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  Today Online 19 May 06
Put only recyclables into recycling bins
Letter from NEA

Today Online 16 May 06
Such a wasted effort
Dumping of used food packaging into recycling bin is ruining other recyclables
Letter from Francis Yim

Channelnews Asia 14 May 06
Recycling rates up; NEA plans more types of recycling
By Li Peng/Joanne Leow, Channel NewsAsia

SINGAPORE : Singapore's goal of recycling 60 percent of its waste by 2012 looks to be on track, with both households and companies recycling more every year over the past three years.

The National Environment Agency says more can be done, and it plans to increase recycling for food, wood, and horticultural products.

The NEA says that in the past three years, all JTC Corporation factories have joined in recycling efforts.

In addition, the number of households that have taken up recycling has gone up by 10 percent.

Said Yang Hong, senior executive (resources conservation), NEA, "By the end of 2007, every five blocks of flats will have a recycling bin or collection point. We are going to give residents not only recycling bags but also recycling bins."

The NEA is pushing ahead with its recycling campaign, and some local recycling companies hope that the government can follow the example of countries like Korea and Japan by legislating incentives for companies to recycle.

Said Jolyn Chua, of Recycling Point Dot Com, "We hope that the government will seriously consider making companies set aside a recycling fee to help recycling companies lower their overhead costs."

NEA says this measure would only lead to increased costs for companies which would be passed on to consumers.

Instead, it believes companies should look into how they can reduce industrial waste, for example by encouraging major computer companies to recycle their own used products.

Besides reducing waste, the NEA is also working to reduce air pollution when it incinerates rubbish. Said Ms Yang, "Singapore's waste incinerators are using the most advanced technology and at the point where the smoke is generated, we have air purifier machines so that what is released falls within national air safety standards."

Using the heat generated by incineration to produce energy is also another way that Singapore can be environmentally friendly. - CNA /ct

Today Online 16 May 06
Such a wasted effort
Dumping of used food packaging into recycling bin is ruining other recyclables
Letter from Francis Yim

IT'S good to note that the National Environment Agency (NEA) has reported a 10-per-cent rise in Singapore's recycling efforts, and intends to put more recycling bins around housing estates eventually ("Recycling efforts on track", May 15).

However, I would like to draw attention to the need for education on recycling to complement the use of these recycling bins. I live in Toa Payoh, and there have been several attempts to place recycling bins around Toa Payoh Central.

I have on several occasions used them to dispose of paper, and some plastic bottles. However, I stopped when I discovered that most of these recycling bins were filled with rubbish — food packaging such as styrofoam boxes and papers that were used to wrap chicken rice. The only consolation was that at least those who discarded them could tell which bin was for paper, and which for plastic.

Still, the problem is that all it takes is for one small article that should not be recycled to be in the mix with what can, and the entire batch cannot be used. Food take-out packaging cannot be recycled because of the oils and other organic materials in the packaging. Also, the paper packaging for the chicken rice take-away has a plastic layer, making it non-recyclable, even if it was clean.

The NEA has since removed most of the bins around Toa Payoh Central, save for one at the HDB Hub, which is usually filled with rubbish rather than recyclable materials.

My point is that the lack of education for the majority is causing the minority to waste their efforts separating papers from plastics and aluminium; because in the end, there's a risk that if I put my recyclable items into these bins, they will be made unusable by the next person who, for convenience, throws his lunch package into the same bin.

Today Online 19 May 06
Put only recyclables into recycling bins
Letter from NEA

Ong Seng Eng
Head, Resource Conservation Department, National Environment Agency

WE REFER to the letter by Francis Yim, "Such a wasted effort" (May 16).

It is a pity that some members of the public treat recycling bins like refuse bins and throw food waste into it. This makes the job of the recycling companies very much harder and is discouraging to those who value the function of these recycling bins.

We have been receiving requests from the public for more recycling bins to be provided at public places. The NEA has therefore been working with our partners such as the Singapore Environment Council and the Public Waste Collectors to provide more recycling bins in public places to serve the public.

In conjunction with this, we have been raising awareness and educating the public on recycling and on the proper use of recycling bins.

For example, we have introduced the Recycling Corner Programme in 80 per cent of the schools to teach the young about recycling and the proper use of recycling bins.

We will continue with our public education efforts.

I thank Mr Yim for his feedback and appeal to the public to put only recyclables--such as newspapers, magazines, newsletters, flyers, paper, metal cans and tins, plastic and glass bottles--into recycling bins.

Recycling waste helps to reduce waste, conserve resources and reduce pollution.
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