This is a full version of NEA’s reply issued to the media agency; published in Lianhe Zaobao, 14 Sep 2020.
[Headline] Knowledge on Recycling Right can be improved
We thank Ms Qiu Qiaolian and Ms Guo Jieling for their letters, “Singaporeans should be encouraged to sort their waste before recycling”, and “Do not abuse the recycling bin”, 4 September 2020.
We commend Ms Qiu and Ms Guo for their recycling efforts, and agree on the need to raise awareness on recycling right and to prevent the misuse of the blue recycling bins as general waste bins.
Singapore currently adopts a commingled recycling collection system where all types of recyclables (i.e. paper, plastic, glass and metal items) can be deposited into the blue bins and recycling chutes. The recyclables are sent to the Materials Recovery Facilities (MRFs), where the different types of recyclables are sorted, baled and sent to local and overseas recycling plants. This makes it convenient for households to recycle, and avoid the additional resources and carbon footprint associated with multiple road trips needed for separate collection of different recyclable streams.
Last year, under the Year Towards Zero Waste campaign, the Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment (MSE) and National Environment Agency (NEA) embarked on a #RecycleRight movement to raise awareness on what can and cannot be recycled. We emphasised, for example, that recyclables such as plastic and glass containers should be rinsed before recycling, and that tissue paper, bulky items, Styrofoam and food-stained items should not be deposited into the recycling bins. As part of the #RecycleRight movement, NEA also refreshed the recycling labels on all blue recycling bins at HDB estates and landed homes, with photos of recyclables and non-recyclables to help households identify recyclable items easily. All recycling trucks have also been painted blue and made more identifiable to enhance public awareness of the recycling system in Singapore.
A #RecycleRight Citizens’ Workgroup was convened in September 2019 to co-create solutions with Singaporeans to improve household recycling. We are currently developing four pilot projects with the members of the Workgroup. In one of the pilot projects, members are designing programmes to raise greater awareness of recycling at the community level, such as by training community champions, setting up e-platforms to engage residents, and engaging groups such as the elderly and foreign domestic workers. Another group is redesigning the blue recycling bins to be more user-friendly to reduce incidents of disposal of non-recyclables into the bins. Their ideas included a transparent panel, eye-level labels with Recycle Right information, and tailored lids with deposit holes. We will look for opportunities to implement these projects on a wider scale if the pilots are successful.
For key waste streams, dedicated collection points for recyclables will be set up under the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) approach. For example, from July 2021 onwards, it will be mandatory for large retail store operators to set up collection points at their stores for electrical and electronic waste. For packaging waste including plastics, NEA will implement a Deposit Refund Scheme (DRS) for beverage containers as the first phase of an EPR system for packaging waste management. This will build on an ongoing trial with F&N Foods Pte Ltd where 50 smart Reverse Vending Machines have been placed across Singapore since October 2019. This will encourage the recycling of plastic beverage bottles and aluminium beverage cans.
We are heartened to see more awareness and interest in recycling among residents. NEA will continue to work with our partners and stakeholders such as schools, NGOs and community groups to engage them on the importance of recycling right.
Desmond Tan (Mr) (陈迦雋)
Group Director, Resource and Sustainability Group (高级署长，资源与永续发展署)
National Environment Agency (NEA) (国家环境局)