Additional Green and Blue Recycling Bins Given Rising Rate of Packaging Waste

37 Ms Valerie Lee asked the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment (a) in view of rising rate of packaging waste, how does NEA structure its Public Waste Collector tenders to ensure sufficient green and blue recycling bins are provided within each service area; and (b) whether there are built-in mechanisms for Town Councils to request for additional bins to better match the locality's needs.

Ms Grace Fu Hai Yien: The National Environment Agency (NEA) works closely with the appointed Public Waste Collectors (PWCs) to ensure the timely collection of refuse and recyclables.

For Housing and Development Board (HDB) housing estates, this includes daily refuse collection from bin centres and providing at least one recycling bin per HDB block. The NEA can further direct PWCs to increase the frequency of waste and recyclable collection or increase the number of recycling bins provided to meet demand. This has been routinely done during peak waste generation periods, for example, during festive seasons.

The NEA works closely with Town Councils on the collection of refuse and recyclables in housing estates by PWCs. Some Town Councils have requested for additional recycling bins or collections in their locality to serve the needs of the residents and NEA has correspondingly required the appointed PWC to do so. Town Councils provide green refuse bins located in the common areas of housing estates and they can procure more, if needed.