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Environmental Control Officers for Specified Construction Sites

Environmental Control Officer for Specified Construction Sites [ECO(SCS)] Scheme

The Environmental Control Officer for Specified Construction Sites [ECO(SCS)) Scheme was launched on 1 April 2000 to advocate good environmental practices within construction sites.

Under the Environmental Public Health Act (EPHA) 1987, occupiers of construction sites are required to employ either a part-time or full-time ECO(SCS) depending on the contract sum of the construction project as shown in the table below:

Contract Sum of Construction Project	Type of ECO(SCS) required
$10 million & below	Not required
Exceed $10 million but not exceeding $50 million	Part-time ECO(SCS) (At least 15 hours/ week)
Exceed $50 million	Full-time ECO(SCS) (At least 40 hours/ week)

The Code of Practice for ECO(SCS)

The Code of Practice for ECO(SCS) spells out the roles and responsibilities of the ECO(SCS) and Occupier of the construction site, their responsibilities and what is expected from them. Click here to find and read the full version of the Code of Practice for ECO(SCS) that includes the following:

Roles and Duties

ECOs(SCS) are required to actively monitor and prevent environmental health issues within construction sites. Their roles include advising construction site contractors on environmental remediation measures, facilitating compliance with the environmental laws, carrying out site inspections and engagement of stakeholders for environmental lapses, as well as educating workers on maintaining good environmental health standards. Specifically, ECOs(SCS) take charge of the following aspects:

Vector Control
Food Hygiene
Waste Management
Noise Management
Air Pollution and Dust Abatement
Earth Littering
Water Pollution and Earth Control
Sanitary Facilities Management

Similarly, the Occupier of specified construction sites has to pay attention to environmental health issues to minimise any public nuisances to the surrounding areas of the construction site. This includes working with the ECO(SCS) and every personnel employed on the construction site to observe good environmental health practices.

Site Environmental Control Programme (SECP) and Report (SECR)

The ECO(SCS) is required to work with the Occupier of the specified construction site to develop, implement and monitor the environmental management plans in the form of a SECP, including reviewing them when necessary. The occupier needs to endorse and submit the SECP prepared by the ECO(SCS) electronically, following the instructions given in Appendix 2 in the Code of Practice, within one month after the commencement of works on the specified construction site. Please click here to submit a new SECP or make any change(s) to a previous submission.

After the commencement of construction works, the ECO(SCS) is also required to submit to the Occupier of the specified construction site a SECR periodically, using the template provided in Appendix 3 in the Code of Practice. The SECR serves to review efforts implemented at the construction site. Where applicable, improvements should be proposed to enhance current efforts stated in the SECP. The Occupier needs to endorse the SECR prepared by the ECO(SCS), file and make the reports available for inspection by the DGPH or a public health officer at any time.

Notification of Employment of ECO(SCS)

The Occupier of the construction must notify NEA of any change in employment in ECO(SCS) on the construction site via a partial re-submission of the SECP electronically. Upon termination, suspension or cancellation of registration of the ECO(SCS), the Occupier must employ another ECO(SCS) within 14 days. Please click here to make any change(s) to a previous submission.

Penalties for non-compliance

The ECO(SCS) scheme is regulated under the Environmental Public Health Act. It is an offence for the ECO(SCS), or PM/ Occupier of the construction site, to contravene or fail to comply with any of the clauses stated in the Act or its subsidiary legislations. The various offences that are relevant to the ECO(SCS) and the PM/ Occupier of the construction site, are as shown in Appendix 4 in the Code of Practice.

ECO(SCS) Registry

In line with the move by the Public Service sector towards digitalisation, the National Environment Agency (NEA) will issue electronic Certificates of Registration (herein referred as ECO(SCS) licence) to ECO(SCS)s in lieu of hardcopies.

ECOs(SCS) could retain a copy of the electronic licence/certificate or print out a hardcopy, for identification purposes. A sample of the electronic licence is attached below.

Please click here for the list of registered ECO(SCS).

Please click for a sample copy of the electronic ECO(SCS) Certificate of Registration.

