Last year, the National Environment Agency issued about 39,000 fines for littering (More garish CWO vests to make litterbugs more 'distinguishable', May 8). This shows that Singaporeans are undeterred by the harsh penalties in place.

The authorities should look into the reasons why people litter, which include convenience, laziness and bad habits.

By identifying these reasons, the authorities can then reach out using interactive means to encourage people to cultivate good habits, such as by advertising on television or by putting up posters at bus stops and MRT stations.

These should highlight the negative impact of littering, as well as the risks posed by common types of litter to the environment and how people are affected.

I hope to see stiffer penalties for recalcitrant litterbugs, to clamp down on the prevalence of littering in Singapore.

Steve Wee Yan Loong, 18

Polytechnic Year 2 student

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