Asha Popatlal, Channel NewsAsia 1 Jan 10;
SINGAPORE: It may have been the season to make merry but the authorities frown on those who flout rules in the process.
In an islandwide enforcement effort on New Year's Eve on Thursday night, environment officers issued 116 tickets for littering and another nine for illegal hawking.
The National Environment Agency (NEA) said Singaporeans were still the main culprits of littering.
In 2008, there were some 20,500 cases of littering by Singaporeans. The number went up to more than 27,600 cases in 2009.
As for foreigners, the number caught littering decreased from more than 12,600 in 2008 to some 11,000 in 2009.
Excuses for littering, though, did get quite creative.
Jason Tan, NEA's environmental health officer, said: "Most of the common ones were like 'I aimed for the bin but actually I missed and that's why I littered.' Some said, 'I intend to pick it up later but I was apprehended'. Then there are some (who said), 'the cigarette butt actually burnt my hand and I dropped it.' And some will actually say 'somebody bumped into me and I dropped the cigarette butt.'"
- CNA/ir
A cleaner, safer New Year
NEA goes on anti-littering prowl
Ang Yiying, Straits Times 2 Jan 10;
WHILE revellers around him prepared to usher in the New Year, National Environment Agency (NEA) executive P. Thuraisamy kept his eyes peeled for litterbugs.
The 39-year-old officer did not spot any in Orchard Road during the hour that The Straits Times trailed him on New Year's Eve, but the NEA caught 116 around the island that night.
The figure was higher than the 92 caught on New Year's Eve in 2008.
The number of litterbugs caught on the New Year and Christmas Eves has been rising every year - from 36 in 2006 to 116 in 2009 and from 19 in 2006 to 76 in 2009, respectively.
An NEA spokesman said reasons for the increase were an increase in population, more events and countdown parties being organised, and more people attending these events.
Enforcement exercises, such as those on Thursday, along with education, will cultivate anti-littering behaviour in the long run, the agency added, urging the public to exercise ownership of the environment.
On Thursday, 160 enforcement officers fanned out to various locations, more than the 90 despatched on an average day.
But much more garbage is generated during festive occasions. The usual volume generated daily in Orchard Road is 0.6tonnes, and 0.3tonnes in the Marina and Esplanade areas. On New Year's Eve in 2008, the volume went up to one tonne in Orchard Road and 2.5 tonnes in the Marina and Esplanade areas.
Common litter usually includes cigarette butts, drinking cups and pamphlets.
First-time offenders who throw smaller items, such as sweet wrappers, cigarette butts and parking coupon tabs, can expect a $300 fine.
First-time offenders who throw larger items - such as plastic bags, food wrappers and drink cups - or items that can contribute to the breeding of pests are taken to court, as are repeat offenders.
Offenders can be given a corrective work order and a fine of up to $1,000 upon their first conviction, and more upon subsequent convictions.
The checks on Thursday also turned up nine illegal hawkers, selling roasted chestnuts, fruits, small household appliances and decorative lighting.
First-time offenders can be fined $300.
Recalcitrant offenders can be fined up to $4,000.
