Microplastics found in animal on Singapore's reefs, mangroves, seagrass meadows

A study led by Dr Neo Mei Lin has found microplastics not just in marine animals’ digestive tracts, but also in their respiratory organs and bodily fluid.

Trash commonly seen on Pasir Ris beach, much likely
from Singapore fish farms, which are not provided with trash collection

The study also showed microplastics are widespread across Singapore’s coastal habitats – including mangroves, coral reefs and seagrass beds – and they could potentially be transferred from one organism to the next. Polymers found are commonly used in everyday life, such as in plastic bottles, packaging, synthetic textiles and automotive parts, were identified.

Trash build up on an East Coast shore that is not regularly cleaned.

Asked what the findings could mean for the safety of locally grown seafood, Dr Neo said more studies need to be done. She noted that the guts of contaminated animals are “typically removed and cleaned before (the animal) goes for sale”, adding that “the sweeping statements of humans eating microplastics need to be carefully discerned”.

Trash build up in Lim Chu Kang mangroves.

A good reason for Singapore agencies to close gaps in proper disposal of litter by commercial operators on our waters? The Maritime and Port Authority should provide facilities at their the piers/terminals for vessels to responsibly dispose of trash generated during their operation.

And the Singapore Food Agency should provide daily door-to-door trash collection for the fish farms they licence to operate in our waters. The same way every other residence, business is provided elsewhere in Singapore. More in this blog post.

NEA report on Marine Litter (Jan 2025)

Commissioned by NEA in 2021, the report was published on 13 Jan 2025. “The modelling found that only about 3 per cent of the macro- and micro- plastics found on our beaches were from inland waterways, while 97 per cent were from marine-based sources,” said NEA.

Litter build up on an East Coast shore
that is not regularly cleaned.

My comment: It doesn't make it okay for Singapore not to provide proper trash disposal for vessels using all our piers, or provide fish farms with easier trash disposal. More in Plea for MPA to provide trash collection to vessels that use their piers. Similar to action on Climate Change, it's no excuse to say we only contribute a miniscule proportion of carbon so we don't have to do our part.

Plea for MPA to provide trash collection to vessels that use their piers

The recent oil spill highlights how marine litter means oil stays in the system for a longer time. Uncontrolled discharge of marine litter can thus make an oil spill worse.

Some of the oiled trash I saw today near Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal

In light of the recent Pasir Panjang oil spill that spread widely to many shores, I hope that the Maritime and Port Authority will consider providing vessels that use their piers/terminals ways to responsibly dispose of trash generated during the vessels' operation.

Hooked to death: Irresponsible fishing kills

 A 4-month-old otter pup was found dead on 6 Sep with a fishing hook lodged in her throat.

Last month, a community cat that lives on St John's Island had a narrow escape after it accidentally swallowed a fish hook. He was found and brought to the vet in time. The baby otter was not so lucky.

Balloons - NOT worth celebrating!

Thanks to Rachel Mark and Cassandra Chai for highlighting the deadly impact of balloons on our marine life!

They share more about the harmful effects of balloons, some misconceptions and alternatives to balloons for your party and celebrations!

Balloons the no. 1 marine debris killer of seabirds

Another reason to stop balloon releases: A study has found that balloons are the highest-risk plastic debris item for seabirds -- 32 times more likely to kill than hard plastics. Researchers found one in three of dead seabirds had eaten marine debris.

I saw this exploded balloon floating in the water at Cyrene.

"Although soft plastics accounted for just 5 per cent of the items eaten they were responsible for more than 40 per cent of the deaths. Balloons or balloon fragments were the marine debris most likely to cause death, and they killed almost one in five of the seabirds that eaten them."
Does Singapore have seabirds? Yes! Here's more about them.

Let's help NParks stop grasscutters from littering plastic strings

Thanks to NParks sharing background on the issue and the immediate and long-term steps they are taking to stop grasscutters from littering plastic nylon strings. This follows my letter to NParks and MSO on 7 Nov.

Some of the many sightings of plastic strings
found by the public since Aug 2018.

NParks has instructed their contractors to stop littering. In the longer term, NParks hopes where possible, to convert grass areas into Nature Ways. NParks appreciates the sightings and mapping and hopes the public can continue to help pick up legacy string and share sightings, in order to keep track of the situation and permanently resolve this issue.

Sightings are updates on this public google map.

How can we stop grasscutters from littering nylon strings?

The issue of grasscutter nylon string litter is in the Straits Times, thanks to Jose Hong. A letter on this has been sent to NParks and the Municipal Services Office. In it, I highlight that we don't want to just complain, but want to help to stop this permanently.

41 strings collected in a short time at Gardens by the Bay
18 Sep 2018 by Ria Tan.

Special thanks to all the people who tirelessly picked up, photographed and shared their sightings of these heartbreaking litter all over Singapore. Please keep sending me your sightings.

More details below.

Half of St John's Island closed after asbestos found

Half of St. John's Island was closed on 17 Apr 2018, a day after samples taken from the campsite, lagoon and holiday bungalow area tested positive for asbestos said the Singapore Land Authority (SLA).

More than half the island will be closed.
From Channel NewsAsia.

