Better Waste Management in View of Carrying Capacity of Singapore's Green and Blue Spaces

Ms Nadia Ahmad Samdin asked the Minister for National Development whether there are plans to look into the carrying capacity of our green and blue spaces and how trash can be better managed on our Southern Islands given that more Singaporeans have been visiting these nature parks.

Mr Speaker, Sir, NParks actively manages the capacity of our parks and nature reserves. For example, NParks carries out real time crowd monitoring and control, and has closed park areas temporarily when needed, in view of increased visitorship and safe distancing requirements during the COVID-19 period. Visitors can check the visitorship levels via NParks' Safe Distance@Parks portal to avoid potential crowds, before heading to the parks.

NParks is very mindful of the potential impact that increased visitorship may have on our biodiversity. In this regard, NParks deploys officers to remind visitors not to venture off the designated trails. In addition, there are signs around our nature areas and parks to educate visitors on park etiquette and regulations.

NParks will continue to expand the network of parks, including nature parks, so that more Singaporeans can enjoy nature-based recreation. This will help spread out the demand for such recreational experiences, and alleviate the pressure on core biodiversity areas, including our nature reserves.

To manage the trash generated by visitors at our Southern Islands specifically, SLA has installed trash bins and signs to encourage visitors to bring their trash with them when they leave. Besides clearing the flotsam and litter daily, SLA and NParks also work together with the community on initiatives such as beach clean-ups at the islands.

We would like to remind all park users to be socially responsible, and help keep our parks and natural spaces clean so that we can all continue to enjoy these public spaces together.