ECO(SCS) Licence Application and Renewal

Applicants who are interested in applying to be an ECO(SCS)/ renewing their ECO(SCS) licence must fulfil the requirements listed below:

Component	NEW ECO(SCS) licence application requirements *for applicants who have never held an ECO(SCS) licence*	RENEWAL ECO(SCS) licence application requirements *for applicants whose ECO(SCS) licence is expiring/expired*
ECO(SCS) Training Course	• Attend and pass the ECO(SCS) training course, with the ECO(SCS) training course certificate issued within 5 years from date of licence application	• Attend and pass the ECO(SCS) training course, with the ECO(SCS) training course certificate issued within 5 years from date of licence application OR • Pass the ECO(SCS) refresher examination, with the ECO(SCS) training course certificate issued within 5 years from date of licence application.
Education/ Competency qualifications	• Degree of any discipline • Diploma of any discipline, with 2 years of relevant working experience¹ • WPLN L7² in reading, listening, speaking, writing and numeracy • WPLN L6² reading, listening, speaking, writing and numeracy, with 2 years of relevant working experience Note: WSHO licences will not be accepted from 1 April 2022	N/A
Other training-related requirements	N/A	• Completed an additional course, seminar or conference as specified in Table 1, prior to each licence renewal cycle. • The recommended list of courses and training activities could be found here. • If certificate of the training course cannot be provided, please provide details of the accumulated training activities using the “ECO(SCS) Proof of training attendance form (Jan 2022)” and upload it as attachment together with the application of licence renewal.
Licence Fee	• Pay a licence fee of $200 (GST not applicable)
Photo ID	Submit a photo ID meeting NEA’s requirement: • Recent coloured digital photograph with white background • Dimension of 35 mm wide by 45 mm high • Showing full face with visible upper shoulders and uniform lighting exposure • No filter or modification of the face • Image file in jpg, jpeg or png file extension and no more than 5 MB

¹You may use testimonial, letter of appointment or other relevant document(s), endorsed by an authorised personnel using company’s letterhead or stamp, as proof of relevant work experience (i.e. the document should describe the period of your work in any of the following fields such as environmental engineering, cleaning services, pest control, waste management, estate management, environmental health or other work, which in the opinion of the DGPH, is relevant to the work to be performed by an ECO(SCS).

²Please visit https://www.britishcouncil.sg/exam/wpln for more details on the WPLN assessment

Click here (Search and click on "Environmental Control Officer (Specified Construction Sites) [ECO(SCS)]) Certificate of Registration" to apply or renew an ECO(SCS) registration.)

Table 1 - Types of recognised courses and training activities required for ECO(SCS) licence renewal application (with effect from 1 April 2022)

S/N

Any of the following to be completed within the last three (3) years prior to the date of renewal application

Types of activities¹

Accepted supporting document/ documentary evidence³

Completed courses related to Environmental Engineering, Cleaning Services, Pest Control, Waste Management, Estate Management, Environmental Health or other work relevant to the roles of an ECO(SCS).

Post-graduate courses²
Diploma courses²
SSG approved courses
WSQ courses

Certificate of attendance, participation or achievement

Attended at least 6 accumulated hours of informal training activities (physically and/or virtually) related to Environmental Engineering, Pest Control, Estate Management, Environmental Health or other work relevant to the roles of an ECO(SCS), which are provided by the following Government Agencies or Professional Bodies:

Ministry of Health (MOH)
Ministry of Manpower (MOM)
Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment (MSE)
Building and Construction Authority (BCA)
Housing & Development Board (HDB)
National Environment Agency (NEA)
Public Utilities Board (PUB)
Environmental Management Association of Singapore (EMAS)
Singapore Contractors Association Limited (SCAL)
Singapore Green Building Council (SGBC)
Singapore Pest Management Association (SPMA)

Conferences
Seminars/Webinars
Workshops
Lectures
Other activities approved by NEA⁴

Certificate of attendance, participation or achievement
Any proof of attendance⁴

Note:

1 - ECOs(SCS) may refer to the recommended list of courses and training activities as a guide for their licence renewal applications. This list is not exhaustive and will be updated periodically.

2 - Refers to formal study course(s) from Universities, Polytechnics or Institutions of higher learning recognised by the Director-General of Public Health (DGPH), in addition to the accepted education or competency qualifications submitted for renewal application.

3 - The documentary evidence of the recognised course and training may take any one of the following forms listed in the table. ECOs(SCS) are reminded to request and retain any documentary evidence as proof of attendance for the course or training.

4 - Applicants or training providers may apply to NEA for training activities to be evaluated and recognised for licence renewal

For licensing-related enquiries, you may contact us via the channels available in this link.

