Free collection of bulky e-waste from doorstep for all households in Singapore from 2025
Senior Minister of State Amy Khor using a hard drive degausser that erases data at the Westgate mall event on Oct 13. With her were Alba's Mr Jakob Lambsdorff (far left) and National Environment Agency CEO Wong Kang Jet
Residents islandwide can get their bulky electronic waste such as refrigerators, washing machines and televisions collected from their doorsteps for free from 2025. Waste management firm Alba Group will offer this free service to all households to make recycling e-waste more convenient, said Senior Minister of State for Sustainability and the Environment Amy Khor on Oct 13.
Alba, which was appointed in 2021 to run the national e-waste programme, currently charges a nominal fee of $40 to remove bulky e-waste. Mr Jakob Lambsdorff, chief executive of Alba E-Waste Smart Recycling, said the service will be free from Jan 1, 2025, except on weekends and for express collection of items. Singapore introduced the extended producer responsibility scheme in 2021, which requires electronic goods producers and retailers to recycle their products when they are disposed of.
Giving an update on the scheme, Dr Khor said the total amount of e-waste collected for recycling in Singapore has increased from 3,500 tonnes in February 2022 to more than 22,300 tonnes as at September 2024. Singapore generates an estimated 60,000 tonnes of e-waste a year. Mr Lambsdorff said that although the rate of e-waste recycling is lower than expected, it has increased – by more than 10 per cent in 2023 compared with the year before, and more than 16 per cent in 2024. The target for 2025 is to grow the recycling rate by more than 20 per cent, he added.
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Thinking about recycling your laptop? This is what happens to your old devices
Disposed laptops are brought for disassembly and recycling at METech Recycling Asia in Tuas on Oct 9, 2024
Recycling a laptop may just be a matter of putting it in an e-waste bin for most people, but the end-of-life process is much more drawn out and labour-intensive for METech Recycling Asia. The recycling firm dismantles the devices into materials that can be recycled and those that cannot be recycled, in a bid to lower the amount of waste entering Singapore's only landfill.
Speaking at the 2024 International E-Waste Day event at Westgate on Sunday (Oct 13), Senior Minister of State for Sustainability and the Environment Amy Khor said that the total amount of e-waste collected has increased, from 3,500 tonnes in February 2022 to more than 22,300 tonnes in September this year. Collection points have also increased from 300 to around 870 across Singapore, at locations such as shopping malls, supermarkets and commercial buildings.
Dr Khor said that data security remained a concern for those looking to recycle e-waste. "The reason that people given is ... (they are) worried about data security because ... a lot of us (tend) to have a lot of personal and confidential information in our handphones, for instance, in our laptops and so on, and you are very worried that this will leak out," she said. She noted that under the law, all data-bearing devices that are sent for recycling at licensed recyclers must undergo data sanitisation and physical dismantling.
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The Three R’s: “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle” Waste Hierarchy To Enjoy Trash Free Life
If you have heard of something called the “waste hierarchy,” then you may be wondering what that means. It is the order of priority of actions to be taken to reduce the amount of waste generated and to improve overall waste management processes and programs. The waste hierarchy consists of 3 R’s - Reduce, Reuse & Recycle. Commonly called the “three R’s” of waste management, this waste hierarchy is the guidance suggested for creating a sustainable life. You might be wondering how you can incorporate these principles into your daily life.
They are not that hard to implement. All you need is to bring a small change in your daily lifestyle to reduce waste so that less amount of it goes to the landfill that can reduce your carbon footprint. “The three R’s – reduce, reuse and recycle – all help to cut down on the amount of waste we throw away. They conserve natural resources, landfill space and energy. Plus, the three R’s save land and money that communities must use to dispose of waste in landfills. Siting a new landfill has become difficult and more expensive due to environmental regulations and public opposition.“
By refusing to buy items that you don’t need, reusing items more than once and disposing the items that are no longer in use at appropriate recycling centers, you can contribute towards a healthier planet:
- The First ‘R’ Reduce - The concept of reducing what is produced and what is consumed is essential to the waste hierarchy. The logic behind it is simple to understand – if there is less waste, then there is less to recycle or reuse.
- The Second ‘R’ Reuse - You may have a box of things you keep that are broken or that you don’t have a use for that you hang on to in-case you find another use for them; or you may find bargains on old furniture or go trash picking and get things that you can refinish – in either case you are working towards reusing the item. Learning to reuse items, or repurpose them for use different from what they are intended for is essential in the waste hierarchy.
