All households in Singapore to receive recycling bins in 2022

Recycling will become much more convenient for Singaporeans soon. 

The National Environment Agency (NEA) will be working with local public waste collectors to distribute recycling receptacles to every household this year to step up recycling efforts among Singaporeans. 

Currently, all HDB blocks, condominiums and private apartments have a recycling bin or chute per block. Landed houses too have a dedicated recycling bin. 

A survey conducted by NEA in 2021 showed that three in five Singapore households reported a habit of recycling. Eight out of 10 were aware that recyclables collected from blue recycling bins and chutes will be sorted at sorting facilities. Only 6 per cent of households had the misconception that recyclables were mixed with general waste and incinerated. 

While NEA found the findings positive, households are still unaware of what items cannot be recycled. For example, the survey found that half of respondents thought that soft toys and styrofoams can be recycled. 

To encourage good recycling practises, NEA will be introducing a new recycling mascot named Bloobin – a blue recycling bin upset by the wrong items discarded in the bins – for this year’s Recycle Right campaign. 

With Bloobin’s mission is to educate the public on the correct way to recycle, Bloobin stickers will be placed at recycling chutes to remind households to check their recyclables before disposing of them. There will also be interactive educational resources for youths to learn the right ways to recycle. 

NEA will continue to collaborate and work with communities and non-Governmental organisations to encourage the public to recycle more and recycle right. 

In the meantime, Singaporeans are advised to use the recycling bins properly and to find out what items can or cannot be recycled.