Good habits needed to tackle increasingly important challenge of public hygiene: DPM Heng

SINGAPORE – Efforts to make sure diners return their used trays and crockery at hawker centres, coffee shops and foodcourts are paying off, with more than nine in 10 observed to clean up after themselves in April 2024.

This is up from the 65 per cent tray and crockery return rate noted in August 2021, before warnings and fines were issued from the following month.

The update came from the National Environment Agency (NEA) and Singapore Food Agency (SFA) on June 12, alongside the launch of the annual Go Green SG campaign, a nationwide movement led by the Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment (MSE).

In its second edition, the campaign aims to rally citizens, organisations and the community to take action for more sustainable living. This year’s focus is on public cleanliness, in alignment with the 2024 Year of Public Hygiene as designated by MSE.

In May 2021, NEA and SFA jointly announced that they would take stricter measures to promote cleanliness at hawker centres, foodcourts and coffee shops.

Those who did not return their used trays and crockery, as well as clear their tables, could face fines of up to $2,000 for repeat offences.

Enforcement began in September 2021, with patrons receiving verbal warnings from officers if they did not clean up after themselves. This was followed by written warnings for repeat violations.

From June 2023, verbal warnings were no longer issued, and diners who left dirty and uncleared tables received written warnings even for first offences. More than 5,000 written warnings were issued to first-time offenders of table littering over the past year.

Only nine were repeat offenders, who were issued fines.

Speaking at the launch of Go Green SG 2024 at Republic Polytechnic on June 12, Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat said that the success of the tray return scheme was achieved through a mix of enforcement, good infrastructure and public education.

“This was done through enforcement of table-littering regulations, and also through partnerships with town councils, hawker centre operators and cleaning contractors to optimise tray return infrastructure, and to make it easy for the public to do this.”

NEA said it will work with hawkers’ associations, town councils, operators and cleaning contractors, to make further infrastructural adjustments, such as shifting less-used racks to more popular return points, or utilising mobile trolleys to create additional tray and crockery return points when required.

DPM Heng said public hygiene has become an increasingly important challenge as cities grow and become denser.

This includes maintaining a hygienic environment, clean air and water, and safe food production systems.

“So, it is very apt that MSE has designated 2024 as the Year of Public Hygiene, after recent campaigns on climate action and zero waste.”

MSE designated 2018 as the Year of Climate Action to raise awareness on the need to take collective action to fight climate change, and 2019 as the Year Towards Zero Waste to build national consciousness to care for the environment.

In his speech, DPM Heng also highlighted the need for individuals to play their part in maintaining public hygiene, especially after the Covid-19 pandemic, which demonstrated its importance in preventing the spread of disease. 

“Public hygiene has been fundamental to the liveable home that we enjoy today,” he said.

“To inculcate good habits, it is important we start from a young age, at home and in school, and adults must serve as good role models.”

Members of the public can take part in more than 360 activities organised by 180 partners for Go Green 2024, including guided tours at the National Centre for Food Science for insights into food safety, and at PUB’s WaterHub to learn about sewage systems.

Other activities include plastic upcycling workshops conducted by local companies like Semula, and vermicomposting kit assembly workshops by Changi Airport Group.

The launch was also attended by Senior Minister of State for Sustainability and the Environment Amy Khor, Senior Parliamentary Secretary Baey Yam Keng, and various public and private sector partners.

Go Green SG 2024 will run till July 14, coinciding with the school holidays to better accommodate families’ participation.

Members of the public can register online for the various Go Green SG activities at www.gogreen.gov.sg