NEA will step-up advisory stance for table littering offences and enforce against non-compliance at hawker centres from 1 September 2021, and work with SFA to progressively roll out enforcement to coffeeshops and food courts.

Singapore, 14 May 2021 – The National Environment Agency (NEA) has been reviewing the approach to table cleanliness at public dining places and will require diners to clear tables of dirty trays, crockery and litter after their meals, starting at hawker centres from 1 June 2021. Over the years, we have conducted extensive educational efforts, including launching the Clean Tables Campaign early this year, to change behaviour and mindsets of diners at public places. The COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the need for all of us to maintain high public hygiene and cleanliness standards. Various members of the public and institutions, such as the Public Hygiene Council, have called for stronger levers including legislation to raise table cleanliness standards at public dining places.

Leaving litter on dining tables is an offence under the Environmental Public Health Act

2          To strengthen resilience in environmental public health amidst the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond, NEA urges the public to practise good hygiene at our public dining places so as to protect other diners and cleaners, many of whom are also seniors. With effect from 1 September 2021, NEA will take enforcement action against diners at our hawker centres who leave behind their dirty trays, crockery and litter, such as used tissues and wet wipes, straws, wrappers, canned drinks, plastic bottles and food remnants in public dining places (see Annex A for Q&As on NEA’s enforcement approach). The Singapore Food Agency (SFA) will also work with NEA to roll out enforcement progressively at coffeeshops and food courts in the fourth quarter of the year. NEA is not enacting a new law, as leaving litter on dining tables is enforceable as a littering offence under Section 17(1) of the Environmental Public Health Act (EPHA). However, NEA will take a pragmatic posture, such as enforcing against diners who do not heed advice by enforcement officers to clear their dirty trays, crockery and litter after dining.

3          To help diners familiarise and adjust, there will be a three-month advisory period from 1 June to 31 August 2021, during which NEA will take an advisory approach and no enforcement will be taken.

Advisory period starting 1 June 2021

4          During the advisory period, Safe Distancing Ambassadors (SDAs), SG Clean Ambassadors, Community Volunteers and NEA officers deployed at hawker centres will continue to remind diners to clear their dirty trays, crockery and litter. Visual cues such as posters and banners will also be progressively installed at hawker centres to remind diners to clear their tables (see Annex B for sample posters). NEA is also setting up more tray return infrastructure across all the hawker centres to support diners to return their dirty trays and crockery. While no enforcement will be taken during this period, diners are reminded to comply upon being advised.

Enforcement starting 1 September 2021

5          Enforcement will commence on 1 September 2021 at all hawker centres. Enforcement officers will continue to advise diners to properly clear their dirty tray, crockery and litter and enforcement will apply to diners who do not heed the officers’ advice. First-time offenders will be issued with a written warning. Subsequent offenders may face composition or court fines. NEA will monitor the ground situation and make adjustments over time to the enforcement posture accordingly.

Cleaner dining premises through collective efforts

6          NEA launched the Clean Tables Campaign on 6 February to galvanise individuals and the community to do their part to return dirty trays and crockery, and clear and bin table litter such as used tissues and wet wipes. This shows consideration for the next diner, and allows cleaners to focus on the most important task of cleaning and disinfecting tables. This self-service approach is also a more sustainable way of keeping our dining places safe and clean. This is especially given the tight cleaning workforce comprising a majority of seniors who may be more vulnerable to diseases such as COVID-19. The Clean Tables Campaign complements the rolling out of the Environmental Sanitation Regime from mid-2021 and the nation-wide SG Clean movement launched last year to rally businesses and Singaporeans to raise cleanliness standards of public spaces and encourage good personal hygiene habits.

7          While NEA has seen good results at some places, it is not as satisfactory as we would like. Since the launch of the Clean Tables Campaign, there has only been a nominal improvement in the average Tray/Crockery Return Rate (TCRR), from 33 per cent before the launch of the campaign to the current 35 per cent. This is despite 76 per cent of the respondents in a survey carried out by NEA in March 2021, indicating that they return their trays and/or dirty crockery most of the time. This shows that actual practice on the ground does not match up with individual espoused behaviour.

8          With only slight improvements being achieved thus far after much effort on education and outreach, a stepped-up advisory and enforcement approach will help raise our public hygiene standards at public dining places, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.

9          NEA seeks the cooperation of all diners to share the responsibility of maintaining the cleanliness and hygiene of public dining places in Singapore. This helps us to transition to a more socially conscious, self-service concept where diners clear their dirty trays, crockery and litter, and leave behind a clean table for the next patron. We urge everyone to work with NEA to take greater ownership of our public dining places, and to maintain high hygiene and cleanliness standards at these areas. This will allow us to enjoy our meals in a clean and hygienic environment and better safeguard ourselves against any public health risks.

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For more information, please submit your enquiries electronically via the Online Feedback Form or myENV mobile application. Alternatively, you contact us at 6225 5632.

ANNEX A

Q&As on NEA’s enforcement approach on table littering

1.      What does NEA mean by enforcement action will be taken?
Enforcement applies to diners who do not heed advice by enforcement officers to clear their dirty trays, crockery and any litter. Only diners who do not heed the advice will have their particulars taken down. First-time offenders will be issued a written warning and second-time offenders will face a composition fine. The composition fine quantum will be $300 which is similar to the quantum for other compoundable littering offences. Subsequent offenders may face court fines.

