Singapore, 18 May 2022 – Perfume and fragrance manufacturers Takasago International (Singapore) Pte Ltd and Givaudan Singapore Pte Ltd were convicted and fined for illegally causing the discharge of toxic industrial waste into the public sewerage system.
2. Between January and February last year, while PUB was investigating into illegal dumping activities by general waste collectors, it was discovered that Takasago International (Singapore) and Givaudan Singapore had wrongfully engaged AJ Jetting Pte Ltd, a general waste collector, to collect and dispose sludge at the Jurong Water Reclamation Plant. Sludge from oil interceptors is classified as toxic industrial waste and must be collected for proper disposal by licenced toxic industrial waste collectors. Both companies had also discharged trade effluent containing prohibited substances from their premises into the public sewerage system.
3. Takasago International (Singapore) and Givaudan Singapore were charged and prosecuted in court. The former was convicted on two charges and fined $5,500 on 7 September 2021 for committing an offence under section 18(1)(a) of the Sewerage and Drainage Act, as well as an offence under regulation 9(a) of the Sewerage and Drainage (Trade Effluent) Regulations. The latter was convicted on one charge and fined $3,500 on 19 April 2022 for committing an offence under Section 18(1)(a) of the Sewerage and Drainage Act, with the other offence under the said Regulations taken into consideration during sentencing.
4. Investigations also revealed that AJ Jetting Pte Ltd, the general waste collector, was not aware that the sludge they had collected from the two companies’ oil interceptors was toxic industrial waste. AJ Jetting’s permit for disposing general waste at PUB’s Water Reclamation Plants was revoked. PUB also issued a stern warning to remind AJ Jetting that they must verify any collected waste to ensure that it falls under the purview of what they are authorised to collect and dispose. The permit was only reinstated after AJ Jetting fulfilled conditions stipulated by PUB, which include implementing appropriate monitoring devices on their waste collection tankers.
5. "Used water is a precious resource in Singapore – every drop of used water is collected through an extensive network of sewers to be treated for reuse. Illegal discharges of toxic industrial waste into our sewers are irresponsible acts that can disrupt the used water treatment process at the Water Reclamation Plants, and endanger the health and safety to our workers maintaining the system. PUB takes a serious view of such offences and will not hesitate to take necessary enforcement action against any offenders," said Maurice Neo, Director of PUB’s Water Reclamation Network.
6. Under the Sewerage and Drainage Act, the penalty for the unauthorised disposal of waste matter or effluent into the public sewerage system is a fine of up to $20,000. Under the Sewerage and Drainage (Trade Effluent) Regulations, the penalty for discharging trade effluent containing any organic compounds not permitted to be discharged into the sewer, is a fine of up to $15,000 or imprisonment for up to three months, or both. Members of the public can report incidents of illegal discharge of non-compliant trade effluent to PUB’s 24-hour hotline on 1800-CALL-PUB (1800-2255-7821800-2255-782).
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