- The Third ‘R’ Recycling - The last stage of the waste hierarchy is to recycle. To recycle something means that it will be transformed again into a raw material that can be shaped into a new item. However, there are very few materials on the earth that cannot be recycled.
Unsure if you can recycle a frying pan? Ask NEA’s new AI chatbot
Users can ask the chatbot questions or send it a picture of an item to check if it can be recycled
Not sure if you can recycle a frying pan? What about that takeaway plastic container with food? Or maybe clothes that are still in good condition but you do not want any more?
You can now ask an artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot if an item, especially one that is not obviously recyclable, can be placed in the blue bins for recycling near your homes. The National Environment Agency’s (NEA) Bloobin AI chatbot, named after Singapore’s blue recycling mascot, was rolled out on messaging applications WhatsApp and Telegram on Sept 16.
Those unsure can ask it questions or send the chatbot a picture of an item to check if it can be recycled. Go to https://www.cgs.gov.sg/recycleright/check-my-item/, or scan these QR codes to access the chatbot directly on WhatsApp or Telegram.
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Tips to practice the 3Rs daily
Reduce, reuse, recycle. We've all heard this refrain many times. However, did you know that the 3Rs of waste management are listed in order of priority?
Reducing waste is the best option, with reusing products coming next. If the first 2 Rs are not possible, then recycle:
- Reduce – the best of the 3Rs. The most effective way to manage waste is to not create it. Whether at home, at work or outside, be mindful of the ways that you can reduce consumption of water, electricity, plastic and paper.
- Reuse – the second best R. If you are thinking of throwing away an old item, stop first and consider ways you could reuse it. Reusing or repurposing items gives them a new lease of life and prevents unnecessary wastage.
- Recycle – the last stage of the waste hierarchy is to recycle what you have used. While 60% of Singaporean households recycle regularly, according to a household recycling study in 2019, a significant proportion of respondents are mistaken about what items can be recycled. For example, 67% thought that soiled paper food packaging is recyclable, and 49% believed that tissue paper can be recycled. However, both soiled food packaging and tissue paper have come into contact with contaminants like food waste and grease. A lot of tissue paper is also made from previously recycled paper – the fibres are too short and cannot be recycled. Thus, both items are not suitable for recycling and should be disposed of as general waste.
Simple ways to reduce, reuse and recycle at home
Everyone has the opportunity to live more sustainably and it all starts at home. This article will show you just how easy it is to reduce, reuse and recycle.
Reduce:
- The first step is to reduce how much you waste and how much electricity your household is using. Start by being more mindful about the items that you purchase, plastic shopping bags being one example. Investing in a few material shopping bags that can be reused will go a long way in helping the environment.
- When it comes to reducing your electricity usage, small things such as the temperature that you wash your clothes at, can help you reduce your electricity consumption at home. Instead of washing your clothes at 40 degrees, turn the temperature down to 30 and ensure that you’re always doing a full load of washing in order to reduce both electricity and water. The great thing is most washing powders and liquids do the exact same job of cleaning your clothes at 30 degrees as they do at 40 degrees.
- So, what is recycling exactly? We hear about it all the time through brands such as Mpact and The Glass Recycling Company but many South Africans don’t recycle because they don’t always know how to. Gaining a better understanding of recycling will help us practice sustainable living at home, ensuring we can do our part for the environment. This basic 3-step process involves reducing waste and electricity, reusing what we produce and recycling what we cannot reuse at home.
Reuse:
- Water restrictions are a part of our daily lives in South Africa, which means we all need to be more aware of ways that we can reuse our water. It’s easier than you think too. Use a bucket to collect any extra water from your shower or bath to flush your toilets or water your plants. Soapy water is actually great as a bug repellent. Waiting for the hot water to start running so that you can wash your dishes? Instead of letting that first bit of cold water run down the drain, collect it so that you can rinse your dishes with it later. You’ll be very surprised by how much water you’ve been wasting up until now. If you want to take it one step further, why not find a way to collect rain water in order to reuse it in your home later?
- By being more aware of the packaging of the products that you buy, you can start finding ways to reuse them. Many products such as OMO and Sunlight offer refills so that you don’t have to buy a new container or plastic bottle every time. The refill packs generally have a lot less plastic than the original containers, another simple way that you can reduce waste and reuse items in your home.
Recycle:
- There are a number of ways that you can recycle at home.
