by Yvonne Cheong, Channel NewsAsia

Singapore has pledged to become more environmentally friendly by keeping down the levels of some organic pollutants.

It has signed on to the Stockholm and Rotterdam Conventions, which control pollutants and hazardous chemicals.

This means the country is now obliged to minimise pollutants released by incineration plants.

More Singaporeans are turning green to reduce their electricity bills, from fridges, air-conditioners and even lights.

Now, the Environment Ministry may require all household appliances to have green labels.

Seven out of 10 household appliances available here are now energy efficient, compared to 3 out of 10 two years ago.

And it is not just individuals who are making progress.

Encouraging its citizens to buy energy efficient products is one way Singapore is doing its bit for the global environment.

Singapore has just joined 98 countries to become a party of the Stockholm convention, which requires it to ban 10 persistent organic pollutants, or POPs.

It already meets the ban, but now needs to further minimise dioxins and furans, which can cause long term health problems, from incineration plants.

As for hazardous chemicals, Singapore has also signed on to the global regulation regime, the Rotterdam Convention.

Said Environment and Water Resources Minister Yaacob Ibrahim, "We see clear benefits in being a party to this convention. If anything, I think this convention will help to reinforce our existing efforts to control hazardous chemicals, its use, its production, export and import."

There is now a procedure to inform countries which import any of the five hazardous materials which Singapore deals with.