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  The Straits Times 18 Sep 05
1,600 recycling stations in HDB estates by 2007

Channel NewsAsia 17 Sep 05
All HDB estates to have centralised recycling depositories by 2007
By Dominique Loh

SINGAPORE : By 2007, all HDB estates in Singapore will have centralised depositories for residents to recycle unwanted waste daily. Minister for Environment and Water Resources Yaacob Ibrahim said this extra recycling option would be located within five blocks away from residents. And they do not have to wait for the recycling pick-up every two weeks.

Students from Dunman Secondary School have been playing their parts to help increase Singapore's recycling rates. They collected 20,000 plastic bottles for recycling. It is believed to be the longest plastic bottle chain ever made.

Dr Yaacob said: "I definitely feel we should work with the younger generation. I think they have a better orientation towards such things. "By having the projects in schools, hopefully they pick up the habits, go back home and do something at home. The key is to sustain the interest they develop in school, into their homes and beyond."

The percentage of households recycling their waste has gone up from 15 percent in 2001 to 54 percent in 2004. To make it easier and convenient for everyone to do their part, about 1,600 centralised recycling bins will be set up in HDB estates within the next two years.

As Dr Yaacob noted, the project by Dunman Secondary isn't so much about setting a world record as it is raising awareness about recycling.

Earlier, he told the students solid waste generation in Singapore has gone up six times over the last 30 years, a practice he said that's not sustainable in a country like Singapore.

Dr Yaacob said: "Although our four incineration plants convert waste to energy, the remaining ash and other non-incinerable waste still need to be brought to the offshore Semakau landfill.

"At that rate we would have to build a new incineration plant every five to seven years and a landfill the size of Semakau 25 to 30 years."

The overall recycling rate in Singapore has increased from 40 percent in 2000 to 48 percent in 2004. Dr Yaacob believes it will still take a continual effort to educate all Singaporeans about recycling... with the aim of achieving an overall recycling rate of 60 percent by 2012. - CNA/de

The Straits Times 18 Sep 05
1,600 recycling stations in HDB estates by 2007

SOON, Housing Board residents will not have to walk more than five blocks to recycle their paper, plastic and glass. The National Environment Agency (NEA) is working with waste-collecting companies to set up at least 1,600 centralised recycling stations in all HDB estates by early 2007.

The aim - to get more Singaporeans to recycle. Already, efforts have paid off. The overall recycling rate here jumped to 48 per cent last year, from 40 per cent in 2000.

The target under the Singapore Green Plan 2012, a 10-year blueprint for environmental sustainability, is to bring the recycling rate up to 60 per cent. Early this year, 88 centralised recycling stations were introduced in areas such as Bedok, Pasir Ris, Tampines and Jurong.

'They are very useful as I can drop off my recyclables any time. I do think that more people will use these depositories and, hopefully, this will encourage more people to recycle,' said Nathasha Tam, 16, a student and resident of Block 241, Pasir Ris Street 21.

Yesterday, at the launch of Recycling Day 2005 at Dunman Secondary School, Dr Yaacob Ibrahim, Minister for the Environment and Water Resources, said the message to Singaporeans is very clear: 'We have to continue to adopt recycling as a lifestyle. 'We hope that over time, more Singaporeans will realise that they have a role to play and if, in some way, they begin to reduce and reuse, that will help us to reduce the amount of waste that goes into the incineration plant.'
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