Many partygoers took care not to leave trash behind: Volunteers

Feng Zengkun Straits Times AsiaOne 11 Aug 15;

Madam Ewe Peggy, 63, and Madam Shirley Lai, 63, volunteers from the Singapore Glove Project picking up trash at the Esplanade during the National Day Parade preview

Singapore's 50th birthday bash on Sunday brought out the best in many people as they picked up their rubbish and urged others to do the same.

Clean-up volunteers at the Padang and the Marina Bay area also said that many partygoers were mindful not to leave their trash behind, although there were some litterbugs.

The National Day Parade 2015 organising committee estimated that cleaners picked up about 12 tonnes of rubbish from the Padang and The Float @ Marina Bay after the parade. About 13 tonnes was picked up at The Float and F1 Pit Building after last year's parade.

Mr Jonathan Lim, 33, an administrative officer, was among a 180-strong team from the World Mission Society Church of God that spread out across Marina Bay on Sunday with trash bags to encourage people to keep the area clean.

"The rubbish bins in some places were already full and people were so happy and willing to come up to us to throw away their trash," said Mr Lim. Working from 3pm to about 10pm, the team filled about 1,000 medium and large bags.

Public Hygiene Council volunteer Low Joo Kek, 58, an aviation operations manager, said the Padang "was not too bad" after the event "although there was still room for improvement".

Students Tan Jie Ying, 17, and Ang Ye Xiang, 14, were among the people who cleaned up after themselves at the Padang. "We are just doing our part for a clean Singapore," they said.

IT coordinator Daryl Teo, 49, collected all of his family's rubbish in a plastic bag before leaving the stands at The Float.

"This is our country and this is a public place. It's just the right thing to do," he said.

About 90 cleaners were deployed at the Padang, floating platform and Marina Bay to clean up the areas.

Boxes were also placed at entry and exit points around the Padang and the floating platform to make it easier for people to throw away their rubbish.