- Tips on how to recycle paper - A lot of energy goes into the production of paper but recycling paper takes 70% less energy as it doesn’t require raw materials. Collecting used newspapers, print outs and receipts in a bag that can be dropped off or even collected to be recycled will go a long way in helping the environment.
- Tips on glass recycling and how to recycle plastic - Start by separating your plastic, glass and tin containers by placing them in labelled bins of different colours. Once the bins are full you can drop them off at a Pickitup facility or in one of the many recycling bins that you will find around your neighbourhood.
- Recycling is an activity that the entire family can get involved in and it’s a great way for your kids to get creative. Use old margarine tubs to create Easter baskets or empty a bubble bath bottle to make fun shakers. The paper tubes from toilet rolls or paper towels and used egg cartons are perfect for weekend art projects. If you don’t have kids in the house, why not take some of your old clothing and turn them into items that can be used around the house such as cleaning rags. If your clothes are still in good condition, donate them to an organisation that gives to the needy.
- Making your household more sustainable doesn’t need to be difficult and once you get into a reduce, reuse, recycle frame of mind, it becomes second nature. Recycling doesn’t need to be expensive either; it’s all about making small changes for the greater good of the environment.
Three Rs: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
As a nation, we are generating more garbage. We don’t know what to do with it. Irresponsible disposal of this waste is polluting the environment and poses a public health risk. Present disposal methods threaten our health, safety, and environment, and pose additional indirect costs to society. Most industrial, commercial, and household waste is now disposing of in landfills or surface impoundments. Waste treated in this manner is contaminating groundwater, rivers, and streams. Burning of waste releases hazardous gases into the air. The solution to this problem is in the “ Three Rs ” approach—reduce, reuse, recycle.
Among the main steps consumers can fallow to reduce waste are:
- Choosing items that you need, not want
- Shopping for high-quality items
- Using minimum packaging
- Buying local products
The following are some examples of reuse:
- Items such as plastic containers and pickle bottles should be reused to store other things.
- We can also reuse cardboard boxes, wrapping papers, and chocolate boxes.
- We can give away old clothes to the needy people.
- It is better to use cloth bags in place of plastic bags for shopping.
- Buy such products which can be reused such as rechargeable batteries
Recycle:
- Often you may find persons (the Kabariwalas) who visit our home, and to whom we sell old newspapers, bottles, tins, magazines, etc. perhaps you have never thought where these products go. These products are used as raw materials for manufacturing other items.
- In other words, recycling takes place in the manufacturing of these products. This is an important effort, as in this process, we not only reduce the load of garbage as well as conserve natural resources also.
- Recycling of some common items such as glass, metals, paper, plastics, cardboard, batteries, cans made of steel and aluminum, rubber, wooden furniture easily possible.
- So, discarding your waste, find ways to recycle it besides letting it go to landfills.
3 R’s of Environment – Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
3 R’s of environment i.e., Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle, are essential parts of Waste Hierarchy. 3 R’s works together to reduce the waste generated and for the improvement of the waste management process. In short, we can call three R’s as “The principle of the waste management process.” Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle helps in reducing the amount of carbon-di-oxide in the atmosphere and save the environment. You can also be a part of this mission just by making a few changes in your daily lifestyle. Everyone’s contribution is needed to breathe healthily and live healthily. Let’s understand the 3 R’s of the environment in detail.
Reduce, The First “R” of Waste Hierarchy - The first R in the waste hierarchy is “Reduce.” The crucial thing in the waste management procedure is to maintain a perfect balance in consumption and recycle & reuse. If the consumption is less, the rate of recycling or reuse will also be less. You need to set the limits where you can reduce the chances of generating waste. However, there are some useful tips given below that will help you to reduce the amount of waste:
- It would help if you used cloth napkins instead of using paper tissues because cloth napkins can be reused after wash, but paper napkins will only increase the amount of waste.
- One of the very common wastages we make is “wastage of paper while printing.” You should print on both sides of a paper to minimize the wastage of paper.
- Most of the time, people get attracted to “use & throw type of products,” but these products do not run for a long time and eventually increases the amount of waste. Hence you should choose the products with a long life.
- Disposables like plates, cups, spoon, etc. are quite common in use these days. The reasons people prefer to use disposables are to minimize the workload, but unfortunately, this leads to a considerable amount of waste accumulations.
- You can switch to electronic mails instead of sending letters via papers.
