Hong Kah North rolls out smart bins in green campaign

Hong Kah North rolls out smart bins in green campaign

The Hong Kah North constituency in Bukit Batok yesterday launched a new zero waste initiative, doing its part to support the global climate pact sealed in Paris this month.

Under the year-long pilot, the constituency aims to recycle more, reduce food waste, and raise awareness of environmental conservation and environmentally-friendly practices through a new fund.

The campaign, called Hong Kah North Towards A Zero Waste Community, is a partnership between the Hong Kah North Grassroots Organisations and the Waste Management and Recycling Association of Singapore.

This is the first large-scale project that the association is working on with a grassroots organisation.

To promote the habit of recycling, the constituency has placed four colourful smart bins at the community club. The bins, sponsored by waste management firm Otto Waste Systems, have sensors that will alert the town council when they are full. There will be two smart bins for general waste.

"Because they are attractively done up, people will be motivated to recycle and sort their recyclables," said Dr Amy Khor, MP for Hong Kah North SMC.

The constituency will be expanding its recycling efforts to include electronic waste, such as batteries and unwanted electronic devices, with specialised bins installed in the CC and at Residents' Committee centres.

The constituency hopes to get residents to produce less food waste, by encouraging them not to over-cook or over-order at coffee shops.

A new Hong Kah North Eco Community Fund was also set up.

Part of the $23,000 in the kitty will be used to purchase composting machines for schools in the constituency.

The funds would also be used to fund green projects proposed by students, with each successful project receiving up to $2,000.

Dr Khor, who is Senior Minister of State for the Environment and Water Resources and Health, launched the partnership yesterday. She said: "The historic global climate pact is but the first step for all of us to work towards ensuring that we will continue to have a liveable planet.

"All of us should do our part - Government, companies, community and individuals like all of us - to conserve resources, reduce our energy consumption and contribute towards a reduction in carbon emissions."

Hong Kah North resident Vivian Lim, 40, a housewife, welcomed the initiative and said she will use the new bins.

"The green efforts at the schools will also teach my nine-year-old daughter how to be environmentally friendly," Madam Lim said.


This article was first published on Dec 21, 2015.
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