2.      Is it an offence if a diner clears his/her dirty tray and crockery, but leaves behind tissues and empty drink cans on the dining table?
Yes, no one should leave behind any litter in any public place, except in a dustbin or other receptacle provided for the deposit of refuse and rubbish. This includes used tissues, wet wipes and drink cans. Diners who return their litter together with the dirty crockery at tray and crockery return stations will not be penalised.

3.     Is it an offence if a diner clears his/her tray and dirty crockery, but leaves behind food remnants such as shells and bones?
Yes, no one should leave behind any litter in any public place, except in a dustbin or other receptacle provided for the deposit of refuse and rubbish. This includes shells and bones. Diners who return their litter together with the dirty trays and crockery at tray and crockery return stations will not be penalised.

4.     Are diners expected to remove trays, dirty crockery and litter left behind by the previous diner?
Cleaners will assist to remove trays, dirty crockery and litter left behind by the previous diner. We urge all diners to support NEA’s Clean Tables Campaign, by returning their trays and dirty crockery, and keeping the tables clean for the next diner.

5.     Is it an offence if my piece of litter was blown onto the floor?

Yes, allowing litter to be blown onto the floor in a public place, and not picking it up, is a littering offence.

6.     Is accidentally spilled gravy or drink on the dining table considered litter?
Enforcement will take a pragmatic approach. NEA will not take enforcement action for such instances. As much as practicable, diners can help to clean the spilled gravy or drink and keep the table clean.

7.    Will NEA enforce against the elderly, the less-abled, or children under 12 years old for table littering?
Enforcement will not be taken against the less-abled or frail elderly who are unable to clear their tables. Enforcement officers will educate and advise children on the importance of maintaining the cleanliness of public food establishments, and leaving a clean table for the next diner. Family members or dining companions of these groups should help to dispose of the litter and return the trays and dirty crockery.

8.    Will NEA enforce against the disabled for table littering?
NEA will take a pragmatic approach towards enforcement. While a littering offence has been committed, enforcement action will not be taken against those who are unable to clear their tables. Dining companions of these patrons can help to dispose of their litter and return the dirty trays and crockery.

9.    Is the Government being too heavy handed for enforcing for table littering?
NEA has conducted extensive educational efforts over the years, including launching a Clean Tables Campaign early this year to change behaviour and mindsets of diners at public dining places. Last year, the SG Clean movement was launched to rally stakeholders and members of the public to do their part to raise cleanliness standards of public spaces and encourage good personal habits. However, tray and dirty crockery return rates are not as satisfactory as NEA would like. In view of the COVID-19 situation, enforcement will complement our educational efforts to maintain our high standard of public health. To allow diners to accustom themselves to this, there will be a three-month advisory period from 1 June to 31 August 2021.

10.   Will cleaners lose their jobs if I clear the trays for them?
The COVID-19 pandemic underscores the need for us to maintain high public hygiene and cleanliness standards. Cleaners will not lose their jobs just because diners clear their trays, as they are still required to maintain and upkeep the general cleanliness of dining places, including wiping and sanitising tables, and clearing and sorting dirty crockery at designated tray /crockery return points. Returning one’s tray and dirty crockery will reduce cleaners’ workload and their having to make frequent rounds to clean tables. This will also help to improve overall cleanliness, provide cleaners with a more sanitary and safe working environment, and facilitate the faster turnover of tables during peak mealtimes. There will be benefits to both hawkers and patrons, and redesigning of the cleaning role in consideration of our ageing cleaning workforce (average age of cleaners in Singapore today is 60 years old). Every diner should do our part to make cleaners’ jobs more efficient and leave behind a clean table for the next patron.

11.    Why is it my responsibility to clear the table at public dining places?
Public dining places are set in an open environment with high footfall, accessible to all members of the public, including the young and the elderly. Keeping these places clean is our act of consideration for other users, and it also reduces the risk of disease transmission. Failure to clear one’s table of dirty trays, crockery and litter is an offence.

12.    Why is NEA only enforcing at hawker centres? What about other public dining places, such as coffeeshops and food courts?
The law applies for all public dining places, including hawker centres, coffeeshops and food courts. Hawker centres, set in an open environment, are prioritised because of the high footfall and exposure to bird encroachment. Enforcement action will be carried out at other public dining places, such as food courts and coffeeshops, progressively in 4Q 2021.

13.     Why is NEA implementing enforcement for table littering? Does this mean that the previous campaigns on tray return and public cleanliness have failed
Over the years we have conducted extensive educational efforts, including        launching a Clean Tables Campaign early this year to change behaviour and mindsets of diners. While we have seen some improvements, in view of the COVID-19 situation and the importance of raising and maintaining our public hygiene standards, we need to complement public education with enforcement, which a sizeable segment of the public supports. NEA will continue to adopt a multi-pronged approach, including enforcement and education, to inculcate social norms, shape positive habits, and encourage the public to practise good hygiene to maintain our high standard of public health.

ANNEX B

Sample of posters