- Many products come in various layers of packaging while purchase; you can avoid purchasing those products. These layers of packing ultimately increase the count of waste only.
Reuse, The Second “R” of Waste Hierarchy - If you have a bag full of old things that are not in use, then you can find out a way to reuse these thrown away things. The reuse of old stuff can reduce waste and does not affect the waste hierarchy. If you do not have any use of any of these thrown away items, then you can also donate it to someone who needs it. The primary purpose of reusing old things is to minimize the amount of waste, whether you do it on your own through modifications or you donate it to someone needy. You’re thrown away item can be someone else’s take home. There are few tips mentioned below that can help you in reusing the old things:
- Most of the time, people have thrown away old jars that can be used to store various items in the kitchen. You can also use old jars to store other items such as computer wires, hairpins, accessories, etc.
- You can use old newspapers to pack old items to store. You can also use newspapers to wrap things when you are moving from one place to another.
- The old tires can be best used as a swing, which is one of the favorite time-pass for kids.
- If you have any leftover old wood, you can use it for bonfire or firewood at home during winter.
- Your old clothes which are not in use now and you are planning to dump them; you can donate these clothes to poor people just for charity purpose.
- You can donate your old books & notebooks to poor kids so that they can also study to fulfill their dreams.
Recycle. The Third “R” of Waste Hierarchy - Recycling is the third stage of the waste management process. Recycling is a process in which the dumping items are transformed into a new item. You can also send your unused items to recycling centers. It is vital that you are well aware of the things that can be recycled. Choosing the correct item is the very first step in the process of recycling. You can go through the below-mentioned points to get an idea about the recycling items:
- Try to buy an eco-friendly product from the market that is composed of recyclable material. The leftover material can be easily recycled after its usage.
- As and when possible, try to choose non-toxic material or products so that it can be recycled without any hazardous effects.
- You can also buy those items from the market which are made up of recycled material.
- You can also invent different ways from your end to recycling various items and products.
Clever Ways to ‘Reduce Reuse and Recycle’ Every Day
As good citizens of the world, it is our responsibility to take care of our home. Just like we want to have a safe and clean house, it’s important to maintain a safe and clean environment as well. By taking steps toward being more eco-friendly, we can help reduce the risk of some animal species going extinct, disease from pollution, unsafe drinking water, and erosion. Luckily for the human race and every other species that depend on the planet for sustenance, there are lots of changes that we can make that can help to support the healing of our planet.
One of the easiest things we can do to help our environment can be done right at home! Think green with “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.” Conserve Energy Future says, “By refusing to buy items that you don’t need, reusing items more than once and disposing of the items that are no longer in use at appropriate recycling centers, you can contribute towards a healthier planet.” Essentially, by producing less waste (reduce), and reusing as much of your waste as possible, then there will be less to recycle. This is called “waste hierarchy.”
The more you look for ways to reduce, reuse, and recycle, the more ways you’ll find! We asked our Yowie fans to share how they practice the 3 Rs and collected some incredible tips to share with everyone. Making small changes at home can lead to a big impact on reducing your carbon footprint. Here are a few of our favorite tips from Yowie fans on how they make a difference in their own homes.
20 Examples of Reduce, Reuse and Recycle (3R)
The slogan ‘Reduce, reuse and recycle‘ has as its main objective the environmental care with regard to consumer behavior. The three words should function as axes and horizons for the sustainable behavior of families, and also of companies. The slogan, coined by the non-governmental organization Greenpeace, is easy to interpret, and the scope of each term is not too greater than what is seen at first glance:
- Reduction - It refers to the decreasing generation of waste based on the exhaustive selection of those goods that are markedly necessary.
- Reuse - Consists in ‘get the most out of it‘to the goods that one has already decided to use since the norm is to dispose of them long before their maximum potential.
- Recycling - There is the conviction that, once discarded, it is very likely that, totally or partially, it will be used for the generation of new goods, and it will not be a completely discarded object.
The message of the ‘three Rs’ is clear and concrete, this is why it is easy to disseminate. To better illustrate what is being said with it, some examples of each of the activities promoted by this message will be listed here.
Examples of reduce:
- Have the prudence to think before each purchase if it is strictly necessary.
- Limit the use of disposable products as much as possible.
- Turn off all lights that are not in use in the house.
- Turn off the water tap when one is washing dishes, in the part that does not require the use of water.
- Limit the use of products with too much wrapping or packaging.
- Bring your own bag to the market, so as not to need a new one there.
