Singapore
Experts said future measures should not only aim to raise awareness about recycling, but to convert it into action.
File photo of a man throwing away trash. (Photo: TODAY/Leonard Leong)
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19 Jun 2026 06:00AM
SINGAPORE: With Singapore looking to refresh its Zero Waste Masterplan amid dipping recycling rates, there needs to be a renewed focus on improving waste infrastructure and guiding consumer habits, said environmental academics and an advocacy group.
While Singaporeans' awareness of recycling has improved over the years, it has not translated into better recycling outcomes, they said. This is why more must be done to convert awareness into action, but without having to turn to fines and penalties to guide behaviour.
For example, encouraging people to sort recyclables at the household level by providing segregated waste bins can improve recycling outcomes. But imposing penalties for not doing so, as is the case in some countries, should only be considered after everything else is in place.
Speaking to CNA, experts gave various suggestions that could move the needle on recycling after the government on Wednesday (Jun 17) announced a review of its 2019 Zero Waste Masterplan.
At the time, the master plan set a target of raising the overall recycling rate to 70 per cent, the domestic recycling rate to 30 per cent, and the non-domestic recycling rate to 80 per cent by 2030.
However, the overall recycling rate has since slipped from 59 per cent in 2019 to 52 per cent in 2025. The domestic and non-domestic recycling rates have also fallen from 17 per cent to 11 per cent and 73 per cent to 67 per cent respectively over the same period.
Senior Minister of State for Sustainability and the Environment Janil Puthucheary on Wednesday pointed to "significant" shifts in the global economics of recycling as a factor behind the decline in overall recycling rates. The review will begin in the coming months and complete in 2027.
While experts pointed to global shifts in recycling markets as part of the problem, domestic factors remain a significant challenge to Singapore's recycling goals.
MOVING FROM AWARENESS TO ACTION
The data suggest that awareness alone is no longer the main obstacle.
According to the National Environment Agency's 2025 household recycling survey, 78 per cent of households recycle, up from 72 per cent in 2023, and awareness of what can and cannot be recycled has also increased.
However, domestic recycling rates, which reflect recycling at households and trade premises such as shophouses, hawker centres and places of worship, have remained low.
"The disconnect lies between 'recycling participation' and 'effective recycling'," said Professor of Strategy and Sustainability at James Cook University Adrian Kuah.
More households may be attempting to recycle, but contamination of recyclables resulting in the limited recovery of good quality materials continues to undermine outcomes.
"This suggests that the problem is not just awareness or willingness, but the quality of recycling behaviour," Prof Kuah said.
He added that the domestic recycling rate was measured by tonnage recycled rather than the number of households participating.
"A household may recycle a few bottles or cans, but dispose much larger amounts of food waste and general waste down the rubbish chute.
"If the volume of successfully recycled material remains small, the recycling rate will stay low despite higher participation," he said.
Households also need clearer feedback and stronger behavioural signals of what they ought to do or avoid.
"More estate-level feedback, clearer labelling and visible reporting from grassroots (organisations) could help residents understand whether their recycling is actually effective," Prof Kuah said.
Singapore Management University's Associate Professor of Sustainability Communication Sonny Rosenthal noted that people who recycle do not always do so consistently or correctly.
He said that many people continue to throw recyclable items into general waste bins because they do not want the inconvenience of rinsing containers before disposal.
Singapore University of Social Sciences lecturer Eugene Or also pointed out that if households generate less waste overall, there will naturally be fewer recyclable materials entering the waste stream. Daily domestic waste generated per person fell from 1.06kg in 2015 to 0.83kg in 2025.
"As a result, a lower recycling volume does not necessarily indicate weaker participation in recycling. Rather, it may reflect broader changes in consumption patterns and waste generation behaviour," he said.
While stronger enforcement and disincentives are sometimes raised during discussions of how to improve recycling rates, experts said penalties should not be considered for now.
Prof Kuah said the priority should still be to build an "accountable" recycling system before imposing penalties on househ…
Read the full article at Channel NewsAsia (CNA) →
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