Extension of Surveillance Cameras to Private Estates to Prevent High-rise Littering

Mr Kwek Hian Chuan Henry asked the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources whether there are effective programmes to cultivate the habit of not littering and to dispose of waste in a proper manner like that in Japan and Taiwan.

Thank you. Singaporeans take pride in a clean and green Singapore, and most do their part to keep the environment clean. However, there is an irresponsible minority that continues to litter and disregard prevailing societal norms. To tackle such anti-social conduct, the National Environment Agency (NEA) has taken a tough stance on litterbugs. Last year, it took 32,000 enforcement actions against littering offenders.

While enforcement may serve as a deterrent, it is not the panacea. Our primary line of defence against such behaviour should be to foster collective responsibility for our environment and cultivate positive social norms and civic mindedness among our people.

To this end, NEA and various partner organisations have been conducting campaigns and programmes to promote environmental awareness and encourage greater stewardship of our common spaces. The annual Clean and Green Singapore (CGS) co-organised by NEA, the Public Utilities Board, the National Parks Board and the Community Development Councils encourages the community to play an active role in keeping Singapore clean and litter-free. There are also other initiatives, such as the Public Hygiene Council's annual Keep Clean, Singapore! campaign, which advocate the value of maintaining cleanliness beyond our own homes and fostering the habit of picking up after oneself. The month-long event held in May this year saw more than 370 organisations, including grassroots organisations, public agencies and corporations, taking part in more than 500 clean-up activities across the island. NEA has also been targeting its publicity efforts at mass events, such as the National Day Parade celebrations, to remind people to pick up after themselves. These efforts reflect the whole-of-society approach needed to keep our public spaces clean.

Our national schools have also set aside time for students to clean the common areas of their school each day, and these activities have helped to inculcate values, such as a sense of responsibility and consideration for others, as well as for the environment. By starting young, these positive habits are passed down through the generations, just like in Japan today.

To the Member's question regarding littering in high-rise estates, our approach is no different. We will continue to work with grassroots organisations and Town Councils to raise awareness about this issue amongst residents. Unlike public estates, private estates are collectively owned by their residents and public access to such estates are restricted. Home owners in private estates, therefore, have the autonomy to govern and manage the shared private spaces in a responsible manner. For this to happen, residents should come together to encourage and influence acceptable social behaviour in their communities. Many condominiums have already put in place by-laws prohibiting littering within their estates. The management committees of these private estates can work with their residents to cultivate the right behaviour accordingly.

While the Government will persist in our efforts to develop greater environmental stewardship, we cannot do this alone. I, therefore, urge everyone to play their part in keeping Singapore a clean and green city.

Sir, I thank the Senior Minister of State for the information and also thank the NEA officers for the hard work, carrying out 32,000 enforcement actions last year.

The fact that NEA has committed significant resources to enforce against high-rise littering, including the deployment of surveillance cameras, rightly show that NEA and the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources are concerned about the situation of high-rise littering in our neighbourhoods. Hence, I want to ask the Senior of Minister of State: why is there a difference in the approach and actions by NEA when it comes to enforcement actions, whether it is public housing or private housing or the Executive Condominiums (EC) and the condominiums, especially where littering does pose safety concerns?

Secondly, if the EC or the condominium managing agent were to seek help from NEA to carry out such enforcement actions, can NEA assist in those situations, especially where the littering situation is very serious and a concern for safety?

Lastly, would the Ministry keep an open mind and review the need to amend the legislation as, otherwise, NEA will have to resort to a private suit to take the culprit to task in ECs and private estates?

I thank the Member for his three questions. I would take them together. With regard to the difference in treatment, let me say that the prohibition against littering under our current law, the Environmental Public Health Act applies to publicly accessible places only. That is as defined in the Act.

Private estates, such as ECs and private strata-titled condominiums, are not regarded as such a place in law, as access to such places by the public is restricted, which I have mentioned earlier. So, our anti-littering law, therefore, does not apply to littering within these private estates, such as condominiums. And NEA is, in turn, unable to carry out enforcement against littering incidents within these private estates.

However, when a Management Corporation Strata Title (MCST) approaches NEA for assistance to tackle cases of high-rise littering, NEA will explore ways to collaborate with them, to educate and advise the residents against such anti-social acts, for instance, working with them to send out advisory notices against such anti-social acts.

But having said that, many condominiums already have by-laws that prohibit littering within their estates. The management committee of these private estates can actually work with the residents to encourage and influence the right behaviour accordingly. For private estates where access is largely restricted, in fact, to residents of family members and their friends, it will be best for residents to work together to foster collective responsibility and cultivate the right positive social norms and behaviour.

But if all else fails, the management corporation can apply to the Courts to enforce these by-laws against errant residents. While the process may be challenging, MCSTs can, nonetheless, turn to this option if all other means, like reaching out to the errant residents, fail, including even community mediation, for instance.

Amending our legislation to extend our anti-littering laws to private estates would likely illicit negative reactions, such as it being intrusive. So, we currently have no plans to amend our current legislation.