Birds Meeting "No more left-over food" for them
Update 30 Dec 2021: Food court, coffee shop diners who do not clear tables will face fines from Jan 1
Diners at a food court at People's Park Centre. (File photo: Jeremy Long)
Diners at food courts and coffee shops who do not clear their tables will face fines from Jan 1, 2022, the National Environment Agency (NEA) said on Monday (Aug 30).
The enforcement approach at these venues will be similar to enforcement for table littering at hawker centres, the agency said in a media release.
Enforcement at hawker centres, which was announced in May, will kick in on Wednesday, with first-time offenders receiving written warnings and second-time offenders facing a composition fine of S$300. Subsequent offenders may face court fines.
Most hawker centre diners clear trays on first day of enforcement
'Should have started this years back'
Most patrons at hawker centres have been clearing their trays and leaving behind clean tables, as enforcement rules against table littering kicked in Wednesday (Sep 1), observed workers at these public dining places.
There were a handful of diners who did not do so, but most cleaners and patrons CNA spoke to said they welcomed the new regulations and that the clearing of trays was a “good” practice to cultivate.
The National Environment Agency (NEA) announced in May that diners at hawker centres must clear their tables of used trays, crockery and litter after their meals, with enforcement starting from Sep 1. This comes after a three-month advisory period. First-time offenders will receive a written warning. Second-time offenders will face a composition fine of S$300, while subsequent offenders may face court fines.
Hawker centre diners clear tables on first day of enforcement but some still flouting rule
Patrons returning used trays at the tray-return point at Serangoon Gardens Market on Sept 1, 2021. ST PHOTO: GIN TAY
The first day of tray return enforcement kicked in on Wednesday (Sept 1) with most patrons at some hawker centres here diligently clearing their own trays. However, cleaners said that some patrons still left used crockery and litter on tables.
When The Straits Times visited Redhill Food Centre on Wednesday morning, the centre's toilet attendant, Madam Ong Hong Luan, 76, said in Mandarin: "Some errant patrons come in very early at 4am to 5am to eat before working, before any of the cleaners come in."
"They left their trays because they thought no one would see and catch them," said Madam Ong.
7 things to know about clearing your table at hawker centres, coffee shops and food courts
Even with tray return stations a few steps away, people still left their trays and utensils on the table. (Photo: Ang Hwee Min)
Diners at hawker centres will face fines from Sep 1 if they do not clear dirty trays, crockery and litter from their tables.
Enforcement will also be rolled out to coffee shops and food courts in the fourth quarter of the year, said the National Environment Agency (NEA) on Friday (May 14). These measures will help Singapore transition to a “more socially conscious, self-service concept”, allowing diners to have their meals in clean and hygienic environments and protect against public health risks, said NEA.
Here are seven things to keep in mind the next time you dine at a hawker centre, coffee shop or food court:
- WHAT AM I NOT ALLOWED TO LEAVE ON DINING TABLES?
- WHAT ARE THE PENALTIES IF I DON’T CLEAR THE TABLE?
- DO I HAVE TO CLEAR WHAT’S LEFT BEHIND BY OTHER DINERS?
- WHAT IF MY LITTER WAS BLOWN ONTO THE FLOOR?
- WILL THE ELDERLY, CHILDREN AND PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES BE PENALISED AS WELL?
- WILL CLEANERS LOSE THEIR JOBS IF I CLEAR THE TABLE MYSELF?
- WHY IS THE ROLL-OUT LATER FOR COFFEE SHOPS AND FOOD COURTS?
Mandatory for diners to return trays and clear table litter
From Sept 1, enforcement will be taken against those who do not clean up after themselves at hawker centres. PHOTO: LIANHE ZAOBAO
It will be mandatory for diners to return their trays and clear their table litter from June 1, the National Environment Agency (NEA) said on Friday (May 14). Table litter includes used tissues, wet wipes, straws, canned drinks, plastic bottles and food remnants.
As part of an effort to help diners adjust, no enforcement action will be taken until after Aug 31. During the three months, they will only be advised to follow the rule.
From Sept 1, enforcement will be taken against those who do not comply with advice to clean up after themselves in public dining places.
First-time offenders will be given a written warning. Second-time offenders will face a $300 composition fine, and subsequent offenders may face court fines, which can go up to $2,000 for the first conviction.
Tray Return Campaign
It’s now more important than ever to practice good personal and public hygiene habits so remember to:
- Wash or sanitise your hands before and after eating
- Avoid sharing utensils. Use serving spoons and don’t double dip
- Don’t spit out food on tables and trays. Use tissues.
- Return trays to designated tray return points and keep tables clean for the next user
- Throw used tissue and wet wipes in trash bins
Let’s make our eating places clean, safe and pleasant for all!
#ReturnOurTrays #SGClean #KeepSGClean
Mandatory For Diners To Return Dirty Trays, Crockery And Clean Table Litter At Hawker Centres, Coffeeshops And Food Courts
NEA will step-up advisory stance for table littering offences and enforce against non-compliance at hawker centres from 1 September 2021, and work with SFA to progressively roll out enforcement to coffeeshops and food courts.
