SP and SembWaste launched pilot recycling programme in Punggol

17 Dec 2022

SP and SembWaste launched pilot recycling programme in Punggol

SP and waste management company SembWaste have launched a pilot to triple recycling rates to about 18,000 polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles and lower Punggol Coral estate’s contamination rate by at least 10% by the end of three months. 

Punggol residents just need to empty their PET bottles and do not need to wash them before placing them at collection points. The collection will be more convenient as well for SembWaste, which will be notified each time one of the collection points reaches 300 bottles. This has been made possible by the use of repurposed supermarket cages retrofitted with Internet of Things technology providing real-time waste collection data. The design and deployment of these collection points under the Rebottle initiative was jointly developed by students from SP’s School of Electrical & Electronic Engineering (EEE) and Media, Arts & Design (MAD) School. One of the students in the team, DCPE Year 3 student, Peh Jun Xiang, explained that each roller cage is designed to withstand the weight of bottles containing liquids should people forget to empty them. The team also worked on helping residents visualise the different steps of the recycling process.

On a broader terrain, this pilot could be reviewed and enhanced to boost the recycling rate in Singapore, given that it increases the convenience for people to recycle their PET bottles, which are commonly used in Singapore.