the products can be recycled in such a manner
that they can be recycled effectively and efficiently (Mahmood and et.al., 2018). In this way, the
customers are able to make sure that they can recycle the products in a proper manner highly
effectively and efficiently.
The use of different types of approaches can be made so that the circular economy can be
understood in detail in a highly effective manner. Therefore, the use of the following approaches
can be made for this particular purpose-
Cradle to Cradle approach- Cradle to Cradle approach i.e. C2C means a particular
approach in which the resources should be used in a cyclical way which helps in ensuring their
best utilization and thus ensures that the use of these particular resources is able to benefit not
only the society but also the community effectively and efficiently in a right way (Markman and
et.al., 2016).
The use of this approach can be therefore very helpful in ensuring that through the use of
this particular approach the maximization of the utility of the society's resources can be made
which will be very helpful in ensuring that the achievement of a wide range of goals and
objectives can be made in a proper manner.
Blue Economy Systems approach- Blue Economy Systems approach means a concept
in which the promotion is provided to the environmental sustainability (Schönborn and et.al.,
2019). This can therefore help in ensuring that the resources of the society are managed in a
proper way and therefore sustainable way of maintaining the environmental sustainability can be
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used highly effectively and efficiently. This will help in ensuring that the management of the
resources within the environment can be done in a proper manner.
Through the creation of a sustainable environment, the members of the society will be
able to focus on ensuring that they are able to make use of the various types of sustainable
resources in a proper manner which will be highly helpful in leading towards the attainment of
sustainable goals and objectives.
Therefore, it is quite important for the members of the society to focus on using their
resources in an optimal manner which will be helpful in ensuring that through their proper use
the wide variety of goals and objectives in a right way.
The focus here is mainly on conserving the oceans and other water bodies so that the
sustainable development can be attained in a highly effective manner. In this way, this can be
quite helpful in ensuring that the conservation of these resources can be done in a right manner.
This can be done by using the different types of techniques and methods which can be highly
useful in ensuring that the conservation of a wide scale of resources can take place.
Therefore, it can be said that through the use of the above approaches the understanding
of circular economy can be developed in a highly effective manner. This will be quite helpful in
ensuring that the detailed analysis of the circular economy can be made. It will help in
understanding the way the circular movement of the goods in the economy can be understood.
This can lead towards identifying the way an improvement in the circular chain can be brought
which will be helpful in ensuring that the flow of goods takes place in a better manner.
Task 2
A circular economy is explained as system, aims to eliminate wastes and continuous use
of resources. This is important for each individual to contribute in the economy by reducing the
wastages activities and develop economical condition. The aim of circular economy is to
redefine, focusing on positive society benefits, and growth that require in each country. The
people who residing in the country is require to understand the situation of country and
contribute in developing situation. The circular economy is developing the economy by
providing betetr quality of products and services which can help to make strong economy. The
chosen city is Singapore, which is city of commonwealth country that requires to develop by
reducing the wastages and improving economical condition. The government is contributing in
economy by formulating flexible regulations and it continuously focuses on sustainable
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development. For example, government has decided the standard of wastags if it will be excees
than limit then organization will be punish by paying the charges. The task is not only about
production and consumption in a city but also it involves how much fules, water, and other
limited resources are using by people in a country. In Singapore, climate change is another
reason that might be affect the development of country or city. To reduce the all negative
imapcts government of Singapore is planning to make zero carbon city by 2025 as compare to
other (Geng, Sarkis and Bleischwitz, 2019).
Currently Singapore is planning to introduce new policies for encouraging sustainable
production and consumption by considering Extended producer responsibility. The EPR start
with electronic waste, that will launch by 2021. The students will read about e-waste and
feasibility of packaging waste. Another example is supporting and partner industries in
Singapore in which Closing the waste loop initiative was launched for maintaining sustainable
design of plastic materials (Jaeger and Upadhyay, 2020). This goal allow for plastics to be more
reusable, extracting value from plastic, and easier to recycle that can help to make the developing
city. The tutor should encourage collaboration between institute of higher learning, research
institutes, and businesses that will help to maintain good position and increase the performance.
A promosing approach is require to address these issues is a transition towards a circular
economy, where waste to energy is considered as main approach. Reducing landfills is exlained
as major problem in selected cisty where it is important to run circular economy project by using
research and recycling. The roadmap of Singapore stating specific milestone to reach a better
circular economy, cleaning environment, limited use of natural resources, and managing the all
activities by participating in development programme. The planned target in slected cisty is
reducing landfill by 30% by 2030 (Velenturf and et.al., 2019).
