Trash Is A Resource - Segregate Them For Recycling [Press Releases]

Trash Is A Resource - Segregate Them For Recycling Singapore, 9 September 2012 – Changing mindsets and spurring environmentally-friendly action among our partners and community – these are the two main objectives of this year’s Recycling Week – an annual outreach event organised by NEA held in partnership with the Public Waste Collectors (PWCs), Town Councils, schools, People’s Association and the Grassroots Organisations. In particular, this year’s event reaches out to homemakers aged 50 and above because they belong to the group of residents who handles most of the recyclables at home. The message of Recycling Week is that waste is a resource that can be converted into new products, and anyone can easily do their part for resource conservation by segregating their waste into recyclables and non-recyclables at home. Practising the 3Rs (Reduce, Reuse and Recycle) will reduce the demand on our limited land and sea space for disposal facilities, thereby extending the lifespan of the Semakau Landfill, and paving the way for more sustainable development. Recycling Week 2012’s main event took place on 9 September 2012. Held at the open field next to Jurong East Bus Interchange, the event was officiated by Second Minister for Environment and Water Resources, Grace Fu. Fringe activities to this main event will follow at other dates and locations (refer to Annex A for more details). To help residents recognise items that can be recycled and segregate recyclables from normal waste at home, participants at the Recycling Week main event went through stations at a ‘Kitchen’ booth which included activities to physically segregate recyclables from a pool of household items and to learn 3Rs tips in the kitchen. Residents were reminded of the do’s and don’ts of recycling. For instance, items contaminated with food and liquid waste should not be thrown into the blue recycling bins in our housing estates. At the ‘Kitchen’ booth, the participants were given goodie bags which contain an informative educational brochure with information on the common types of recyclables found at home and the simple steps of recycling among other freebies. A slew of activities such as competitions were also lined up at the event so that participants of all ages can understand and experience recycling for themselves. Activities included exchanging recyclables for cash and field trips to waste-to-energy and sorting plants made available through on-the-spot sign up by participants. Exhibition booths showcasing creative items made from recycled materials and activity booths to teach residents to make terrariums were also part of the event. HDB also hosted a booth displaying their Greenprint, which outlines the green features HDB has in store for estates such as Jurong East. Fringe activities include environment themed storytelling sessions and recycled craft workshops at National Library Board branches, on 16 and 23 September 2012 and avenues for the public to bring their e-waste for recycling on 15 and 16 September 2012 at the NEA 10th Anniversary Eco-Community exhibition at HDB Hub Atrium in Toa Payoh. Recycling Week 2012 is organised as part of a ground-up initiative. With similar objectives as Recycling Week, NEA also facilitates community events such as Eco Day Out 2012 @ South West held early this year. Besides increasing awareness of recycling in the community, Eco Day Out 2012 @ South West also incorporated a social objective, with the Clean-Up South West recycling drive raising a total of $60,000, including generous donations from Lee Foundation, Koh Kock Leong Enterprise Pte Ltd, Sumitomo Chemical and affiliated companies to benefit St Luke’s Eldercare Centre (Clementi). CEO of NEA, Mr Andrew Tan, said, “We want to encourage the community to take ownership of their environment and start their own ground-up initiatives. Through outreach activities such as Recycling Week, we hope to engage the community to do their part to conserve our resources – Reduce, Reuse and Recycle – and help make Singapore’s living environment more sustainable.” Annex A Recycling Week 2012 Fringe Activities National Library Board 3Rs Education and Outreach

1. The National Library Board (NLB) is one of the NEA’s key 3P partners in spreading the 3Rs message to the community.

2. Various NLB branches will be holding storytelling sessions or recycled craft workshops on the environment and 3Rs themes.

3. A new Green Library for Kids will be built at the Central Public Library in the year 2013, and 2 trial sessions of Green Stories and Crafts will be held on 16 and 23 September 2012. This hour-long session includes a storytelling session and a recycled craft workshop.

4. The other NLB branches are scheduled to have storytelling sessions throughout the month of September. E-Waste Take Back Programme

5. The public can bring their unwanted E-waste (computers, printers, mobile phones, IT products, cartridges, and small home appliances) to the Recycling Week event on 9 September 2012 or to the NEA 10th Anniversary Eco-Community exhibition on 15 – 16 September 2012, 11am – 8pm at HDB Hub, Toa Payoh.

6. E-waste recycling enables the recovery of precious resources such as metals and plastics, and minimises waste disposal at our incineration plants and landfill.

7. Companies supporting this e-waste recycling activity include Canon, Cimelia, Dell, Epson, HP, Nokia, SingTel and Tes-Amm. Keppel Club Exhibition

8. The public can also check out exquisite creative craft work made from recycled materials at the exhibition held from 20 – 25 October 2012, 9am – 5pm, at Keppel Hall, Keppel Club.Source: NEA