Amy Khor on Environmental Public Health (Amendment) Bill
Littering from residential flats is a persistent and growing issue, said Senior Minister of State for Sustainability and the Environment Amy Khor. Feedback on high-rise littering has increased by more than 60 per cent, from an average of 19,000 cases between 2017 and 2019 to an average of 31,200 cases between 2020 and 2022. Speaking in Parliament on Monday (Feb 6), she said stronger action is needed to address the root of the issue. The Government will introduce "presumptions" to place greater onus on owners and tenants of residential flats to prevent littering acts from being committed from their units in the first place. If there is evidence that a littering act has been committed from a residential flat, the owners or tenants of the whole flat will be presumed to have committed the offence. They must also take greater responsibility to identify the offenders. Images or footage captured by enforcement cameras would be the source of evidence. The authorities will also accept evidence from the public. A flat owner or tenant can produce evidence that he or she was not present in the flat at the time of the offence and will be given a reasonable stipulated time period to do so. Dr Khor said this will allow for more effective enforcement and spur flat owners and tenants to prevent their occupants from littering from their flats. She said the National Environment Agency will ensure that the investigation process remains robust and that the law is applied judiciously. Care will be exercised in investigating cases committed by vulnerable groups, such as young children and the elderly. Dr Khor, who highlighted these measures in Parliament on Monday (Feb 6), also outlined key proposals to build a resilient and productive cleaning sector. The licensing framework will be enhanced to spur cleaning businesses to deepen their competencies, adopt productivity solutions and create better opportunities to attract and retain workers. Dr Khor said maintaining public hygiene was Singapore's first line of defence during the COVID-19 pandemic. Even as the pandemic subsides, Singapore must not forget the lessons learnt, she said. She stressed that keeping Singapore clean is a "whole-of-society" responsibility.
Littering from residential flats is a persistent and growing issue, said Senior Minister of State for Sustainability and the Environment Amy Khor. Feedback on high-rise littering has increased by more than 60 per cent, from an average of 19,000 cases between 2017 and 2019 to an average of 31,200 cases between 2020 and 2022. Speaking in Parliament on Monday (Feb 6), she said stronger action is needed to address the root of the issue. The Government will introduce "presumptions" to place greater onus on owners and tenants of residential flats to prevent littering acts from being committed from their units in the first place. If there is evidence that a littering act has been committed from a residential flat, the owners or tenants of the whole flat will be presumed to have committed the offence. They must also take greater responsibility to identify the offenders. Images or footage captured by enforcement cameras would be the source of evidence. The authorities will also accept evidence from the public. A flat owner or tenant can produce evidence that he or she was not present in the flat at the time of the offence and will be given a reasonable stipulated time period to do so. Dr Khor said this will allow for more effective enforcement and spur flat owners and tenants to prevent their occupants from littering from their flats. She said the National Environment Agency will ensure that the investigation process remains robust and that the law is applied judiciously. Care will be exercised in investigating cases committed by vulnerable groups, such as young children and the elderly. Dr Khor, who highlighted these measures in Parliament on Monday (Feb 6), also outlined key proposals to build a resilient and productive cleaning sector. The licensing framework will be enhanced to spur cleaning businesses to deepen their competencies, adopt productivity solutions and create better opportunities to attract and retain workers. Dr Khor said maintaining public hygiene was Singapore's first line of defence during the COVID-19 pandemic. Even as the pandemic subsides, Singapore must not forget the lessons learnt, she said. She stressed that keeping Singapore clean is a "whole-of-society" responsibility.
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