Why is it so hard to get recycling right in Singapore? | Deep Dive podcast

Singapore has reduced its waste but domestic recycling rates are falling, according to the latest data by the National Environment Agency. Why aren't more people using the blue recycling bins? When we recycle, does our waste end up being incinerated for other reasons?
Steven Chia and Crispina Robert get answers from Professor Tong Yen Wah from the National University of Singapore and Tan Huileng, executive director of Zero Waste SG.
0:00 Intro
2:02 Where does our waste go?
6:05 Why paper recycling rates have fallen
15:23 Learning from Japan and Korea
20:13 Will Singapore's recycling rate meet its 2030 target?
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[@simplyme3306]

It always irritates me when coffeeshops etc use disposable utensils for eating or drinking in. For instance certain coffeeshop chains would claim to be supporting no-straws usage in the name of the environment BUT using plastic cups to serve the customers (what a joke) and even charges the cup to the customers. As if customers have the choice not to choose their plastic cup? No control for such? How about starting from this - reduce the usage of one-time utensils first. Instead of charging people the plastic bags which residents WILL reuse for trash bins. SG not only need to educate locals, we have a lot of foreigners as well.

[@lzh4950]

I think some people think the "no straw usage" is superficial. "However isn't less plastic used to make the straw than the cup holding the drink that you're using the straw to drink from?"

[@louistan7560]

Coffee shops, drink stalls and food courts throw away drink cans. They are the best collection points. Yet they are not doing it.

[@LonganLee]

Washing used bottles before you recycle them is also a cost on the environment

[@godsamazinggrace5331]

Recycling is a conscious effort on each individual part to play

[@user-fk9ki2ci4s]

All kinds of recyclables are consolidated in the blue bins and later compacted in the blue collection truck. How to recycle effectively?

[@nicklee7002]

Why is it so difficult to ban smoking?

[@anglo-saxonconnor817]

Because even some world leaders smoke. If the top can't lead by example the rest won't accept it. This one is simple to answer.

[@marktn9851]

We still hv corridor clutters which is causing fire hazards with town councils ignoring complains from frustrated residents. Incense continues to burn on corridors despite no smoking in HDB corridors. How much is spent to fund TCs, SCDF, etc? Why do residents hv to put up with inconsiderate neighbours who permanently occupy public area?

[@nicolasfinck4529]

In my condo, the cleaner uncle empty the blue bins everyday into the green bins cause he said "they fill up too quickly".... I reported to condo management, dont care; reporting to NEA, never head back.....

[@deschan2246]

Why? 😂 incompetents in charge

[@sleepy_dobe]

I'm curious about those plastic bottles that gut drinks like Yakult and Vitagen use. Can those be recycled? There are no recycling labels on those bottles and if users consume them as recommended, that's a lot. At least 1 bottle per day.

[@redwings1974]

Should learn from Korea and Japan on how they recycle. It’s all down to proper education and practice. Best to start when little and begin from family.

[@user-cd3xd9jj6s]

Recycling Rates in Singapore Are Exceptionally Low As Compared To Other Countries😢

[@Tyler_Memo]

Well, if only they can give 10 cents to us when we recycle. I saw other country get credits when they recycle. Is not that we love money is that we need motivation to do it. The only way for motivation is money to buy food and living cost.

[@lzh4950]

The reverse vending machines do give money but it's rejected a couple of barcode-containing bottles due to "no barcode detected"

[@LonganLee]

Who independently audit what they claim? Just something for the people to think about. So this is a technical question

[@JIANGTG]

Many people do not bother about RECYCLING because they think that once they throw away all recyclable things they have done their part. ...

[@petrusromanus3790]

I suggest start an phone app like a job portal to let volunteers collect recycle waste to earn points to win prizes. Volunteers can choose their free time to volunteer and people can also give their waste for recycle like newspapers, magazine the time and place they wanted with such app.

[@martinbrock713]

Given these appointments, it is not surprising that some Singaporeans may question the potential conflicts of interest involved, as political leaders within the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP) are already tasked with multiple roles while still serving their constituents.

