Number of Offenders Nabbed Following Smoking Ban in Orchard Road Area

5 Mr Melvin Yong Yik Chye asked the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources with the implementation of the smoking ban in the Orchard Road area on 1 January 2019 (a) what is the trend in the number of offenders since the implementation; (b) whether there are plans to add more designated smoking areas; and (c) whether the Ministry will consider moving these designated smoking areas away from main pedestrian thoroughfare.

The Senior Minister of State for the Environment and Water Resources (Dr Amy Khor Lean Suan) (for the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources): The Orchard Road No-Smoking Zone (NSZ) came into force on 1 January 2019, as part of the Government's efforts to protect non-smokers from the harmful effects of second-hand tobacco smoke. An advisory approach was adopted in the first three months of the implementation, to give the public sufficient time to adjust to the smoking prohibition. A daily average of 735 advisories were issued to offenders between January and March 2019. With greater public awareness, this number fell sharply when enforcement started on 1 April 2019. The number of recorded offences decreased from 21 cases per day on 1 April 2019 to around 15 cases per day at present.

The NSZ covers a relatively large area with numerous commercial premises. As such, NEA works closely with the Orchard Road Business Association or ORBA, and building owners to ensure sufficient provision of designated smoking areas or DSAs). There are now more than 50 DSAs in the NSZ, spaced about 100 to 200 m apart. The number of DSAs in the NSZ is currently sufficient.

Given the high footfall and densely built-up nature of Orchard Road, careful consideration is made on the location of DSAs. As far as possible, the DSAs are sited in less conspicuous locations and away from the main pedestrian thoroughfare, to ensure that smoking is contained and not done in clear view of passers-by. This will help protect public health and avoid normalising smoking. NEA will continue to monitor the ground situation and review the location of DSAs if necessary.

Everyone plays a part in keeping the environment clean and liveable. Families and friends of smokers, as well as the general public, can help reinforce the right social norms through timely and friendly reminders for smokers to use the DSAs.

Mr Melvin Yong Yik Chye (Tanjong Pagar): I thank the Senior Minister of State for her answer. Since the smoking ban took effect, I have received much feedback from residents living near Orchard Road that smoking activity has been displaced to the fringes of their residential estates. This has caused disamenities to residents living there. Basically, smokers have moved to smoking just outside of the No-Smoking Zone and outside residents' homes such as along Nutmeg Road and along the fringes of Jalan Lada Puteh. Some smokers have even shifted a dustbin and created their own smoking corner along Nutmeg Road. I would like to ask if the Ministry has any plans to address this displacement effect of the smoking ban at Orchard Road.

Dr Amy Khor Lean Suan: I thank the Member for the supplementary question. Indeed, NEA is aware of this issue. Smoking outside the boundary of the Orchard Road No Smoking Zone is not prohibited but what we have done is to send our enforcement officers to these areas, around Nutmeg Road, Jalan Lada Puteh, Jalan Jintan and so on, to monitor the ground situation as well as to take enforcement action against anyone found to have committed any public health offences – for instance, littering of cigarette butts and indeed, we have actually done this.

We have also sought to relocate any litter bins around the area further away from the residential premises so that they do not congregate near the residential homes. We have also engaged the service provider in that area to step up the cleaning frequency to ensure the cleanliness of the area.

I think what we want to do is to urge the smokers to be socially responsible and considerate, not to congregate around the fringes of the estate to smoke, but actually to move to the nearest DSAs within the Orchard Road No Smoking Zone instead. We will continue to monitor the ground situation and review the locations of the DSAs if necessary.

Mr Speaker: Order. End of Question Time. Introduction of Government Bills. Minister Chan Chun Sing.