Driving habits toward recycling more and recycling right
2023 update
ZWSG X Asia Pacific Breweries Singapore X Lions Befrienders:
Let’s Recycle Together!

Based on the latest waste statistics from the National Environment Agency (NEA), our domestic recycling rate in 2022 fell even further from previous year, to just 12%. Coupled with Singapore’s ageing population, Zero Waste SG is joining hands with Asia Pacific Breweries Singapore (APBS) to run a door-to-door collection of recyclables from beneficiaries from Lions Befrienders.
Our initiative aims to enable seniors to remain active contributors to the Zero Waste Masterplan and collectively meet the goal of raising household recycling to 30% by 2030.
This initiative is also in support of NEA’s Recycle Right campaign.
2022
MSE Transparent Recycling Bins Pilots
Zero Waste SG partnered with MSE to test if changing the design of our blue bins would help to reduce the recycling contamination rate, which stands at 40%. In particular, the pilots tested if adding a transparent feature or introducing segregation could encourage better recycling behaviour and reduce recycling bin contamination rates.
The findings over the effectiveness of design change were inconclusive. Nevertheless, through our door-to-door survey with residents in the pilot areas, we found that it would be worthwhile to look at better and more accessible public education on recycling right. Some misconceptions that were still prevalent include:
- Placing textiles, bulky items and Styrofoam into the blue bins. Good-to-use items like clothing or toys should be donated where possible.
- Treating blue bins like general waste bins and depositing items contaminated by food or other liquids
- Tissue paper, regardless clean or dirty, should not be put into the blue bins as they are not recycled.
When it comes to modality, consider displaying actual, physical samples of items that can / cannot be accepted as these seem to work better than 2D pictures or posters.
Snapshots of our findings are below. Read our full report here!






How do we Recycle Right?
Resources from NEA / Clean & Green Singapore




Archives (before 2021)
Let’s Recycle Together is a campaign by Zero Waste SG. We aim to encourage more HDB residents to recycle using the existing blue recycling bins in their estates, and to educate them on recycling correctly.
Background on our ‘Let’s Recycle Together’ Campaign
This ground-up campaign complements the National Recycling Programme by the National Environment Agency (NEA), where the Public Waste Collectors licensed by NEA are required to provide the blue recycling bins and recycling collection for all HDB estates and landed properties in Singapore.
Your neighbours and other families are recycling, join them today and let’s recycle together!
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Step 1: Understand Why We Need To Recycle


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Step 2: Learn How To Recycle At Home

Some residents place a recycling bin in their house, while others use a plastic bag or reusable bag for storing their recyclables, it’s up to you!

