[1] The contamination rate for the blue recycling bin is about 40 per cent.

~~ End ~~

For more information, please submit your enquiries electronically via the Online Feedback Form or myENV mobile application. 

Annex

About the Bloobox

The National Environment Agency’s (NEA) Recycle Right campaign, launched in 2019, aims to help households in Singapore recycle more and recycle correctly. This complements Singapore’s ongoing effort to make recycling convenient for households and raise awareness among residents on the benefits of recycling. The campaign encourages households to recycle more and recycle right, to reduce the contamination rate in the blue recycling bins which has remained high at 40 per cent.

2          As part of the Recycle Right campaign, NEA is promoting the setting up of a recycling corner in each home to start the habit of recycling at home. To help households get started, every household can collect a free home recycling box, known as a Bloobox.

3          The pilot phase of the Bloobox initiative, which involved households in five constituencies, concluded in December 2022. This phase was intended to help NEA assess and refine the distribution plan. and ensure a smooth collection experience during the nationwide phase. More than 8,600 boxes were collected during the pilot.

4          Designed in collaboration with a team of students from the Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT), the Bloobox is foldable and can hold up to 5kg of paper, plastic, metal or glass recyclables, or e-waste. The Bloobox can be washed and reused.

5          The Bloobox has instructions printed on it to help households identify what can and cannot be recycled. For example, it explains that paper, metal, plastic, and glass can be recycled. However, Styrofoam and food-stained items should not be recycled. Food or liquids should also not be placed in the Bloobox. There is also a removable divider, so that households can create a separate compartment for small e-waste items. When the Bloobox is full, the recyclables can be deposited into either a blue recycling bin or the recycling chute. E-waste items such as light bulbs and batteries should be deposited into e-waste bins.

Instructions on How to Use the Bloobox

How do I use the Bloobox?

Follow the steps below:

a.         Identify a suitable location in your home to set up a recycling corner. A good spot would be next to the trash bin in your home.

b.         Open the recycling box as shown in the picture below and place it at the recycling corner.

c.         Slot the partition in the box at the preferred position. The purpose of the partition is to segregate smaller e-waste items from other recyclables.

d.         Place clean glass, paper, plastic, and metal recyclables together in the main compartment of the box. Please refer to the recycling bin label on the recycling box, or this guide for the list of common items that can and cannot be recycled. A recycling search engine has also been developed to help households identify recyclables. Place e-waste items in the smaller e-waste compartment.

e.         When the recycling box is full, bring it to the nearest recycling bin or recycling chute and empty the contents of the main compartment in the blue bin/recycling chute. E-waste items such as light bulbs and batteries should be deposited into the nearest e-waste bin, not the blue recycling bin.

f.          Do not place the Bloobox outside your house as recyclables in the Bloobox will not be collected by the Public Waste Collectors.

g.         The recycling box is reusable. However, if the Bloobox is unable to be further used, households may fold the Bloobox and place it in the recycling bin or recycling chutes for recycling.