Singapore Needs to Improve Recycling Habits Without Fines

Singapore wants to improve its recycling plan. Experts say the focus should be on changing people's recycling habits.

People in Singapore know more about recycling now, but it hasn't led to better recycling. Experts think more needs to be done to make people act on what they know.

One way to improve recycling is to give people separate bins for different types of waste. But fines for not recycling correctly should only be used if other methods don't work.

Experts gave many ideas to improve recycling after the government said it would review its Zero Waste Masterplan.

The master plan aimed to increase the overall recycling rate to 70% by 2030. It also wanted to raise the domestic recycling rate to 30% and the non-domestic rate to 80%.

However, the overall recycling rate has gone down from 59% in 2019 to 52% in 2025. Domestic and non-domestic recycling rates have also fallen.

A senior minister said global changes in recycling markets are part of the reason for the decline. The review of the master plan will start soon and finish in 2027.

Experts think global changes are not the only problem. Issues within Singapore are also a big challenge to its recycling goals.

Data shows that just knowing about recycling is no longer the main problem.

Most households in Singapore recycle, and people know more about what can and cannot be recycled.

But the rate of recycling at home and in places like shops and temples remains low.

There's a gap between people trying to recycle and actually doing it effectively.

More households may try to recycle, but they often put the wrong things in the recycling bins, which reduces the quality of the materials.

This means the problem is not just about people knowing or wanting to recycle, but about how well they do it.

The domestic recycling rate is measured by how much is recycled, not by how many households try to recycle.

A household might recycle a few things, but throw away a lot more, which keeps the recycling rate low.

Households need clearer signs and feedback on what they're doing right or wrong.

Experts think people who recycle don't always do it correctly or consistently.

Some people throw recyclable items in the general waste because they don't want to clean them first.

If people generate less waste, there will naturally be fewer things to recycle.

The amount of waste per person in Singapore has gone down, which might mean less to recycle.

Experts don't think fines should be used now to make people recycle more.

The priority should be to make the recycling system work better before punishing people for not recycling correctly.

Fines might be useful later, especially for those who deliberately don't recycle, but only after other measures are in place.

In some countries, fines are given to those who put food waste in the wrong bins.

One challenge with fines is that they are hard and expensive to enforce.

It's difficult to know who put the wrong thing in a shared recycling bin.

Experts also don't think increasing the cost of throwing away waste, like with 'pay-as-you-throw' schemes, is a good idea.

Such schemes would need big changes to how waste is managed and could lead to illegal dumping.

These schemes charge people for the amount of trash they throw away.

Experts agree that improving the infrastructure for recycling is necessary.

The current system uses co-mingled bins, which can lead to contamination.

Contamination reduces the quality and value of recyclables.

Singapore should consider a more differentiated system where certain materials are collected separately.

This could include keeping blue bins for dry recyclables like clothes and textiles.

There should also be separate collections for other materials, like a scheme for returning beverage containers.

The challenge now is to encourage households to recycle more and make it easier for them to do so.

Improving the rewards for recycling and making it more convenient will be crucial.

This will help align personal benefits with societal goals, which is why recycling targets have been hard to meet.

Collecting waste separately at the source would reduce contamination and make recycling easier.

Experts also call for more efforts to reduce waste generation in the first place.

Measures like product redesign and reduced packaging can help.

Consumers should be encouraged to reduce their waste.

The charge on disposable carrier bags is an example of an effective measure to reduce waste.

Singapore should adopt a circular economy approach that involves all stakeholders.

This means looking at domestic recycling as part of a larger system involving producers, consumers, and waste managers.

Past reliance on convenient waste collection may have shaped household recycling behaviors.

While more people recycle, developing consistent habits and improving the quality of recycling remains a challenge.

These outcomes reflect not just individual behavior but also how waste systems and social norms have evolved.

There's also a need to address the economic viability of recycling, which is a significant challenge.

Singapore depends heavily on overseas markets for recycling, which can be affected by changes in freight costs and commodity prices.

Fluctuations in these markets can make recycling less commercially viable.

Source-segregated collection can improve the quality of recyclables, but it might not make a big difference if the economics of recycling remain unattractive.

The paper recycling sector is an example where international prices have fallen significantly.

This has led to a decline in Singapore's paper recycling rate over the past decade.

The weak commercial case for recycled materials may explain why better recycling practices haven't led to higher recycling rates.

As part of the review, Singapore should look closely at the economics of individual waste streams.

Experts think the review should consider expanding frameworks that make producers responsible for waste beyond e-waste and beverage containers.

Even with limited land, Singapore should build local or regional recycling capacity for key waste streams.

It may not be realistic to process everything domestically, but Singapore should identify strategic resources like metals and e-waste for greater recovery capability.

Beyond policy changes, there's a need for better metrics to assess recycling performance.

Instead of just looking at overall recycling rates, Singapore should track material recovery and the proportion of recyclables turned into new products.

Without these metrics, Singapore may overestimate its progress while the domestic recycling rate remains weak.

The review is an opportunity to adjust Singapore's approach to waste.

There's often a tension between ambitious plans and the reality of implementation in environmental planning.

Adaptive planning involves assumptions about the future and must be open to feedback and adjustments.

The Zero Waste Masterplan had ambitious targets, but the reality of global markets and contamination rates has changed the assumptions underlying it.

The government's decision to review and revise the plan, including updating measurement frameworks and exploring new technologies, shows an attempt to adapt policy to changing conditions.

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