[@fungserene1814]

Take a look at our recycled blue bins, no one cares to wash the bottles. I wonder would my washed containers and bottles be contaminated? Most residents are treating blue bins as normal trash bins

[@wilsonst6044]

Importer should tag type waste disposal.

[@valeriekang3959]

Sorry if off topic... Perhaps maybe may be.... "when we discuss those we love with those who do not love them, the end of love is near...." 😅

[@valeriekang3959]

Mindful vs Mind full.... 🙂

[@martinbrock713]

It is also worth considering why a bilateral relationship-building entity such as Business China is operating under a non-profit organization, headed by individuals who hold government positions, has board members who are ministers and funded by the Tote Board, which is supposed to fund charities?

[@maypong2007]

I understand China is also sorting their wastes, not just Japan and Taiwan.

[@Kola833]

Pay or give grocery voucher to have recycle distribution

[@emailant]

Phase 1 Please start a segregated point of collection at all places of business. WHATEVER PRODUCT YOU SELL , YOU ALSO COLLECT. Then change our consumers behaviour to bring back the done materials. ( Washed / Cleaned ) People generally buy and re-buy at the same places regularly. Then a whole system of recyclables collection that is taking uncontaminated refuse because items would be sorted like for like, the way they were sold. Phase 2 Eventually perhaps, then we can do the Japan way of getting consumers to sort it out themselves and recycle. But that should not be the implemented yet, since the culture of recycling properly is not yet, set in our normal way of life.

[@chillishiny]

Simple user design error? Cabinet = ready for re-use Bin = contaminated trash

[@LonganLee]

Hope the trucks used are paid with COE👏👏👏 we thank the COE for jacking up business cost

[@cookie12986]

Alternative Title: Why is Sembcorp too stingy to create more jobs and hire sorters? You are trying to off-load too much burden onto consumers. Other countries can barely keep their streets clean and it is an exception that ours are, because dustbins are available every few steps! Now add on the need to "get it right" and sort correctly? That's a full job right there and I'm not about to take an employment opportunity away from someone just because a private enterprise doesn't want to shoulder the cost! Sembcorp is making profits on the recycling and somehow we are socialising the costs of this? Sounds similar to the return-your-tray, re-painting cultural norms so that labour costs of PRIVATE companies can be cut. Extremely dubious

[@julesgoh]

Love this episode. Inspired now to get my family to pass me their cosmetic bottles to recycle at a non-contaminated location instead of general blue bins.

[@gsongchan1615]

"things are so cheap nowadays" woah

[@gsongchan1615]

25:32 , fyi

[@gavinyuen040680]

Mixed and confused messaging as an end user. "Oh don't worry about sorting or anything like that, just chuck it into the blue bins. But before you do that, make sure its not X Y Z , or A B C, oh and if you mess up and chuck in dirty items, you spoil the entire batch of the blue bin" Like what you want? sort for us or not. Now you tell us, maybe due to cost, some items aren't recycled due to cost. So right, all my resources i spend on my own expense just went down the drain just because you decided unilaterally that its not worth it. Then you realized some items that are labelled recyclable like disposable cups aren't suitable due to the wax on it, then why do they have the recyclable label?? DONT BLAME THE PUBLIC. NEA GET YOUR ACT TOGETHER. and now this HOST wants to FINE people for chucking wrong items or trash into the blue bin. RIGHT!!! then lets forget about recycling la just sink in our own trash , CHEAPER!

[@ysngngys7753]

U wan me to recycle yet u wan me to save water...state your stand...

[@McMc-eb5eo]

❤

[@user-zd7qj1yb9d]

Ya lah no one gonna take tge effort lah to separate trash lah common lahh ok😂😂😂

[@anglo-saxonconnor817]

Because this country made life difficult for people in all areas of life. And most people don't want to care about life at some point in life anymore. We just want to make it until we die and what happens to this world afterwards is for the latter generations to deal with it. Simple as that.

