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Stop cleaners from clearing tables at hawker centres that charge deposits for trays

Hawker centres that charge deposits for trays do not appear to be relying less on cleaners.
At these facilities, users pay a 50-cent or S$1 deposit, and receive a refund after returning the trays with their used crockery and cutlery.

Despite some hawker centres charging deposits for trays, a reader says the system is not working as intended.

Despite some hawker centres charging deposits for trays, a reader says the system is not working as intended.

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Hawker centres that charge deposits for trays do not appear to be relying less on cleaners.

At these facilities, users pay a 50-cent or S$1 deposit, and receive a refund after returning the trays with their used crockery and cutlery.

When the practice began at two hawker centres last year, the National Environment Agency said the move would allow cleaners to be “better able to focus on table-cleaning, allowing for a faster turnaround of tables”.

I patronise the hawker centre at Block 628 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 4, which has automated tray-return stations, at least twice weekly on average.

I often see patrons carry hot soupy dishes to their tables because they decided against forking out a deposit for a tray.

They would find a table near a stall, and walk back and forth with dishes in hand.  

At these hawker centres, cleaners are still seen clearing the tables. This runs counter to the self-service system the authorities want to encourage.  

Patrons could easily lapse into the mindset that “it will be cleared anyway and it is just a matter of who does it”.

The leniency shown by the authorities in continuing to hire cleaners has reduced the effectiveness of the system.

They should take a big gamble by stopping cleaners from clearing the crockery. The cleaners should instead focus on centralised dish-washing.

This will leave no room for patrons to take advantage of the notion that cleaners would clear their dishes.

This way, the Government’s objective to raise labour productivity can be met, too.

The authorities should also make it compulsory for all diners to place a deposit for trays at these food centres. This is optional now.

By making it mandatory, we will likely see cleaner tables at the hawker centres, as most Singaporeans do not wish to incur extra costs.

Have views on this issue or a news topic you care about? Send your letter to voices [at] mediacorp.com.sg with your full name, address and phone number.

Related topics

hawker centre tray deposit self-service cleaners National Environment Agency

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