The country should be focuses on natural resources and raw material as it is physical
foundation of the world that require for growing economy. Most of the valuable resources should
be provided by the country and make efforts to reduce the waste material. Therefore, global
waste management should be implemented to develop an economic material by using economic
material model. In other words, development economy of Singapore based on repairing and
recycling culture, procedure, and renewable sources which should be proper maintain and useful
as it contribute to develop the economy (Kumar and et.al., 2019).
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Circular economy in Singapore city is based on “take, make, dispose” model which is not
sustainable as it create the barriers in growing the economy. In initial stage of circular economny
in selected city different barriers and problems faced by people that has impacted badly on
country and reduced the consumption power of customers. The primary barrier categorised for
city was material characteritics, environmental impact of the current disposal/ management
method, availability and suitability of appropriate technologies, supply chain issue, changing in
climate, increased wastages, existence of various external drivers for change, overall economic
and business viability of the change that created the issues in growing economy. The demand for
products and services was not clear which was leading the dissatisfaction between people (Pesce
and et.al., 2020).
To grow and improve the Singapore economy government has played the vital role as it
imposed some regulations and standard for reducing the wastages, maintaining material
characteritics, intriducing new technology, bringing new products and services which influences
the customers and attain the goals. The aim of city is to make strong and circular economy by
removing all barriers and obstacles. The government has formulated regulation for all
manufactures and suppliers to provide the better quality and quantify of products as per customer
demand. While producing wastage should be zero or minimum percent that can help to make the
strong circular economy. In schools, societies, and other education institution people should
increase their knowledge that how they can contribute to develop the growth opportunities.
LWARB and GLA recognise the higher education system in which people learn different ways
of improving growth chances (Blomsma and et.al., 2019).
Circular economy has been developed by establishing the small, medium, and large
enterprises in Singapore that has create the various job opportunities for people. This supported
to improve the living standard of people, bring products according to change climate, managing
all activities accurately, and using the natural resources optimally which developed the growing
opportunities for resioding people. Other than this, financial resources also generated by
government by using bank loan, exchanging currency, importing and exporting that provide good
amount of finance in developing the country. Thus, all the activities helped to grow the economy
of Singapore by offering quality of products, creating job opportunities, minimum wastages and
producing range of products effectively (Blomsma and Tennant, 2020).
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Task 3
Singapore is a global city which has witnessed rapid development in the last few years.
This has ensured that the city features in the highest rankings in the terms of Tourism. It is a city
which has a developed economy and thus offers a wide range of opportunities to the different
types of companies to set up their business and offer different types of products and services to
the customers.
The steps which the Singapore Government can take in order to ensure that the
development of the Circular Economy can be done effectively and efficiently are as follows-
 Improvement in the supply chain- It is quite important for the Singapore Government
that it is able to bring an improvement in the supply chain. This can help it in ensuring
that the Production of the goods can take place properly thereby leading towards the
maximization of the production of the products and services.
 Enhancing the retail network- The Singapore Government can bring out new offers for
the players in the retail sector so that the new retailers are able to join the chain of
movement of goods (Taliento, Favino and Netti, 2019). In this way, it will be able to
enhance the retail network properly.
 Increasing the range of customers to be targeted- The Singapore Government can
make sure that the increase in the particular range of customers which can be targeted is
done which can be done by ensuring that the customers are provided attractive offers
which can be availed by them to be able to achieve the wide range of goals and objectives
in a proper manner. These customers can be provided with attractive incentives which
they can avail in order to be able to purchase more goods which will increase the
circulation of the goods can be done.
 Promotion to the environment conservation- It is quite important that the promotion of
the environment conservation can be carried out by Singapore Government in a right
manner which will be quite helpful in ensuring that the sustainable use of the resources
can be made. This will contribute in the overall sustainable development of the economy
as a whole. Therefore, In this way it can be said that the customers will be able to ensure
that they are able to effectively and efficiently contribute in this process by taking certain
steps and making some contributions on their own.
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 Increasing investment in the recycling sector- It is crucial that there is a particular
increase in the overall investment which is being done in the recycling sector. For this,
Singapore Government has to take certain steps and measures. This will be quite helpful
in ensuring that through targeting an increase in the investment the boost to the recycling
of the wide range of products can be provided which will help a lot in contributing in a
sustainable manner towards the development of the economy.
Thus, In this way it can be said that by taking all of these particular steps the Singapore
Government will be able to ensure that it can contribute in the overall development of the
circular economy. This will help in ensuring an overall increase in the movement of the various
types of goods within the economy which will be quite helpful in leading towards an attainment
of higher-level of overall level of efficiency and effectiveness.
Task 4
In Singapore, the group of ministers had a long meeting in which various agendas were
put on the table. Therefore, the development of circular economy and promoting environmental
sustainability was also a part of the set agenda. Thus, the following decisions have been taken-
 In order to develop Circular Economy, the wide range of parameters which are related
with it have been discussed (Traverso and et.al., 2018). The group of ministers want to
bring attractive trade schemes which will be helpful in contributing towards the overall
sustainable development effectively and efficiently.