[@Humorousguy64]

Subject that stressed many ...hahaha not for me ..

[@zhenhaoguo4599]

Because the government doesn't want to invest money in it. There, saved you 12 minutes.

[@LonganLee]

Cos someone is paid to take out the thrash. Why depend on volunteerism ? Is the payment for cleanliness value for money? Why not NEA do the job of what they want to be achieved by paying the people to do what they want done?

[@martinbrock713]

Several PAP MPs served as CEOs of Business China This, of course, is on top of their salary of S$192,000 as MPs and any political appointments they may have.

[@setsuhimatori8010]

Diam lah

[@LonganLee]

Is the lady Stevie's elder sister? She sounds more like his superior?

[@paulkol683]

Who ever in charge of recycling (the 2 golden lady) has no clue what is recycling. Using / Reading journal from internet get U nowhere.

[@leewn2319]

Recycling is hard in Sg probably due to the following : (1) Lack of Education from Nursery up till Pre-University to ensure it becomes an inherent good habit. (2) Lack of renewal of Refuse Chute / Collection System. Currently all waste goes into 1 same chute. Old HDB flats with internalized chute limits the segregation, HDB together with NEA should consider adding external Refuse Chutes with segregation compartments for general waste & Recycling waste. As for HDB new flats with external refuse chute HDB & NEA to upgrade into chutes with segregated compartments for general waste & recycle waste. (3) Lack of URA /NEA /BCA mandatory regulations and part of TOP & CSC requirements that every multi sty building to be fitted with external refuse chute with refuse segregation compartments for general waste & recycle waste. As for landed properties & shop houses to have removable segregated containers within each refuse bin placed in front of their respective properties.

[@jasline2481]

Singapore is using Pneumatic Waste Conveyance System (PWCS), for this system to function effectively, all waste thrown down the chute must be bagged. So we still need plastic bags, how to reduce plastic bags.

[@anders4u222]

At my condo we have separate bins for cardboard, paper, glass, metal, bio, plastic and regular trash.. oh, this is in Finland.

[@Jessica-gk1ik]

I’m Singaporean, I find it easier to throw away my food and drink containers instead of washing and recycling them because we are so lazy to do so.

[@BoxBox276]

Half the time, my recycled item placed into the blue bin gets "stolen" by others who sells them for their own profit. Turn Off! Authorities Pls address this issue. 😮

[@anglo-saxonconnor817]

Why must you be bothered by that at all? You did your part you should feel ok by this point already. What happened afterwards is none of your business anymore. Why find things to be outraged in life at all? No wonder so many can't find peace in life and have so many wrinkles and high blood pressure in life. Self inflicted issues.

[@JojoJoget]

You already throwing it away, if you mad someone is reselling it then maybe you should resell it

[@Bekindloveis]

The SG government is the only one who can help cut down plastic waste by mandating all food & retail businesses to charge for plastic bags after supermarkets did this miraculously 90% of people brought their own bags & this greatly helped cut down plastic bags usage or else the other alternative is to mandate that only bio degradable plastic bags & one time usage food containers can be used by consumers I don’t understand why this isn’t done if its cost then when all the manufacturers produce only these & no more plastic bags & containers then the cost of producing them will automatically go down so what are the reasons why these measures are not gradually introduced & enforced say in 2 years time this will give manufacturers more than enough time to change their equipments to manufacture only bio degradable plastic bags & food containers

[@SeeStars65]

hehehe try to stop littering first

[@Hs5687]

When is Carbon Tax ?!😊

[@GeographySingapore]

One bin recycling is a horrid sham. Recycling is not easy, Singaporeans just can’t be bothered. It is always “my convenience” that comes before anything else. It’s sad, we demand first world lifestyle but hold onto 3rd world behaviours.

[@petrusromanus3790]

I suggest start an phone app like a job portal to let volunteers collect recycle waste to earn points to win prizes. Volunteers can choose their free time to volunteer and people can also give their waste for recycle like newspapers, magazine the time and place they wanted with such app.