The National Recycling Programme uses a commingled collection system where all the recyclables go into a single blue recycling bin. According to NEA, the commingled system is convenient for residents as they do not need to sort or make space in their homes to store different recyclables. It also allows for a single-stream collection of recyclables, which is a cost-effective method.
The collection from the recycling bins is done daily or 3 times a week, depending on the sector. You can check the locations of the blue recycling bins at the housing estates in Singapore from the SLA OneMap, and find out more about the Public Waste Collectors and their collection days from NEA.
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Step 3: Find Out What Items Can Or Cannot Be Recycled
Check out the list below to learn what items can or cannot be placed into the blue recycling bins at HDB estates! Check this list against NEA’s to ensure it’s the most up to date.
Paper – Can or Cannot Recycle
Paper – Can Recycle | Remarks | Paper – Cannot Recycle | Remarks |
---|---|---|---|
1. Books | Donate to charity or give it away if possible. | 1. Disposable chopsticks | – |
2. Brochure | Glossy and non-glossy included. | 2. Disposable paper cups and plates | – |
3. Calendar | – | 3. Paper towel | – |
4. Cardboard box packaging | Please flatten if possible. | 4. Paper wrapper for food | – |
5. Carton box | Please flatten if possible. | 5. Tissue paper | – |
6. Drink packet | Should be emptied. Please rinse if necessary and flatten if possible. | 6. Toilet paper | – |
7. Egg tray | – | 7. Wax paper | – |
8. Envelope | With or without plastic window included. | ||
9. Flyer | Glossy and non-glossy included. | ||
10. Gift wrapping paper | – | ||
11. Greeting card | – | ||
12. Juice carton | Should be emptied. Please rinse if necessary and flatten if possible. | ||
13. Magazine | Glossy and non-glossy included. | ||
14. Milk carton | Should be emptied. Please rinse if necessary and flatten if possible. | ||
15. Namecards | – | ||
16. Newspaper | – | ||
17. Paper receipts | – | ||
18. Paper towel tubes and toilet roll tubes | – | ||
19. Printed paper | – | ||
20. Red packet | – | ||
21. Shredded paper | – | ||
22. Telephone directory | – | ||
23. Tissue box | Please flatten if possible. | ||
24. Writing paper | – |
Plastics – Can or Cannot Recycle
Plastics – Can Recycle
Remarks
Plastics – Cannot Recycle
Remarks
1. Beverage bottle
Should be emptied. Please rinse if necessary.
1. Takeaway food containers (styrofoam or PS plastics)
Check the triangle plastic code usually printed on the container – 6 for PS.
2. Bodywash and shampoo bottles
Should be emptied. Please rinse if necessary.
2. Disposable cups (only for styrofoam or PS plastics)
Check the triangle plastic code usually printed on the cup – 6 for PS.
3. Bottle for food
Should be emptied. Please rinse if necessary.
3. Disposable plates and bowls
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4. Bread wrapper packaging
Should be clean and emptied.
4. Disposable cutlery and utensils
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5. CD and casing
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5. Straws
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6. Detergent bottle
Should be emptied. Please rinse if necessary.
6. Cassette and video tapes
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7. Disposable cups (only for PET and PP plastics)
Should be emptied. Please rinse if necessary. Check the triangle plastic code usually printed on the cup – 1 for PET and 5 for PP.
7. Plastic film packaging for food
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8. Magazine wrapper
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9. Plastic bag
Should be clean and emptied.
10. Plastic containers, trays and tubs for food (non-polystyrene)
Should be emptied. Please rinse if necessary.
11. Toiletries containers
Should be emptied. Please rinse if necessary.
Metal – Can or Cannot Recycle
Metal – Can Recycle
Remarks
Metal – Cannot Recycle
Remarks
1. Aerosol cans
Should be emptied.
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2. Aluminium trays and foil
Should be clean.
3. Biscuit, milk and food tins
Should be emptied. Please rinse if necessary.
4. Drink cans
Should be emptied. Please rinse if necessary.
5. Food cans
Should be emptied. Please rinse if necessary.
6. Paint cans
Should be empty and dry.
Glass – Can or Cannot Recycle
Glass – Can Recycle
Remarks
Glass – Cannot Recycle
Remarks
1. Beverage bottles
Should be emptied. Please rinse if necessary.
1. Ceramics
–
2. Cosmetic bottles
Should be emptied. Please rinse if necessary.
2. Light bulbs
Recycle fluorescent lamps and light bulbs via lamp recycling bins.
3. Glass cups and plates
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3. Mirror
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4. Jam and spread bottles
Should be emptied. Please rinse if necessary.
4. Windows
–
5. Medicine and supplement bottles
Should be emptied. Please rinse if necessary.
6. Sauce and condiment bottles
Should be emptied. Please rinse if necessary.
Others – Can or Cannot Recycle
Others – Can Recycle
Remarks
Others – Cannot Recycle
Remarks
1. Bags
Donate to charity or give it away.
2. Diapers and sanitary pads
–
3. Electrical and electronic items
Recycle using e-waste recycling bins.
4. Food waste
–
5. Furniture
Donate to charity or ask town council cleaners to remove.
6. Household batteries
Singapore has imposed restrictions on the mercury content in mercury oxide, zinc carbon and alkaline batteries, so used household batteries can be safely discarded with normal waste – NEA.
7. Leftover medicine
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8. Old clothes (in good condition)
Donate to charity or give it away.
9. Pens and pencils
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10. Plants and horticultural waste
Garden waste is only collected from landed properties and not HDB estates under the National Recycling Programme.
11. Rechargeable batteries
Recycle using e-waste recycling bins.
12. Shoes
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13. Soft toy
Donate to charity or give it away.
14. Spectacles
Donate to charity.
15. Wood items
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Step 4: Learn What Happens To The Recyclables After Collection

The recycling trucks only collect recyclables from the blue recycling bins and do not collect waste from the rubbish bin centres. The type of trucks used for collecting recyclables and waste might look similar but they are actually separate trucks with different collection schedules. The recycling trucks would usually have a recycling logo on the side of the truck.
Here’s some photos of a Material Recovery Facility operated by one of the Public Waste Collectors. The recyclables are collected by the trucks and sent to the facility, where the recyclables are placed on a conveyor belt and the workers sort them according to material types.



The sorted materials are either exported overseas for recycling or sent to local recycling facilities. Some of the local recycling facilities are listed in the NEA website.
You can also learn more about the recycling process of these materials: Paper; Plastics; Metal; Glass; Food Waste; Wood and Horticultural Waste; Electrical and Electronic Waste; Tyres; and Construction and Demolition Waste.
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Images credit and source:
- Understand Why We Need To Recycle (incineration plant and landfill) – Senoko Waste-to-Energy Plant, Keppel Seghers Pte Ltd, http://www.keppelseghers.com/en/content.aspx?sid=3028#A6-SWTEP
- Understand Why We Need To Recycle (incineration plant and landfill) – Semakau Landfill, National Environment Agency, http://www.nea.gov.sg/energy-waste/waste-management/semakau-landfill
- Learn How To Recycle At Home – 3R Poster, National Environment Agency, http://www.nea.gov.sg/docs/default-source/energy-waste/recycling/3r-poster.pdf?sfvrsn=2
- Learn What Happens To The Recyclables After Collection – 3R Poster, National Environment Agency, http://www.nea.gov.sg/docs/default-source/energy-waste/recycling/3r-poster.pdf?sfvrsn=2
- Recycle Right Resources, https://www.cgs.gov.sg/recycleright/resources
- Have you seen Bloobin? (Clean and Green Singapore), https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jAeqGbJIfJE