National Environment Agency

Several recycling programmes have been initiated to promote waste minimisation and recycling in the homes, condominiums, private apartment estates, schools, industrial estates, etc.

Recycling in HDB and private landed property estates - National Recycling Programme

The National Recycling Programme (NRP) was launched in April 2001. Under this programme, the Public Waste Collectors (PWCs) licensed by NEA are required to provide recycling receptacles and recycling collection service to all households in HDB and private landed property estates.

The table below shows the types of recycling serivices provided for each PWC sector.

PWC Sector	PWC	HDB Estates			Private Landed Property Estates
PWC Sector	PWC	Recycling bags given out for fortnightly door-to-door collection	1 Recycling bin provided for every 5 HDB blocks with weekly collection	1 Recycling bin provided for every HDB block with daily collection	Recycling bags given out for fortnightly door-to-door collection	Recycling bins provided with fortnightly door-to-door collection	Recycling bins provided with weekly door-to-door collection	Separate collection of garden waste
Ang Mo Kio – Toa Payoh	800Super	P	P		P	P#
Jurong	Colex	P	P		P
Bedok*	SembWaste			P			P	P
Clementi		P	P			P
City		P	P			P
Hougang – Punggol		P	P			P
Woodlands – Yishun		P	P			P
Pasir Ris – Tampines*	Veolia			P			P	P
Tanglin – Bukit Merah	Veolia	P	P			P

# For specific estates (e.g Serangoon Gardens)
* New PWC contracts which took effect on 1 Jul 2011 (Pasir Ris – Tampines Sector) and 1 Nov 2011 (Bedok Sector)

Please click here to find out more on recycling and here for more details on Public Waste Collection services.

1.1 HDB Estates

Door-to-Door collection with recycling bags

Recyclables are collected door-to-door on pre-determined days once every fortnight. As collection can take place anytime between 7:30 am – 7:00 pm, residents are reminded to place their recycling bags at their doorsteps before 7:30 am on the designated collection days.

Issue of recycling bags to resident

Resident leaves recycling bag at doorstep before 7:30 AM on collection day.

PWC collects from door-to-door between 7:30 AM-7:00 PM

Recycling bins in common areas

Since August 2007, all HDB estates are provided with recycling bins in the common areas. This complements the fortnightly door-to-door collection of recyclables and residents can recycle at any time of the day, instead of waiting for the fortnightly door-to-door collection.

Under the new PWC contracts for Pasir Ris – Tampines and Bedok sectors which took effect on 1 Jul 2011 and 1 Nov 2011 respectively, every HDB block is provided with the following recycling bin with standardised labels.

Please click here to view the locations of the recycling bins in your HDB estates on SLA OneMap under the Environment theme.

Below are other examples of recycling bins in HDB estates. These will be gradually replaced with the new standardised recycling bin and label under new PWC contracts.

1.2 Landed Property Estates

Similar to HDB flats, recyclables are collected door-to-door on pre-determined days once every fortnight (or every week for landed estates under the new PWC contracts for Pasir Ris – Tampines and Bedok sectors). Depending on the location of your landed estate, you may be provided either with a recycling bag or bin. As collection can take place anytime between 7:30 am – 7:00 pm, residents are reminded to place their recycling bags/bins outside their gates before 7:30 am on the designated collection days.

What happens after the recyclables are collected?

Recyclables that are collected are usually sent to the PWCs’ material recovery facilities (MRFs) for sorting before being sent for recycling.

Recycling in private Condominiums / Apartment Estates

From 1 Nov 2008 management councils of condominiums/private apartments are required to provide receptacles for recycling within their estates and to send the recyclables collected for recycling. A guidebook on Setting Up Structured Waste Recycling Programme in Condominiums and Private Apartments can be accessed here to help with the implementation.

Recycling in Schools

The Schools Recycling Corner Programme was launched in Sep 2002. The aim of the recycling programme is to educate and inculcate the recycling habit among the students. The programme involves the setting up of a Recycling Corner in the school where recycling bins for paper, cans and plastic bottles as well as educational materials such as posters and booklets, are made available to the students.

Recycling in Preschools

In order to inculcate the good habits of 3R in our young, NEA has developed a set of Preschool 3R Awareness Kit to assist the teachers to plan for activities to arouse the preschooler' interest in 3R and to reinforce their 3R awareness.

Please click here to download Preschool 3R Awareness Kit - Teacher's Guide

Please click here to download Preschool 3R Awareness Kit – Pictocards

Recycling in Industrial Estates

A Recycling Programme for JTC Industrial Estates was launched in Nov 2003. Under the programme, designated corners have been set up in bin centres to collect wood waste for reuse. Recycling bins are also provided in strategic locations for the collection of paper, aluminium cans, plastic, metal and glass.

A 'Guidebook on Waste Minimisation for Industries' was also produced to help companies reduce waste through more efficient and effective use of resources, reusing and recycling. It aims to provide companies with practical tips on planning and implementing a waste minimisation plan and recycling programme. The Guidebook also contains case studies to show what some companies have achieved in minimising waste generation and cost savings. A draft of the Guidebook has been completed and is attached here.