I've seen construction debris dumped on St John's and Lazarus Island, squashed into crevices in the natural cliffs. "Going forward, how will the authorities ensure future proper disposal of general trash and industrial and construction waste?" is the quote I shared with the Straits Times.


Update 1 Jan 2019



Update 25 Feb 2019

"Waves of Change" Poster Design Competition for kids and youths: Closing date 6 July

Inspire change and win prizes! Submission period 19 March to 6 July. Open to ages 7 to 25 years old!

To increase public awareness of marine litter, impacts brought by marine litter and encourage members of the public to contribute in the protection of our marine environment by making changes in their daily lives, the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) is launching the Waves of Change Poster Design Competition as part of Singapore’s commitment to develop a maritime industry that is not only competitive but also efficient, responsible and sustainable.

Download submission guidelines and information kit.

For more information, please contact MPA via training@sec.org.sg or +65 6337 6062.

3 Apr (Tue): Action Against Plastic Workshop for Educators and Students

For teachers and students! The Action Against Plastic workshop will involve hands-on activities and share resources to help teachers and students take action to mediate the problems of plastic in our society.

Aquarius the Otter, injured by a plastic band.
Photo by Abel Yeo. Full story here.

This workshop is in support of International Year of the Reef 2018 and Singapore's Year of Climate Action, and organised by Jane Goodall Institute (Singapore) and supported by Singapore Chinese Girls’ School.

Dead fishes at Lim Chu Kang, 19 Jul 2016

I checked up on Lim Chu Kang Jetty again. There are no freshly dead fishes, but the 'old' dead fishes are still there. And once again, I saw a truckload of expired biscuits being delivered, probably to be fed to the farmed fishes.

Why are hundreds of dead fishes washing up at Lim Chu Kang? The explanation given to the media so far, no fish losses "beyond normal losses", deaths attributed to low dissolved oxygen and not to plankton bloom. But how can this be "normal losses" when we don't normally see this many dead fishes washing up at Lim Chu Kang? And even if they were "normal losses" why are farms allowed to dump their dead fishes into the sea?

Chingay 2016 will NOT release sky lanterns

People's Association responded promptly on facebook to worries about news that 8,000 'sky lanterns' (helium balloons) would be 'launched'. They assured that "The Sky Lanterns are performance props and not meant to be released into the sky.

Channel News Asia article, 7 Jan 16

"These lanterns will be reused and exhibited at the PAssionArts Festival 2016 and community events such as National Day Celebrations after Chingay 2016. After that, they will be handed over to a recycling firm approved by NEA to be responsibly recycled. The proceeds from the recycling will go towards charity."

Gentle wild boar family endangered by irresponsible trash disposal

If we don't alarm them, it is possible to have a closer look at the wild boar at Chek Jawa, Pulau Ubin. Like this curious piglet who approached the kids on the Naked Hermit Crab walk yesterday. The piglet soon scampered back to join the wild boar family.

But at the end of the trip, we saw how some people had put the wild boar family in danger by not disposing of their trash responsibly.

Pasir Ris check in the haze

On a very hazy evening, yesterday we checked out Pasir Ris because we heard there were signs of algae in the water in the area.

The seagrasses were lush, marine life seemed well, and I didn't come across signs of mass deaths.

Palm oil waste and other damaging activities at Pasir Ris

The shore was lined with palm oil waste that float in the water from tiny globules to marble-sized and pebble-sized blobs, to chunks larger than my foot.

There is also a great deal of trash on the shore, much of it likely to come from the fish farms just off the shore.

What activities affect water quality at Pasir Ris?

Pasir Ris beach is incredibly trashy. With a mind-boggling variety of rubbish.

There are also many other activities, managed by many different agencies, that impact the quality of the water at the East Johor Strait.

What do our farmed fishes eat?

I have heard that some fish farmers feed their fishes with expired carbohydrates such as biscuits, bread, instant noodles. In fact, one fish farmer told the Straits Times that he feeds his fish with 'bread and instant noodles'.

So I wasn't surprised to see carbos being loaded for the fish farms at Lim Chu Kang Jetty. But I was astonished by the enormous quantities of it.

What is killing fishes at Pasir Ris?

I received this photo of more fishes dying at an eastern fish farm today.

Photo from Sea Angle Boatfishing on facebook.

 So I headed out in the afternoon to see if dead fishes were washing up at Pasir Ris Park beach.

Large dead fish floating up at Pasir Ris beach.

There was a huge dead barracuda, and a few other large dead fishes. I didn't see many dead farm fishes. Dead wild fishes were also reported over the last two days at Sembawang and Changi. The risks of fish deaths are rising in the weeks ahead as there will be no good spring tide to flush the waters around Pasir Ris and Pulau Ubin until April.

AVA takes action on large marine trash washed up at Sungei Buloh

Did this large orange box painted with the number 12 come from a nearby fish farm?

Photo by Solomon Anthony.

Were the numbers on the box spray painted by AVA? In Jan 2014, there was a media report that AVA explained that it sprayed farm “items that tend to fall in the sea” including “container drums, sofas, television sets and refrigerators”.

Photo by the New Paper.

I wrote to AVA about the orange box and received prompt replies.