Mistaken Identity of Recycling Truck

First published on WordPress, December 8, 2011
The recycling truck and waste truck that SembWaste used (in Sengkang) are the same kind of truck, differentiated by the have/ have-not of the recycling logo. This is not the only point where the confusion comes from. The other confusions concern the collection schedule and routine (or SOP).

On the first week of September 2011, many recycling bins were not cleared for more than 10 days, as the weekly schedule on Friday was missed. While I was on bus ride and way back home on the next day, many recycling bins around Sengkang were still loaded with recyclables. Even though I called SembWaste line on Saturday afternoon, no follow-up action was done to cover up the mistake. NEA had reminded SembWaste to check and clear the recycling bins on Tuesday, but some recycling bins were strangely still not cleared as what NEA mentioned. NEA would impose penalties for the performance lapse, and the recycling bins would have to wait for next schedule date to be cleared.

On another week of November 2011 (about 3 weeks ago), some recycling bins were not cleared on the weekly schedule on Friday. The cleaner was looking at recycling bin at night, so I asked him why the recycling bin was not cleared. He said it was very simple – Tomorrow after the rubbish truck dumped the rubbish, then the rubbish truck would dump everything in recycling bin as well. The recycling bin near my block was unmistakably cleared (or dumped away?) the next day.

The recycling manager (from SembWaste) replied that the recycling bins were cleared on a weekly schedule date, and the officer had checked the collection sheet to confirm that the collection was done according to schedule. With the messed up answered, the recycling effort and the recyclables will not gone wasted from now on?

Looking back at year 2011, I had sent 2 smses (on December 17 and 23) to the recycling manager on collection schedule. After that, the recycling manger had kept words on schedule date for some time. Again for year 2012, the recycling bin was not cleared for more than 10 days (from February 10). Yet again for year 2013, I had sent sms (on March 5) on the same old story (checklist/ SOP/ …) after 1 year break. Based on my observations, the recycling bins are cleared twice weekly nowadays.

Recalling my long-time request 2 years ago (year 2011) to shift back the recycling bin due to confusion, the recycling bin near my block was finally moved back to the earlier location on December 2013.

Hands-On Green Matters

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① Sticky Issues on Recycling Bin