Recycling rate to be raised

Channel NewsAsia 4 Jun 11;

SINGAPORE: Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Vivian Balakrishnan said Singapore has aims to raise its recycling rate, from the current 60 per cent to 70 per cent, within the next 10 years.

Over the last 10 years, Singapore managed to increase its recycling rate by 20 per cent to the current 60 per cent, said Dr Balakrishnan.

Speaking on Saturday at the launch of Recycling Week in Tampines, Dr Balakrishnan said while Singapore has made significant progress in recycling in the past decade, more can still be done.

Dr Balakrishnan said commodity prices, materials and resources are becoming more scarce.

He added how Singapore reduces its dependence on them, and the way they are recycled, would be even more critical for the future.

Dr Balakrishnan highlighted ahead of the World Environment Day on Sunday, the importance of education and convenience to improve the recycling culture in Singapore.

"We need to make recycling more convenient and more productive for the ordinary man in the street, so it starts first with education," he said.

"Second, we've got to make it more convenient, so having drop-boxes near our homes or near our offices will make a big difference to changing people's behaviour.

"Specifically for Pasir Ris and Tampines, from next month onwards, we are aiming to have a recycling bin in every single HDB block, and this bin will be collected every single day."

-CNA/wk

Sort your litter with green bin sticker
New labels, to appear in Tampines and Pasir Ris, will tell public what can be recycled
Cheryl Ong Straits Times 5 Jun 11;

Residents in Tampines and Pasir Ris will see something new on their neighbourhood recycling bins next month - labels telling them what can and can't be recycled.

This is in line with a Government target to raise the recycling rate from 58 per cent last year to 60 per cent next year and 70 per cent by 2030.

In addition, each block in areas that also include parts of Aljunied and East Coast will get a bin of its own. Previously, five blocks had to share one.

The National Environment Agency (NEA) hopes that the changes, which kick in from next month, will encourage more residents to recycle their trash.

Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Vivian Balakrishnan said the inconvenience of recycling is a major stumbling block for people, even though it is important in a future where resources are scarce.

'We hope that making it more accessible and more convenient will promote recycling as a way of life for residents at home,' he said.

Recycling bins in Singapore tend to be misused. Earlier reports and letters from readers to The Straits Times have highlighted how Singaporeans tend to use recycling bins for any kind of garbage, whether or not the item is recyclable.

Dr Balakrishnan said this problem must be addressed with education, and by reminding people about the financial and social benefits of going green.

'And I think in a place like Singapore, it is even more critical for us to remember that being environmentally conscious is not really just about saving the world,' he said. 'It is really about securing the quality of life and indeed the viability of life for the future.'

He was speaking on the sidelines of the launch of Recycling Week 2011 yesterday, where the new bin labels were announced. It was held in conjunction with World Environment Day today.

HSBC celebrated early on Friday by taking 70 of its staff members' children on a visit to Dairy Farm Nature Park.

Elsewhere in Singapore, the National Parks Board organised nature activities yesterday at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve and exhibitions in other parks around Singapore.

The National Library Board is also holding story-telling sessions on environmentalism this week at various branches.

Recycling Week started out as a day-long event in 2004 involving the community and public waste collectors. It became a week-long event last year so more campaigns and activities can be held.