More Enforcement Action Taken against High-rise Litterers and Litter Bugs at Parks and Common Areas
Ministry of Sustainability and the EnvironmentSpeakers
Summary
This question concerns Mr Lim Biow Chuan’s inquiry regarding whether more enforcement action can be taken against high-rise litterers and litter bugs at parks and common areas. Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Ms Grace Fu Hai Yien noted that in 2019, enforcement action was taken against approximately 27,000 and 620 persons by the NEA and NParks respectively. She highlighted the use of technology like surveillance cameras and data analytics, alongside increased deployments of uniformed enforcement officers at hotspots to deter littering. The Minister emphasized that public hygiene is a key defense against COVID-19, necessitating a combination of firm enforcement, education, and individual social responsibility. To maintain high standards of cleanliness, the government seeks collective cooperation from the public to supplement ongoing surveillance and enforcement efforts across Singapore.
Transcript
27 Mr Lim Biow Chuan asked the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment whether more enforcement action can be taken against high-rise litterers and litter bugs at our parks and other common areas.
Ms Grace Fu Hai Yien: All of us must play our part to keep Singapore a clean, green, and sustainable home. Fostering social responsibility by not littering is key to keeping our public spaces clean. Public cleanliness and hygiene are particularly important as our line of defence against the COVID-19 pandemic.
We take firm enforcement action against those who litter. In 2019, the National Environment Agency (NEA) took enforcement action against some 27,000 persons for littering at public spaces and high-rise littering. NEA will continue to step up enforcement with the help of technology such as surveillance cameras and data analytics. NEA has also been increasing its enforcement presence in hotspots, including deployment of more uniformed enforcement officers to deter litterbugs.
For parks and nature areas under NParks' management, NParks took enforcement action against some 620 persons for littering in 2019. Most of these cases were at littering hotspots and areas where large numbers of individuals congregate. NParks targets enforcement efforts at such areas, leveraging technology such as surveillance cameras. On the whole, most park visitors practise good etiquette and are considerate of other park users.
It takes collective effort to uphold high standards of public cleanliness. While the Government continues with education and enforcement efforts, we seek everyone's cooperation to keep Singapore clean and safe.