 For the promotion of environmental sustainability it is absolutely essential that the use of
appropriate measures which are related with environmental conservation can be taken.
Thus, the group of ministers want to make sure that through an increase in the
environmental sustainability level they are able to ensure that they can offer attractive
incentives on the use of environment-friendly products so that there is an increase in the
sale of these products and thus the enhancement in the overall environmental
sustainability can be made effectively and efficiently.
Further, different types of recommendations for action can be given to the Singapore
Government for the development of circular economy and promoting environmental
sustainability. The recommendations which can be provided to the Singapore Government are as
follows-
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 It is recommended to the Singapore Government that the tax rate on the sale of goods
must be reduced. This will be helpful for the traders in targeting the overall enhancement
in their profitability level. Thus, It will help it to be able to make sure that it is able to
target an enhancement in the profits in a right manner. This will lead towards the
development of the circular economy.
 It is also recommended to the Singapore Government that the promotion of the
environmental sustainability can be carried out (Wiengarten, Lo and Lam, 2017). This
will be quite helpful for it so that it can make sure that the enhancement in the level of
environmental sustainability can be done.
Thus, In this way it can be said that the Singapore Government can take various types of
steps which will be quite helpful for it to be able to ensure that it can contribute in the
development of the circular economy and the promotion of environmental sustainability. This
will be helpful in the overall development of the society.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals:
Ajmal, M. M. and et.al., 2018. Conceptualizing and incorporating social sustainability in the
business world. International Journal of Sustainable Development & World Ecology.
25(4). pp.327-339.
Bacq, S. and Eddleston, K. A., 2018. A resource-based view of social entrepreneurship: How
stewardship culture benefits scale of social impact. Journal of Business Ethics. 152(3).
pp.589-611.
Blomsma, F. and Tennant, M., 2020. Circular economy: Preserving materials or products?
Introducing the Resource States framework. Resources, Conservation and Recycling.
156. p.104698.
Blomsma, F., and et.al., 2019. Developing a circular strategies framework for manufacturing
companies to support circular economy-oriented innovation. Journal of Cleaner
Production. 241. p.118271.
Borges, J. C. and et.al., 2017. Hidden curriculum in student organizations: Learning, practice,
socialization and responsible management in a business school. The International
Journal of Management Education. 15(2). pp.153-161.
Costa, E. and Pesci, C., 2016. Social impact measurement: why do stakeholders matter?.
Sustainability Accounting, Management and Policy Journal.
Geng, Y., Sarkis, J. and Bleischwitz, R., 2019. How to globalize the circular economy.
Harjoto, M. A. and Salas, J., 2017. Strategic and institutional sustainability: Corporate social
responsibility, brand value, and Interbrand listing. Journal of Product & Brand
Management.
Jaeger, B. and Upadhyay, A., 2020. Understanding barriers to circular economy: cases from the
manufacturing industry. Journal of Enterprise Information Management.
Jordan, K. and Kristjánsson, K., 2017. Sustainability, virtue ethics, and the virtue of harmony
with nature. Environmental Education Research. 23(9). pp.1205-1229.
Kumar, V., and et.al., 2019. Circular economy in the manufacturing sector: benefits,
opportunities and barriers. Management Decision.
Mahmood, Z. and et.al., 2018. Does corporate governance affect sustainability disclosure? A
mixed methods study. Sustainability. 10(1). p.207.
Markman, G. D. and et.al., 2016. Entrepreneurship as a platform for pursuing multiple goals: A
special issue on sustainability, ethics, and entrepreneurship.
Pesce, M., and et.al., 2020. Circular economy in China: Translating principles into
practice. Sustainability. 12(3). p.832.
Schönborn, G. and et.al., 2019. Why social sustainability counts: The impact of corporate social
sustainability culture on financial success. Sustainable Production and Consumption.
17. pp.1-10.
Taliento, M., Favino, C. and Netti, A., 2019. Impact of environmental, social, and governance
information on economic performance: Evidence of a corporate ‘sustainability
advantage’from Europe. Sustainability. 11(6). p.1738.
Traverso, M. and et.al., 2018. Towards social life cycle assessment: a quantitative product social
impact assessment. The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment. 23(3). pp.597-
606.
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Velenturf, A. P., and et.al., 2019. Circular economy and the matter of integrated
resources. Science of the Total Environment. 689. pp.963-969.
Wiengarten, F., Lo, C. K. and Lam, J. Y., 2017. How does sustainability leadership affect firm
performance? The choices associated with appointing a chief officer of corporate social
responsibility. Journal of business ethics. 140(3). pp.477-493.
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