Singapore’s domestic recycling rate has remained at a dismal 13 per cent for the past two years even as households generated more waste during the pandemic. The amount of household waste last year totalled 1.82 million tonnes compared with the 1.77 million tonnes in 2020. In previous years, the recycling rate had reached a high of 22 per cent. So it is quite reasonable to expect Singapore to be able to hit its target of a 30 per cent recycling rate by 2030. But there are evident obstacles along the way, one of the most obdurate ones being the issue of contamination of recyclables. The blue bins for recyclables have been around since 2014 but contamination means that 40 per cent of the collected waste cannot be recycled. Awareness of recycling has risen in the past decade. More people are taking care to separate their trash, rinse recyclables and dispose of items properly in these blue bins which are now located conveniently at the foot of every HDB block. Yet all it takes is for a few inconsiderate users to undo the good work of others who conscientiously sort their rubbish.

Given the persistence of this contamination issue despite regular reminders from the authorities, it might be timely to consider other initiatives so that recycling efforts can be maximised. There have been attempts to address the issue, one of which is the provision of clear bins to help reduce the contamination. But if this problem has proven intractable for eight years, it may be time to look to other solutions. Implementing other options, such as manned recycling booths, in tandem with education outreach campaigns can help ensure that the efforts of the environmentally conscious are not wasted in the meantime. There are already a myriad of options to dispose of e-waste, from bins to collection drives. Adopting a multi-pronged approach might be a better way to clean up the mess.