ECO(SCS) Circulars

Circular Reference No.	Title	Date
NEA-PHOPD-VCPD-CIRCULAR-INFO-021	Revision of application fee for the registration of ECO(SCS) with effect from 1 June 2025	29 November 2024
NEA-PHOPD-VCPD-CIRCULAR-INFO-019	Streamlining of topics relevant to the role of an ECO(SCS) from 1 April 2025	15 April 2024
NEA-PHOPD-VCPD-CIRCULAR-INFO-012	Effective date for revision of ECO(SCS) licence fee on 1 July 2022	17 June 2022
NEA-PHOPD-VCPD-CIRCULAR-INFO-011	Reminder: Revised ECO(SCS) licensing requirements taking effect from 1 April 2022	28 March 2022
NEA-PHOPD-VCPD-CIRCULAR-INFO-009	Notification on courses and training activities recognised for ECO(SCS) licence renewal applications	28 January 2022
NEA-PHOPD-VCPD-CIRCULAR-INFO-008	Notification of amendments to the Code of Practice for ECO(SCS)	15 October 2021
NEA-PHOPD-VCPD-CIRCULAR-INFO-007	Notification of Amendments to the Subsidiary Legislations (SLs) for Environmental Control Officers (Specified Construction Sites)	30 September 2021
NEA-PHOPD-VCPD-CIRCULAR-INFO-006	Notification of Amendments to the Environmental Public Health Act and its Subsidiary Legislations	21 July 2021
NEA-PHOPD-VCPD-CIRCULAR-INFO-003	Notification on Changes to the Site Environmental Control Programme (SECP) and the Site Environmental Control Report (SECR)	17 May 2021

Environmental Control Officer for Specified Construction Sites [ECO(SCS)] Awards Ceremony 2023

10 March 2023 – The inaugural ECO(SCS) Awards Ceremony recognised 10 ECOs(SCS) and 5 teams from construction companies for setting high environmental standards within their construction sites. The event saw a turnout of close to 400 physical and virtual attendees.

The ceremony started with an opening address by Mr. Chew Ming Fai, Deputy Chief Executive Officer (Public Health), National Environment Agency (NEA), who highlighted the importance of ECO(SCS)s working hand-in-hand with the construction industry, NEA and other key stakeholders to prevent the spread of dengue. Mr. Ng Yek Meng, President, Singapore Contractors Association Ltd (SCAL), reiterated the importance of ECOs(SCS) and construction companies in building resilience against public health threats. Four award winners from various construction companies also shared best practices, covering topics from vector control to waste management.

Award Winners – 10 individuals were presented with the ECO(SCS) Excellence and Merit Awards. 5 teams also received the Best Practices Team Award at the ceremony. Click here for the list of award winners.

NEA and its partners acknowledged the exemplary efforts of ECOs(SCS) and other construction site personnel, and hope their efforts can inspire the rest of the construction site community to continue maintaining high environmental standards.

Address by NEA Deputy Chief Executive Officer (Public Health), Mr. Chew Ming Fai	Address by President of SCAL, Mr. Ng Yek Meng
Mr. Ruel Ariola from Fortis Construction Pte Ltd	Mr. Allan Low from Teambuild Engineering & Construction Pte Ltd
Mr. Mahesh Chettypelly from TOA Corporation	Mr. Hary Agusalim from China Communications Construction Company Limited
ECO(SCS) Awards Ceremony	ECO(SCS) Awards Ceremony attendees

Environmental Control Officer for Specified Construction Sites [ECO(SCS)] Awards Ceremony 2026

13 May 2026 – The second ECO(SCS) Awards Ceremony recognised 10 ECOs(SCS) and 5 teams from construction companies for setting high environmental standards within their construction sites. The event saw a turnout of close to 500 physical attendees.

Mr. Chew Ming Fai, Deputy Chief Executive Officer (Public Health), National Environment Agency (NEA), commenced the ceremony and delivered the opening address. He reaffirmed the critical role of Environmental Control Officers (ECOs) and the construction industry in safeguarding environmental public health, emphasising sustained vigilance against dengue risks, the importance of good housekeeping and water management as daily site practices, and the need for strong collaboration across stakeholders to minimise mosquito breeding in dynamic construction environments, even as improvements in site indicators have been observed.

Mr Lee Kay Chai, President of the Singapore Contractors Association Limited (SCAL), also addressed attendees and highlighted the construction industry’s resilience and the importance of embedding environmental public health into core business practices, underscoring the evolving role of ECOs as key partners in maintaining safe and sustainable worksites, and encouraging the wider industry to learn from the award recipients’ best practices to continuously raise standards and strengthen collective responsibility.

Award Winners – 10 individuals were presented with the ECO(SCS) Individual Awards. 5 teams also received the Team Awards at the ceremony. Click here for the list of award winners.

NEA and its partners acknowledged the exemplary efforts of ECOs(SCS) and other construction site personnel, and hope their efforts can inspire the rest of the construction site community to continue maintaining high environmental standards.