Incentives for Consumers Returning Food Trays at Hawker Centres, Coffee Shops and Food Courts
Ministry of Sustainability and the EnvironmentSpeakers
Summary
This question concerns Mr Gan Thiam Poh’s inquiry into providing incentives for food tray returns and the potential use of single-use materials to facilitate waste disposal. Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu Hai Yien replied that mandatory tray return improves public hygiene and helps mitigate manpower challenges rather than lowering costs. She explained that cleaners are still required to sort crockery and sanitize tables, especially with the increased sanitation demands brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Minister rejected the use of single-use materials like paper cloths for environmental sustainability, noting that hawker centre trays are designed to be reusable. Consequently, the National Environment Agency is currently installing more return stations and revising cleaning workflows to support cleaners and maintain high dining standards.
Transcript
40 Mr Gan Thiam Poh asked the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment (a) whether the Ministry will work with all hawker stalls, coffee shops and food court operators to provide incentives to consumers in the return of food trays in view of savings in table clearing costs; and (b) whether the Ministry will look into the use of recyclable trays or paper table cloths that can be used as wrappers of food waste for proper, hygienic and quick disposal by consumers into dustbins.
Ms Grace Fu Hai Yien: COVID-19 has underscored the need for high public hygiene and cleanliness standards. To strengthen environmental public health and keep our dining environment clean, NEA had announced that diners are required to clear their dirty trays, crockery and litter after their meals at public dining spaces from June 2021.
We do not anticipate any reduction in cleaning costs to stallholders, as the cleaners will still be required for tasks such as sorting crockery at tray return points as well as cleaning and sanitising tables. In fact, the demands on cleaners have increased due to COVID-19. Diners returning their trays, crockery and litter will help to mitigate manpower challenges in the cleaning workforce and possible upward cost pressures over time.
NEA is progressively installing more tray and crockery return stations as well as providing new trays to stallholders. NEA has been engaging the cleaning companies on the revised table-cleaning workflow, for a more effective and efficient process.
The trays in hawker centres are reusable. We do not advocate the use of single-use materials, as they are not environmentally sustainable. Diners are required to return their dirty trays and crockery and dispose of their litter, which includes used tissues, and food remnants like shells and bones. Cleaners will help to clean and sanitise the tables thereafter. Diners may use the washbasins provided to wash their hands after returning their trays and crockery to the designated return stations.