- Close the water tap well after use.
- Use the devices to the maximum of their potential, in such a way as to optimize the number of uses.
- Reduce the emission of polluting gases.
Examples of reuse:
- Participate in the opportunities to consume returnable (bottles, containers)
- Use the paper on both sides.
- Use the boxes and packaging of certain products for others.
- Adapt the functionalities of products that do not have a marked use, such as jars that are transformed into glasses.
- Have an open mind when it comes to goods with a lot of flexibility in their treatment, such as wood that can often be modified in many ways.
- Giving away clothes whose size is no longer suitable for us or our children.
Examples of recycling"
- Modify the apparent residues in such a way as to obtain a new product suitable for consumption. This is not too common, and it excels at transforming bottles into glasses, newspapers into linings or wrappers, drums into chairs, and notebooks into books.
- Separate the waste around its conditions for recycling. The colors of the containers have an organization for this purpose.
- In glass and plastics, heating them can give it a new shape.
- Organic matter (where food scraps appear) is often useful as compost for the soil.
- Put special emphasis on the goods that take the longest to degrade from nature, such as soda or beer cans.
How to Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle
You may be familiar with the motto from the environmental movement, "Reduce, Reuse, Recycle." These three actions are focused on reducing waste, whether through the conservation of raw materials and energy, or the reuse and recycling of products. You can do your part in reducing waste by watching what you buy, supplying your own packaging, and carefully considering what you do with each item you purchase once it is no longer useful to you. There are also simple habits you can develop that will allow you to consume less water and electricity. Being green isn't time-consuming—it saves you money and you derive a sense of satisfaction from making environmentally friendly choices.
Reduce Your Use of Materials and Energy:
- Buy products with less packaging. Avoid single-serve or individually wrapped items. Shop at stores that have bulk dispensers for grains, nuts, dried fruits, and snacks. Bring your own plastic bag or container to put the bulk food in. And try to buy bulk sizes of food or sanitary products, which saves on packaging.
- When buying produce at the grocery store, avoid packing the product in an extra plastic bag if it isn’t necessary. Vegetables such as potatoes, onions, peppers, tomatoes, beets; and fruits such as bananas, apples, plums, and melons shouldn’t require an extra bag.
- Instead of buying canned soup or pasta sauce, read up in a cookbook how to prepare them at home.
- Practice “precycling” by only buying products whose materials can be recycled.
- Take a reusable bag with you shopping. Take durable canvas or synthetic-fiber bags, a backpack, or a basket with you to the store, enough to hold whatever you plan on buying.[4] These can usually be bought at the stores themselves. A heavy-duty plastic bag that you use multiple times can serve the purpose almost as well. However, avoid cotton bags as they have a very high environmental impact in their production and they have to be re-used 7,100 times before it breaks-even on the impact compared to disposable plastic bags.
- Do without disposables. Disposables contribute large amounts of waste to our environment. They include things like plastic forks, knives, plates, and cups. They also include things like diapers and razor blades. Instead of buying items that you'll throw away after using them, buy items that you can use again and again.
- Cut down on electricity use. Turn off or unplug any electrical appliances that aren't being used, such as the TV, radio, stereo, computer, lights, or chargers for cellphones or mp3 players. Try to wash clothes by hand, and dry them outside as much as possible. And if you purchase appliances, such as dishwashers, washing machines, and dryers, choose ones that are rated with the Energy Star classification.
- Use less water. Try to reduce your shower time to between 5 and 10 minutes. Turn off the water when shampooing or scrubbing. Take fewer baths as well, since they can consume more water than a short shower.
- Stop junk mail and paper billing. If you’re receiving junk mail, call the sending company’s 800 number, usually found on the offer or order page, and ask to be removed from their mailing list.
- Consider alternative transportation. Try to walk, bike, or take public transit to school or work. If possible, invest in an electric or hybrid vehicle--these options are more fuel-efficient and emit less carbon into the atmosphere.
- Take the stairs. Escalators and elevators are convenient, but sometimes they are not necessary, especially if you only have to travel 1 or 2 floors. Not only will taking the stairs save electricity, but you'll also get some exercise in. You also won't have to wait in line.
Reuse a Variety of Goods:
- Save packing materials. Hang on to any boxes, envelopes, and other packing materials from products you buy or receive in the mail. You can repurpose these when you need a container to put gifts in before wrapping them, when mailing envelopes or boxes, and when you need packing materials, such as styrofoam peanuts, for a shipment.