Enforcement will commence on 1 September 2021 at all hawker centres. Enforcement officers will continue to advise diners to properly clear their dirty tray, crockery and litter and enforcement will apply to diners who do not heed the officers’ advice. First-time offenders will be issued with a written warning. Subsequent offenders may face composition or court fines. NEA will monitor the ground situation and make adjustments over time to the enforcement posture accordingly.
NEA launched the Clean Tables Campaign on 6 February to galvanise individuals and the community to do their part to return dirty trays and crockery, and clear and bin table litter such as used tissues and wet wipes. This shows consideration for the next diner, and allows cleaners to focus on the most important task of cleaning and disinfecting tables. This self-service approach is also a more sustainable way of keeping our dining places safe and clean. This is especially given the tight cleaning workforce comprising a majority of seniors who may be more vulnerable to diseases such as COVID-19. The Clean Tables Campaign complements the rolling out of the Environmental Sanitation Regime from mid-2021 and the nation-wide SG Clean movement launched last year to rally businesses and Singaporeans to raise cleanliness standards of public spaces and encourage good personal hygiene habits.
No extension to advisory period for returning trays; enforcement to start Sep 1: NEA
Cleaners at 85 Fengshan Market & Food Centre clear up the tray return rack to free up space for more diners. (Photo: Vanessa Lim)
From Sep 1, diners who do not return their trays and crockery after their meals will be issued warnings and fines, said the National Environment Agency (NEA) in a statement on Tuesday (Jun 22).
NEA had announced in May that it would have a three-month advisory period from Jun 1 to help diners familiarise and adjust with the new rules. During this period, the agency had said that it would not take enforcement action. However, dining-in at eateries including hawker centres had been barred due to tightened COVID-19 measures and was only allowed to resume on Monday.
Despite this, enforcement of the rules will still be carried out on Sep 1 as planned.
More than 4,500 diners reminded to return trays as dining in resumes at food centres
A patron returning his plates after eating at North Bridge Road Market and Food Centre on June 22, 2021.ST PHOTO: MARK CHEONG
Enforcement officers spoke to thousands of diners at hawker centres about returning their trays, when dining in was allowed to resume on Monday (June 21).
Speaking to the media during a visit to North Bridge Road Market and Food Centre on Tuesday morning, Senior Minister of State for Sustainability and the Environment Amy Khor said officers from the National Environment Agency (NEA) had advised more than 4,500 diners not to forget to return their trays.
When The Straits Times visited three hawker centres on Tuesday, most diners were seen returning trays on their own, although some were still not doing so.
80-year-old cleaning lady at Geylang Bahru hawker centre says it is more troublesome to sort already-returned trays and cutlery
After a humbling incident with an elderly cleaning lady at Geylang Bahru Block 69 Hawker Centre, one netizen took to social media to recount the entire incident. In a Facebook post, one Mr Wong wrote that while having dinner with his companion, an elderly cleaning lady came to remove the trays from his table. When he and his partner told the lady that they would need the tray to return their plates and cutlery to the cleaning station, the elderly woman said that it would not be necessary as she would clean the table once they finish eating.
“It will be even more troublesome for her to push the trolley to the tray return station and send the used cutlery to the cleaning station”.
From Sep 1, diners who do not return their trays and crockery after their meals will be issued warnings and fines, said the National Environment Agency (NEA) in a statement on Tuesday (Jun 22).
4 common mynas engage in heated discussion about new hawker tray return rule
A video of four common mynas in a loud and excited huddle was posted to the Singapore Wildlife Sightings Facebook group on Aug. 31. The video, shared by Mikewong Yewmee, was captioned:
Bird Urgent Meeting..On 1st sept onwards all food trays cannot leave on table..We must find new ways to source for food...haha.
The caption is a reference to the new regulation that kicks in on Sep. 1, which makes it mandatory for hawker centre diners to clear their own trays and crockery after meals.
Understandably, this is a move that might threaten the birds' bread and butter as abandoned leftovers at public eating places are rich sources of calories.
Ho Ching urges S'poreans to stop 'coming up with all sorts of excuses' to avoid clearing tables at hawker centres
On Sep. 1, Temasek Holdings chief executive Ho Ching took to Facebook to urge people in Singapore to channel their creativity into thinking of ways to keep hawker centre tables clean instead of finding reasons not to do so.
Ho, who is also the wife of Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, wrote:
"Come on, lah, folks!Coming up with all sorts of excuses not to clean up after ourselves at hawker centres, food courts and coffee shops?Very creative, but better to direct the creativity to finding ways to clean up better, and leave a clean table after we have finished our makan."
Ho also shared a post from the National Environment Agency (NEA) which stated that the elderly persons, persons with disability and children aged under 12 will not face enforcement action if they are unable to clear their tables.
HO Ching 23 hrs
Come on, lah, folks!
Coming up with all sorts of excuses not to clean up after ourselves at hawker centres, food courts and coffee shops?
Very creative, but better to direct the creativity to finding ways to clean up better, and leave a clean table after we have finished our makan.
Even more important - to set a good example for our kids, and to care for our elders as well.
