COMPANIES can apply to Jurong Town Corporation (JTC) for industrial land to set up recycling facilities, said Minister for Environment and Water Resources Assoc. Prof. Dr Yaacob Ibrahim in a parliament session on Monday.

This was in reply to Nominated MP (NMP) Mr Teo Siong Seng's question on whether the government provides incentives to encourage local companies to play a greater role in recycling.

He also asked the Minister if the government has set aside sufficient industrial zones specifically for the recycling industry.

In Dr Yaacob's reply, he mentioned that land had been set aside specifically for the recycling industry since 1995.

This land, called the Sarimbun Recycling Park (SRP), is now fully leased out to 13 companies recycling waste items such as wood, horticultural, construction and demolition waste, as well as used tyres.

Since November 2008, land allocation for SRP was changed to a tender system and the rental rate is determined via open market tender.

Apart from providing land to recycle waste, the National Environment Agency (NEA) also provides various funding schemes, which include the Environment Technology Research Programme, the Innovation for Environments Sustainability Fund and the 3R Fund.