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Start Recycling at Home
It’s easy to recycle at home. First, learn about the existing recycling programme at your area. Second, find out the type of items that are acceptable and unacceptable for recycling. Third, remember the collection date and place your recyclables outside for collection.
You can start recycling at home with these 3 steps:
1. Learn About Your Recycling Programme
The National Environment Agency (NEA) has implemented the National Recycling Programme (NRP) since 2001, where recycling bags or bins are given to residents living in HDB housing estates and landed properties.
These recycling bags and bins are provided by the appointed recycling contractors and the recyclables are collected fortnightly (once every two weeks) at your doorstep.
For more information, check out this NRP brochure by NEA. For enquiries, call 1800-CALL NEA (1800-2255 632) or email Contact_NEA@nea.gov.sg.
In addition, there are public recycling bins placed at housing estates (about one set of recycling bins placed for every five blocks) to supplement the NRP. Find recycling bins near your home.
Condominiums and private apartments are not covered under the NRP. However, it is mandatory for condominiums and private apartments to provide recycling facilities for their residents from 1 Nov 2008. If there’s no recycling facilities at your place, contact your Managing Agents (MAs) and Management Councils (MCs). The MAs and MCs can also refer to the NEA’s online guidebook to learn how to set up a recycling programme.
2. Find Out What You Can Recycle
You can make use of the recycling programme to recycle items such as paper, plastic bottles and containers, glass bottles, metal cans and old clothing.
Find out what items are acceptable or unacceptable for recycling from this NEA poster or the NRP brochure.
3. Remember Your Recycling Collection Date
The date or calendar of your recycling collection is printed on the recycling bag or bin. Remember to place your bag/bin outside your doorstep on the correct collection date and before the collection time specified on the bag/bin.
For enquiries on the collection, contact your recycling contractor whose telephone number is printed on the recycling bag/bin.
What Happens to the Recyclables?
The recycling bag and recyclables are collected by the recycling collector and brought back to their facility. The recyclables are sorted manually or by equipment into the different types of material. The sorted recyclables are then sent to local recycling companies for processing into raw materials or new products, or exported overseas for recycling.
Watch this video to see what happens to the recyclables collected by a recycling collector, Altvater Jakob (now known as Veolia ES):
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Sudhir on Sun, 8th Mar 2009 8:27 pm
I’ve been recycling for awhile now. Unfortunately, the collection in my area (Sembawang – 467 Admiralty Drive) seems to have stopped since January of this year. I have been trying to find out a) why its stopped b) if there are any new collectors/collections in the area c) if I will need to take it to some location myself. There isn’t a lot of information around.
Perhaps – publicity apart – Singapore is not that focussed on recycling after all.
Eugene on Mon, 9th Mar 2009 10:44 am
Check with NEA at 1800-CALL NEA (1800-2255 632) or email Contact_NEA@nea.gov.sg.
Or check with the collector SembWaste Pte Ltd (Tel: 1800-2786135).
Antoinette on Fri, 24th Apr 2009 3:35 pm
I’m curious to know what happens when those Wall-E-looking compressed recyclables stuff get exported? Thank you.
Eugene on Tue, 28th Apr 2009 6:05 pm
Well, they are recycled!
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Shirley on Thu, 16th Jul 2009 12:08 pm
I understand that plastics/containers that are used to contain food may not be recycled. I would like to know if they can be recycled if I rinse and wash them?
Since batches that are contaminated cannot be recycled, I would like to suggest pasting reminders or instructions on the bin so that people can avoid putting in things that might contaminate the particular batch.
Thanks!
Eugene on Tue, 21st Jul 2009 1:01 pm
You can check with the recycling collector serving your area on whether they accept those plastic containers for recycling.
kim on Fri, 24th Jul 2009 8:47 pm
hi, i would like to know how waste disposal trucks collect waste and recyclables from those recycling bins. Would appreciate if you could reply ASAP, i kinda need the info for my project that is due really soon. Thank you so much!
Margaret on Sat, 19th Dec 2009 9:06 pm
Hi, I try my best to recycle & have a couple of questions.
1)How do I dispose of batteries & light bulbs responsibly?
2)I read in an article that we must ensure that glass & plastic bottles should be washed thoroughly before we put them in the recycling bin. What happens to those that are not washed?
Thanks!
Eugene on Mon, 28th Dec 2009 5:55 pm
Hi Margaret, if you are referring to household batteries, there’s no collection for recycling. See NEA’s explanation http://wildsingaporenews.blogspot.com/2008/04/producers-have-recycling-schemes-in.html. For handphone and laptop batteries, see the recycling programmes in this post http://www.zerowastesg.com/2008/12/08/electrical-and-electronic-waste-recycling/.
We don’t think light bulbs are recycled in Singapore so you would have to dispose them the usual way.
It’s ok to just rinse the bottles before putting into the bins, this is to prevent pests and smell.
watsup on Sun, 18th Apr 2010 6:29 pm
sorry may i know what happen IF the plastic containers are not rinsed before they are placed in recycling bins? Can it still be recycled?
Eugene on Mon, 19th Apr 2010 9:57 am
Hi, the plastic containers are still recyclable if they are not rinsed. Rinsing helps to reduce smell and pest problems, and is less messy.