The National Environment Agency (NEA) has urged condominiums and private apartments to provide receptacles for recycling in their estates. Mandatory provision of such receptacles came into effect on November 1 2008 and the new ruling was announced earlier this year.

NEA advises condominiums and private apartments to comply with the new ruling as many residents living in there have asked for recycling receptacles to be provided in their estates. Presently only 38% of households in condominiums and private apartments have receptacles for recycling in their estates.

NEA sent out letters in October 2008 to the management councils of all condominiums to notify them of the new requirement and to encourage them to start preparation work to provide their residents with receptacles for recycling.

The agency also sent Notices this month to 400 condominium estates with more than 50 units each and they have been given six months to comply with the requirement. NEA would be sending Notices to the other condominiums in phases over the next few months.

Prior to the decision to mandate provision of recycling receptacles, NEA had consulted stakeholders such as management councils, managing agents, waste collectors, and relevant associations. The feedbacks were generally positive, and the main concern was to be given enough time to comply with the requirement. Hence, the NEA has given early notice of the new requirement since Fepuary 2008 and is implementing the requirement in phases.

Another feedback that NEA received is to give some flexibility to the management council in the implementation. Hence, NEA would let the Management Council decide on the type of recycling receptacle suitable for their estate, such as size and type of recycling bins, providing recycling bags instead of bins, or providing separate chute for recyclables.

Commenting on the new ruling, Mr Lee Yuen Hee, CEO of NEA said, 'Apart from businesses, households are an important part of NEA's efforts to increase the national recycling rate from the current 54% to 60% by 2012.'

'Easy accessibility to receptacles for recycling is crucial to empower everyone living in Singapore to make recycling part of their daily lives. Recycling saves energy, conserves natural resources and reduces waste going to our incineration plants and landfill, all of which contributes to sustainable development.' Mr Lee was speaking at an event in Yuhua Village to mark Recycling Day, a key activity of NEA's year-long Clean and Green Singapore campaign. At the event, Minister of Environment and Water Resources, Dr Yaacob Ipahim, jointly launched the Weekly Yuhua Village Recycling Programme with Ms Grace Fu, Senior Minister of State, Ministry of National Development & Ministry of Education and MP for Jurong GRC together with the Mayor of SWCDC and grassroots leaders. The Weekly Yuhua Village Recycling Programme allows people to trade in recyclables for cash and targets hawkers and merchants in addition to residents of the estate.

Elsewhere on the island, NEA also held activities to promote the 3Rs - Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. The public was invited to ping down recyclable materials to exchange for useful household items at venues in Ang Mo Kio, Bukit Merah and Hougang.

For more information about NEA, visit www.nea.gov.sg.