Potential Increase in Makeshift Smoking Corners Due To Phasing Out of Designated Smoking Areas

1 Mr Yip Hon Weng asked the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment (a) whether NEA has conducted any studies or assessments to estimate the potential increase in makeshift smoking corners due to the phase-out of designated smoking areas; and (b) whether there will be any collaborative efforts by NEA with coffee shop owners and other stakeholders to move these makeshift smoking corners away from public areas with high footfalls.

The Senior Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment (Mr Baey Yam Keng) (for the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment): Sir, to limit the exposure of second-hand tobacco smoke to non-smokers, the National Environment Agency (NEA) has stopped accepting applications for new smoking corners in coffee shops since June 2017. The number of smoking corners in coffee shops has been gradually decreasing over time.

As mentioned previously in the House, makeshift smoking points are not prohibited unless they are located in places specified in the Smoking (Prohibition in Certain Places) Regulations 2018. Nevertheless, premises owners are urged to be considerate and ensure that makeshift smoking points in areas they manage, do not cause disamenities to the public.

While NEA does not have plans to conduct any studies or assessments, we will look into feedback on any disamenities caused by makeshift smoking points and, where substantiated, we will engage the relevant stakeholders on possible mitigating measures, including removing or relocating the smoking points.

Mr Speaker: Mr Yip.

Mr Yip Hon Weng (Yio Chu Kang): Thank you, Mr Speaker. I thank the Senior Parliamentary Secretary for his reply. I have several makeshift smoking corners or hotspots in my Yio Chu Kang estates. These are just made up of a few chairs and usually, situated close to coffee shops, along main thoroughfares. Given that they are situated along areas with high footfall, residents walking by often complain about the smoke and also about the noise. Every time, when there is feedback, the Town Council will go in, take action by removing the chairs, but the individuals do come back after a week or two and the problem remains.

I wish to ask the Ministry whether NEA has concerns about the potential health and safety risks associated with these makeshift smoking corners, especially when the numbers may be going up and how does the Ministry intend to address the issue of these smoking corners situated directly below Housing and Development Board (HDB) blocks, especially the dwelling units, and ensure that it is not a cat-and-mouse situation where the smokers disband when NEA and Town Council officers come by, and then, the smokers congregate back again when enforcement officers leave the place?

Mr Baey Yam Keng: Sir, as explained, if the makeshift smoking point is located in a smoking prohibited area, then smoking there is illegal. Enforcement will be taken and the smokers will be subjected to fines.

If the area is not under the prohibition list, technically, it is not illegal to smoke there. That is where we would need to work with the premises owners to remove or relocate chairs, seating or receptacles that encourage or make it convenient for smokers to congregate in those areas.

NEA will also work with the premises owners to try to identify a potential designated smoking area, which is somewhere where smokers would find convenient or would want to congregate, and at the same time, reduce disamenities to the public. On this, we seek the community's understanding and also the cooperation of premises owners to try to resolve this problem.