Corrective Work Order sessions expand to city areas of Singapore

Singapore, 18 November 2022 – From 2017 to 2021, the National Environment Agency (NEA) issued an average of 27,200 tickets for littering and high-rise littering. Over the same period, the number of Corrective Work Orders (CWOs) issued to offenders was about 10,200.

No. of tickets issued for littering and high-rise littering

2          Littering commonly occurs in neighbourhood centres, areas around hawker centres, MRT stations, and shopping malls. The majority of littering offenders are male and fall within the age group of 18 to 35 years old.  Ground surveys show that cigarette butts consistently top the list of littered items.

3          NEA’s anti-littering enforcement regime takes strict enforcement action against those who litter, with fines comprising a composition sum of $300 for the first offence, while high-rise littering offenders are sent to court. Offenders prosecuted in court may be issued a fine and sentenced to perform CWO. Introduced in 1992, the CWO requires recalcitrant offenders to clean public areas for a minimum of three hours, up to a maximum of 12 hours. This regime serves to increase recalcitrant offenders’ awareness of the impact of littering, as well as experience the difficulties faced by cleaners.

4          Under the Environmental Public Health Act (EPHA) 1987, the maximum fine for a littering offence is $2,000 for the first court conviction, $4,000 for the second conviction, and $10,000 for the third and subsequent convictions.

Corrective Work Order Sessions at City Areas

5          To further drive home the impact of littering, NEA has introduced CWO sessions at city areas for the first time from this month. They were held at the Chinatown and Tanjong Pagar areas on 15 and 17 November 2022 (photos of the CWO sessions are in the Annex). NEA will continue to put up informative standees around locations identified for CWO sessions, to highlight an ongoing session to raise public awareness of CWO. NEA officers conduct targeted enforcement at littering hotspots, and at areas where large number of individuals congregate.

6          “Everyone has a part to play in upholding high standards of cleanliness and public health in Singapore. NEA will continue with its educational and enforcement efforts, to encourage members of the public to exercise social graciousness and take personal ownership in keeping Singapore clean”, said Mr Tony Teo, Group Director of Environmental Public Health Operations at NEA.

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ANNEX

Images from a Corrective Work Order (CWO) sessions at city areas of Singapore