- Buy and donate used clothing. Shopping at thrift or consignment stores is an excellent way to pass up energy- and materials-wasting new products. To support these stores’ operations, get in the habit of regularly clearing out your closet, garage, and basement to find items you’re willing to donate.
- Purchase reusable products. Favor food products packaged in reusable jars, bottles, and recyclable plastic bins. These can be useful for storing leftovers.[13] And by using nickel-metal-hydride (NiMH) rechargeable batteries, you’ll avoid contributing to the toxic waste source of disposable batteries.
- Opt for a used car. It takes a considerable amount of energy and raw materials to manufacture a new car. Buying a compact, fuel-efficient used car keeps you from contributing to this waste and the pollution it produces. These vehicles also will consume less fuel, while taking up less space on the roads and in parking lots.
- Save plastic and paper bags. You can reuse them to carry your groceries or even as trash bags. They’re also good for storing partially-used produce in the refrigerator, protecting fragile or potentially leaky items in a suitcase, and for general carrying around.
- Turn old materials into art. Fabrics, papers, cardboards, metals, and plastics can all be easily used for arts and crafts. Some items can be purely decorative, such as collages, while other items can be more useful, such as coin purses.
Getting Into the Recycling Habit:
- Shop for recycled products. Check the labels of paper, plastic, and metal products to see if they were made from recycled materials. Look for a phrase near the barcode that says something like, “This product was made from 50% post-consumer recycled material.”
- Sort your recyclables. Near your kitchen garbage can, arrange a separate waste bin or bag to hold glass, plastic, and metal recyclable materials. Place another container nearby to hold newspapers and cardboard, if your city requires these to be disposed of separately.
- Take advantage of your local recycling center. If curbside pickup up of recyclables is not available in your area, locate the recycling facility nearest to your residence. Be sure to note the hours of operation, since some centers have limited access times.
- Check local restrictions. Take a look at the FAQ webpage for your city or county’s recycling facility, which should list which materials that are and are not accepted for recycling. Materials such as styrofoam and some plastics are commonly turned away by recycling centers.
- Recycle old electronics. Computers, cell phones, tablets, stereo equipment, microwaves, and similar devices contain toxic metals and other chemicals. It’s best to have these recycled to reduce their environmental impact. Check with your local recycling center about drop-off times for electronic devices. Or donate your equipment to a local non-profit, such as a community center or veterans’ association.
- Compost your food and yard waste. Instead of throwing away what you don’t eat, and tossing your landscaping trimmings, why not put them towards a compost heap for your garden? This way you’ll save on fertilizer, and spare your city some change in reduced waste pickup. You can buy a plastic compost bin at most garden centers.
Waste hierarchy
The waste hierarchy refers to the "3 Rs" reduce, reuse and recycle, which classify waste management strategies according to their desirability. The 3 Rs are meant to be a hierarchy, in order of importance
Waste hierarchy is a tool used in the evaluation of processes that protect the environment alongside resource and energy consumption from most favourable to least favourable actions. The hierarchy establishes preferred program priorities based on sustainability. To be sustainable, waste management cannot be solved only with technical end-of-pipe solutions and an integrated approach is necessary.
The waste management hierarchy indicates an order of preference for action to reduce and manage waste, and is usually presented diagrammatically in the form of a pyramid. The hierarchy captures the progression of a material or product through successive stages of waste management, and represents the latter part of the life-cycle for each product.
The aim of the waste hierarchy is to extract the maximum practical benefits from products and to generate the minimum amount of waste. The proper application of the waste hierarchy can have several benefits. It can help prevent emissions of greenhouse gases, reduces pollutants, save energy, conserves resources, create jobs and stimulate the development of green technologies,
Where do the recyclables end up that you place in blue bins?
Every week, housewife Veron Wong will gather up items that her family is done using, setting them aside to deal with in her free time. The 54-year-old will then painstakingly separate the different materials - removing the cap from the milk carton for example - then rinse and dry off both. Mrs Wong then lugs her week-long haul down to the void deck of her block in Punggol to place them into blue bins, or Bloobins, for recycling.
But just recently, she was confronted with a common scene - items jumbled in disarray, some of which were not suitable for recycling and some of which could contaminate items which could be recycled. "I think we should give up on recycling, I look at the condition of the bin and how the items get mixed and drenched in the rain, I feel like I'm wasting my efforts," the dismayed Mrs Wong said.
