18,000 HDB households to receive free Ikea recycling bins

SINGAPORE — Free Ikea recycling bins are being offered to residents in new HDB precincts as part of a new initiative to encourage households to recycle regularly. 

Some 18,000 households living in Build-to-Order (BTO) flats in areas such as MacPherson, Bidadari, Sembawang and Sengkang will be eligible for this scheme, announced by the National Environment Agency (NEA) and Ikea Singapore in a joint statement on Thursday (Aug 1).

Residents will receive a voucher by mail over the next few months, which they can use to redeem their free bin from Ikea’s Tampines or Alexandra branches from Aug 24 onwards.

Household recycling surveys conducted by the Ministry of Environment and Water Resources and NEA in 2018 revealed that six in 10 Singapore households recycled regularly. However, respondents’ most common reason for not recycling was that they had too few items to recycle.

The free bin — which has an 11-litre capacity — will allow these households to accumulate their recyclables for a few days before depositing them into the blue recycling bins at the bottom of their blocks, or in recycling chutes, the statement said.

NEW HOMEOWNERS ‘MORE LIKELY’ TO RECYCLE

The surveys also found that habits play a major role in household recycling behaviour.

For example, new homeowners — such as those who have recently moved into new BTO flats — were more likely to be receptive to new recycling habits.

"For the HDB households which will benefit from this new initiative, the in-home recycling bin makes recycling things more convenient than disposing them as garbage," said Mr Tan Meng Dui, NEA's chief executive officer.

Focus group discussions were also held with members of the public to find out their views on the kind of containers that would best encourage recycling at home. Respondents said they wanted something “durable, washable, functional and in neutral colours”.

Their feedback was taken into account in the design of the bin, which is also made from 60 per cent recycled plastic, and comes with a label displaying recycling tips.

Fridge magnets will also be given out to guide households on what can or cannot be recycled.

“NEA will continue to work with partners and stakeholders not just to encourage the public to recycle more, but also raise awareness on how to recycle right,” said Mr Tan.