Oral Reply to Parliamentary Question on High-rise Anti-littering measures

Oral Reply by SMS Dr Amy Khor, Senior Minister of State for Sustainability and the Environment, to Parliamentary Question on Hifg-rise Anti-littering Measures

Mr Liang Eng Hwa: To ask the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment (a) whether the high-rise anti-littering measures taken so far have been effective; (b) whether the surveillance devices being deployed can be scaled up; and (c) whether the agencies will look to new technologies and devices to enhance enforcement capabilities.

Answer:

1. The National Environment Agency (NEA) adopts a multi-pronged approach comprising enforcement, public education, and community partnerships to deter high-rise litterbugs.

2. In 2020, NEA has stepped up enforcement against high-rise littering by increasing the number of surveillance camera deployments by over 50 percent as compared to 2019. NEA also partnered closely with Town Councils to enable more timely information-sharing to facilitate the investigation of high-rise littering offences. These measures enabled NEA to take more than 1,000 enforcement actions against high-rise litterbugs in 2020. NEA will continue to enhance its enforcement capabilities by keeping pace with developments in camera technology for high-rise littering surveillance.

3. Even as NEA steps up enforcement against high-rise littering, we must continue to cultivate social graciousness, good habits, and a sense of collective responsibility to keep Singapore clean and safe. For this reason, NEA adopts complementary strategies such as strengthening community partnerships to raise awareness on the negative impacts of high-rise littering. In 2020, NEA trialled informative standees at public areas with persistent littering feedback and enforcement, to deter people from committing high-rise littering offences. NEA is also partnering Town Councils to install posters at HDB blocks, highlighting the environmental and social consequences of high-rise littering.

4. Through the collective efforts of all, we can uphold high standards of public cleanliness.