This is a full version of NEA’s reply issued to the media agency; published in Lianhe Zaobao, 25 Sep 2025.
Headline: Recycling is a shared responsibility
We thank Mr Wu Quan Shen and Mr Zhang Hongbao for their letters, “交流站：组屋物品回收箱形同虚设” (2 September 2025) and “交流站：环保重在源头分类” (9 September 2025) respectively. We also note the points raised in “站长的话” (2 and 9 September 2025).
2 Effective recycling starts with the right mindset. Everyone needs to view recycling as a shared responsibility and adopt good recycling habits. We also believe in nurturing good recycling habits from a young age. Education on recycling practices is integrated into school curricula to encourage students to view recycling as a shared responsibility.
3 Over the years, as part of ongoing outreach efforts, the National Environment Agency (NEA) has developed educational and user-friendly content under the Recycle Right Campaign to promote good recycling practices. To help households identify recyclables easily, refreshed recycling labels, co-created with the public, have been deployed across all blue recycling bins and chutes. Tools such as the Recycle Right AI Chatbot support instant recycling guidance through text and image queries. Through partnerships with schools, community groups and non-governmental organisations, recycling information has been made accessible within neighbourhoods to audiences across age groups.
4 Beyond education, NEA continues to partner with the Public Waste Collectors (PWCs) and the community to strengthen recycling efforts such as the Cash-for-Trash initiative, which is implemented by all three PWCs across Singapore. Additionally, the PWCs, non-profit organisations and Town Councils offer alternatives that complement our National Recycling Programme, including recycling hubs featuring dedicated bins in malls and HDB void decks for different types of waste. Collectively, these initiatives provide residents with a wide selection of convenient recycling options.
5 The co-mingled collection of recyclables via the blue recycling bins in Singapore has helped made recycling more accessible and convenient for residents. Blue recycling bins have simplified the recycling process by allowing households to deposit a wide range of recyclables in a single bin, without the need for prior segregation. This convenience has encouraged greater participation in recycling efforts and contributed to an improvement in Singapore’s overall recycling rate in the early years of its implementation.
6 For selected streams, NEA has moved towards segregated clean-stream collection to complement the blue recycling bin system. This started with the e-waste Extended Producer Responsibility scheme in 2021, which has more than 870 collection points located across Singapore. Next year, the Beverage Container Return Scheme will be launched and will similarly allow the dedicated collection of used beverage containers for recycling.
7 As our recycling ecosystem develops, we will continue to review our measures to improve recycling in Singapore. With the right mindset, education, and systems in place, we can build a more sustainable Singapore together.
Pierre Ng (黄楚雄)
Director, Sustainability Division (永续发展司司长)
National Environment Agency (国家环境局)