Mrs Wong is not alone. Others have been taking to social media to complain about the state of their recycling bins. Earlier this month, someone posted photos on Facebook group Complaint Singapore of a recycling bin - apparently in Joo Seng Heights - that was full to the brim with junk. The garbage included Old Chang Kee food packaging and other items that belonged in the garbage bin. The person who shared the pictures said in photo captions that he felt his housing block's residents were not ready for recycling. Others who commented on the post described the mess as a common sight.
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The Karung Guni 'Rag & Bone' men
At a flea market in Woodlands, vendors struggled to sell their wares over the Chinese New Year holiday as a relentless downpour dampened spirits and kept customers away. For these vendors, who are traditional scrap dealers – better known as karung guni men – a dwindling customer base, low profits and waning interest are increasingly affecting their declining trade.
The Market Gaia Guni at Woodlands Industrial Park, which houses 15 stalls, is only open on weekends and public holidays. The vendors collect used items including clothes, electronics, and antiques on weekdays and resell them when the market is open. While the market saw sizable crowds during previous Chinese New Years and some other holidays, peddlers said overall profits are meagre. “For those eight days a month (that our stalls are open), we make around S$1,000. After paying rent, I earn about S$600 to S$800,” said an elderly dealer who has been working in the trade for more than 40 years. “For the other days that I’m not here, I work elsewhere. No choice because on weekdays nobody comes here. Some vendors don’t get much business at all and it’s not worth it for them to set up shop here so they (leave the trade),” he added.
“Karung guni” means “gunny sack” in Malay, which in the past was hauled on the backs of local rag-and-bone men as they visited homes door-to-door while sounding their horns. They traditionally collected old newspapers, used clothing, discarded electrical appliances and other unwanted items that can be resold. Today, due to the gruelling physical work and low payoffs, many of these scrap dealers have given up on the industry. Some vendors staying on in the trade said they are too old to change jobs. “I’m already old, I don’t want to change jobs. Business is not great but I’m getting by,” said another stall owner at the Woodlands market, who earns a few hundred dollars a month. “But a lot of my colleagues have changed jobs, because they can’t do physical work anymore,” he added. Shrinking interest in buying used items among Singaporeans continues to remain a challenge, said vendors at the Sungei Road Green Hub, where shops offer an immense selection of secondhand ware such as clocks, sculptures, bicycle helmets and other knick-knacks. These karung guni men are hoping that younger Singaporeans can jazz up the trade and revive the industry. “Our trade is getting smaller and smaller,” said a stall owner. “We hope that this culture can continue but it now depends on the younger generation to use new ideas. It’s not up to us.”
Sungei Road Thieves’ Market @ The Green Hub
Sungei Road Green Hub is about 250 metres from the original flea market
As a street vendor, Jason Goh was known to sell some unusual wares. There were antiques, a collection of Burmese jade, and fossilised elephant sperm. Four years after his stall had to close, he says those stones with elephant sperm inside are “still very saleable”. As he used to claim, the stones serve a useful purpose: “If you work … your boss automatically would like you. You go anywhere — girls would like to make friends with you.”
This former Sungei Road market vendor is one of many who have struggled to find a new home after the demise of Singapore’s most famous flea market. Where it used to be, with its 80 years of history — of people hustling for a better life — is now a barricaded grass patch. But recently, some vendors like Goh have set up shop not far away. And they are trying to keep memories of the place alive. Singapore’s oldest and largest flea market began in the 1930s as a trading spot by the banks of Rochor River. From the 1940s onwards, it became popular for its cheap goods. The vendors used to start operating in the late afternoon, offering an array of items, some of which were considered a steal while others were literally stolen or smuggled, leading to the market’s moniker, the Thieves’ Market. At its height, there were more than 300 vendors.
In July 2017, when it had to make way for an MRT station as well as future residential and commercial developments, there were 200 vendors. Some had worked there for decades. Many of the vendors have since retired, while others took their business to night markets or took on odd jobs. Many still missed their former lives. “My heart ached,” ex-vendor David Sein says about how he felt when the market closed. So when the 58-year-old saw two vacant Housing and Development Board shop units near the old market last March, he asked The Saturday Movement, a charity, to help rent the units for a group of vendors. Six months later, the Sungei Road Green Hub was born at Kelantan Road. “They (the charity) know all these people have got no place to go. Most are already old,” says Goh, one of around 20 vendors there.
