NEA getting tougher on litterbugs

Stiffer penalties and more enforcement in place; public campaign to get message across
Amresh Gunasingham, Straits Times 29 May 09;

ENFORCEMENT is being stepped up here to tackle the rising problem of litterbugs.

The National Environment Agency (NEA), in a drive to improve public cleanliness standards here, has increased the number of man hours dedicated to targeting littering 'hot spots' by 150 per cent.

The worst spots are shopping malls, bus interchanges and popular food centres.

With more eyes in search of offenders, a record 4,463 litterbugs were nabbed by NEA enforcement officers last month, 33 per cent higher than the average of 3,363 recorded for each of the first three months of this year.

Also introduced last month, fines for first-time offenders who failed to dispose of small items such as cigarette butts, sweet wrappers and parking coupon tabs in litter bins were increased to $300 - a rise of $100.

And repeat offenders now get harsher penalties. In addition to serving Corrective Work Orders (CWO), they can also be hit with fines of up to $5,000.

Under the CWO scheme, which was introduced in November 1992, littering offenders can be made to complete up to 12 hours picking up rubbish, with each session capped at three hours. These are normally held at parks, beaches, town centres, shopping malls and around HDB estates.

The revisions are the first made in the past decade.

An NEA spokesman said the majority of litterbugs are male smokers aged between 21 and 30 years. Of the number caught this year, 4.5 per cent - or 655 - were repeat offenders.

NEA is also tackling the litter issue through a public education campaign that targets schools, businesses, grassroots organisations and major outdoor events such as the National Day Parade.

The effort will be given a boost later this year when a new national cleanliness campaign is launched to promote a cleaner living environment.

But Mr Wilson Ang, founder of environmental group Eco Singapore, which promotes more sustainable lifestyles among youth here, feels harsher penalties for littering will bring about only 'short-term success'.

'As with any habit, it takes an individual time to change a personal habit,' he said.

He added that the key to bringing about change to this perennial problem starts in school: 'Education is the long-term strategy to groom Singapore into being a more socially gracious society.'

He said more people need to take ownership of their environment.

NEA said it was too early to judge whether the increase in fines last month has had the desired effect of cleaning up the mess.

'We believe that penalties such as fines are strong deterrents against littering and are still necessary against the minority who continue to litter,' the spokesman said.

But ultimately, it is personal responsibility that matters when it comes to keeping Singapore clean and litter free, she added.

Laws a must to curb littering: Expert
WHO adviser lauds Singapore's efforts but notes problems with smokers, foreign workers
Maria Almenoar, Straits Times 29 May 09;

SINGAPORE'S ongoing issue with litter was openly debated at a liveable cities forum hosted by Singapore's Centre for Liveable Cities (CLC) yesterday.

The event, attended by 200 guests at the Suntec convention centre, was organised by the CLC as well as the Health Promotion Board and the National Environment Agency (NEA).

Dr Everold Hosein, senior communication adviser-consultant with the World Health Organisation (WHO), spoke on social change and community engagement for health and liveable cities.

He said education and persuasion alone are not enough when it comes to changing people's mindsets about health and cleanliness.

'Enforcement and coercion are key to getting people to be better behaved,' he said.

The question of Singapore's own battle with cleanliness was raised during Dr Hosein's talk. He said Singapore had done a 'spectacular job' in curbing the problem and said it was a good example for other cities.

'When you have 80per cent of your population following the rules and the country looks this clean, that is a good job,' he said.

But Singapore could still work on some 'problem areas' - among them, Little India and getting Singaporeans to stop throwing their cigarette butts on the floor.

Dr Hosein has been working with the NEA since last month on a study about Singapore's litter issue. He likened Little India to New Year's Eve in New York - only in Singapore it is a weekly affair in which foreign workers come to enjoy the 'carnival' in Serangoon Road.

'To put it bluntly, you cannot expect people who have been living around a mess for 10, 15 years of their life, to come here for two years to work and change their mentality,' he said.

He added that when it comes to foreign workers, enforcement is the only way to make sure cleanliness is adhered to.

'Even if you are not meting out a fine, you must have officers patrolling the area to give the appearance of enforcement,' he said.

As for cigarette butts, he said Singaporeans tended to give the excuse that there were not enough rubbish bins in sight.

In Japan, however, smokers carry a container in which to put their cigarette stubs before emptying them into a dustbin.

One audience member asked if Singaporeans tended to litter because they are used to maids cleaning up after them.

Dr Geh Min, former Nature Society president and a panellist at the event, related a story about a mother who wanted her son taken out of a school project which involved weighing the amount of litter the school produced. 'She offered her maid to do her son's part,' she said.

Relating her own experience at home, panellist and guest of honour Dr Amy Khor, Senior Parliamentary Secretary (Environment and Water Resources), said: 'When my family eats, everyone just gets up and leaves the table without clearing the table unless I remind them. I can only imagine when I'm not at home.'

Other panellists said that while some parents were not good role models for their children, there were occasions when children managed to convince their parents to change their bad behaviour.