Written Reply to Parliamentary Question on Refuse Bags at HDB Void Decks

Question:

Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song. To ask the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment (a) how many summonses have been issued by NEA in 2025 to individuals specifically for leaving refuse bags at HDB void decks next to refuse bins; (b) whether enforcement against such littering is the responsibility of Town Councils or NEA; and (c) whether there are plans to deploy dedicated ground level surveillance cameras to identify these offenders.

Answer:

Leaving refuse bags beside the litter bins constitutes a littering offence under the Environmental Public Health Act 1987, and it is enforced by the National Environment Agency (NEA). NEA does not track the number of enforcement actions taken for specific ground littering scenarios such as leaving refuse bags next to litter bins.

For persistent cases of litter being left beside litter bins in HDB void decks, NEA works with Town Councils, which manage cleaning of HDB estates, to educate residents on proper disposal practices. NEA also works with Town Councils to deploy or make use of existing surveillance camera systems to gather video evidence to facilitate NEA’s investigations and enforcement of the littering offences.