Segregated Recycling Bins Found to Lower Contamination Rate

Finding comes as nearly 40 more locations for such bins are added across Singapore

- Ang Qing

Segregation of recyclables can drastically curb contamination, which has contributed to Singapore's low recycling rates for years, non-governmental organisation Zero Waste SG has found.

The finding comes as nearly 40 more locations for segregated recycling bins were added across the island since 2024. They provide an alternative to the blue recycling bins at the foot of every public housing block, where recycled metal, glass, plastic and paper are mixed and collected for sorting in facilities.

Zero Waste SG, a charity that advocates waste reduction, told The Straits Times that its first recycling hub launched in June in Queenstown has shown promising results so far, with a contamination rate of less than 5 per cent.

This is a far cry from the persistently high contamination rate of about 40 per cent for household recyclables in Singapore's commingled blue bins, which has not declined since 2017. Examples of contaminated items are non-recyclable things like styrofoam, and e-waste that should be deposited at dedicated collection points.

Contaminated recyclables are incinerated.

Local waste company 800 Super, which is behind most of the new recycling points, previously said a two-year trial in Bishan and Sin Ming that ended in 2024 showed that segregated infrastructure could help cut contamination rate of recyclables to just 10 per cent.

800 Super is one of three public waste collectors appointed by the National Environment Agency to collect recyclables from residential areas.

Zero Waste SG executive director Lionel Dorai said that through advocacy and providing infrastructure, the charity hopes to understand whether households here can acquire the habit of sorting their waste and disposing of them correctly in segregated recycling systems.