Asia Pacific Breweries Singapore clinches SEC-SETSCO Singapore Environmental Achievement Award 2019

Singapore’s largest commercial brewery produces less than 1 per cent waste

• Collects and reuses 87 per cent of glass bottles that are released to the on-premise market
• Reuses 100 per cent of its steel kegs
• Upcycles its spent grains as animal feed
• Prevented more than 21,000 tons of waste from going into landfill

Singapore, 27 August 2019 – Asia Pacific Breweries Singapore (APB Singapore) is proud to be recognised for its environmental stewardship and commitment towards sustainability with the SECSETSCO Singapore Environmental Achievement Award (Manufacturing) 2019 presented by Singapore Environment Council.

The award acknowledges APB Singapore for its sustainable business practices, focusing on the brewery’s ability to achieve breakthroughs in environmental performance through leadership, innovation, systems and management, and industry achievements. APB Singapore has been at the forefront of Singapore’s drive to become a leading green economy, with a strong commitment in achieving reduced carbon emissions, waste reduction, and water conservation.

Patricia Lee, Corporate Affairs Director of APB Singapore said “Making the world a better place, for the environment and for the community, is becoming more and more of a critical priority in many countries. APB Singapore believes in sustainability as a driver for business success, and as a positive force for change. As a member of the Heineken group of companies, our sustainability strategy – Brewing a Better World – is firmly embedded in the way we do business. We strongly believe in environmental ownership and creating a meaningful impact towards environmental sustainability in the country in which we operate.”

Singapore’s Most Sustainable Brewery

APB Singapore’s key sustainability initiatives include becoming a zero-waste brewery, and utilising renewable and recyclable resources.

Water scarcity is a pressing issue for Singapore and APB Singapore is one of the first in Asia to install a Water Reuse Treatment Plant in the brewery which became fully operational this year. The joint development project with Public Utilities Board and National University of Singapore is expected to reduce the brewery’s annual water intake by 66,750m³, which is equivalent to the annual water consumption of 3,160 four-bedroom flats. This is on top of the brewery’s Rainwater Harvesting System that collects 15,000m³ of rainwater annually.

According to Solar Plaza, a global renewable energy interest group, APB Singapore is among the world’s top 5 solar-powered breweries, generating 1,940MWh of electricity a year through its 8,038 solar panels installed on the rooftop of the brewery. This reduces the brewery’s carbon footprint by 20 per cent at 1,500 tons – every pint of Tiger Beer consumed in Singapore is brewed by the sun.

APB Singapore walks the talk of being a zero-waste brewery by producing less than 1% waste in its compound. The company collects and reuses 87 per cent of glass bottles that are released to the onpremise market, such as bars, restaurants and coffee shops. In addition, the brewery reuses all its steel kegs that are in the market and repurposes its spent grains as animal feed. All-in-all, the brewery had prevented more than 21,000 tons of waste away from the landfill in 2018.

Other than being a proud recipient of this year’s Singapore Environmental Achievement Awards, APB Singapore is also an 11-time winner of the Singapore Packaging Awards by the National Environment Agency.

The company also prioritises environmental sustainability as an area for focus for funding under APB Foundation, a registered charitable trust established since 1994. Since its inception, the APB Foundation has disbursed over $10 million to support various charitable causes in Singapore mainly through three main focus areas of Human Excellence, Creativity Development & Innovation and Humanitarian Causes.

ABOUT ASIA PACIFIC BREWERIES SINGAPORE

Established in 1931, Asia Pacific Breweries Singapore (APB Singapore) is a leading brewer in Southeast Asia with a rich long history of success in developing premium beer and cider brands. Its flagship product, the world-acclaimed Tiger Beer, is born and brewed on local soil since 1932 and is now available in more than 50 countries around the world. Additionally, APB Singapore’s wider range of portfolio includes ABC Stout, Anchor Beer, Baron’s Strong Brew, Erdinger, Guinness, Heineken, Strongbow and the range of Archipelago craft beers.

APB Singapore is highly committed to achieving a positive environmental and social impact through its Brewing a Better World sustainability strategy. These include lowering carbon emissions, protecting water resources, and reducing waste.

APB Singapore is part of the HEINEKEN Company.