One set of recycling bins for 10 blocks of flats, which could comprise between 700 and more than 1,000 apartments, is clearly insufficient. This has led to complaints from residents of an unsightly assortment of objects beside the bins. In private estates, 50 to 100 apartments share one set of recycling bins.

Town councils should educate cleaners and provide facilities for them to dispose of recyclable material. Some residents have no choice but to leave it beside the chute, only to have cleaners throw it away.

But cleaners are clearly aware of the value of recyclable material - they collect only what they can sell to the karung guni man.

With more bins for residents, at least one set per block, more recyclable material could be collected.

With more objects collected and recycled, why not even explore collection on behalf of the recycling company if it is profitable? Since the resources of recycling companies are stretched, town councils could use its own manpower. Its 'investment' in recycling bins could even be consistently profitable in the long run.

These efforts will entail more work by cleaners who will be indispensable in making the recycling programme a success. Town councils should work out a 'profit-sharing' scheme to incentivise them to collect as much recyclable material as possible.

Bins should also be cleared more frequently, instead of weekly as now.

As estate managers, town councils should explore more ways to encourage residents to recycle.

Phillip Ang Keng Hong