Experience of a small island state in siting industrial plants and pollutive facilities

Abstract

This paper focuses on the management of industrial plants and polluting facilities, with particular reference to the siting of such facilities. There has been no public outcry in Singapore regarding any problem associated with industrial pollution since its independence in August 1965. One notable success in Singapore is the extremely high degree of compliance with environmental regulations, about 90 per cent in the manufacturing sector today. A number of factors contributing to success in this area are pointed out, one of which is the role of the multinational corporations which tend to conduct operations within stricter parameters than those of the national standards, and this helps to raise the standards of local small and medium-sized enterprises as well. © 1997 Kluwer Law International.