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Judith Tan
News Correspondent
Scent of a garbage bag
October 23, 2008 Thursday, 08:35 PM
Judith Tan examines why some aren't keeping their rubbish in the chutes.
IT SEEMS Singaporeans have got the recycling bug. Many are making the effort to separate their recyclable trash from perishable rubbish. Yet for every one who has got the message, just as many continue to drop their garbage outside the chute instead of throwing it in. Like a scene from some strange planet, plastic bag after plastic bag of garbage dot the foot of chutes, like subjects bowing to stainless steel ruler royalty. An after-dinner stroll along the corridors of many of the HDB flats with common rubbish chutes reveals the unwecolme sight – not to mention the smell of garbage wafting into the flats nearest to the chutes. There is one thing to be said about leaving bags and bags around the chute, another about leaving bags and bags around the chute – untied! ‘Eau de leftovers’, the scent of used nappies and the aroma of decay would usually enter these homes like unwelcome dinnertime guests. Student Stelle Tan, 16, whose Choa Chu Kang flat is diagonally across from a chute, told the Straits Times she loses her appetite each time the wind carries the smell into her dining room. It’s the same for Mr Muhd Imran from Tampines, who said he was tormented by inconsiderate new neighbours leaving rubbish bags outside after 10 years of clean-air living. His flat too, is the nearest to the rubbish chute along his level. He even blogged about the incident out of frustration. For many residents it’s a mystery. Why do people, leave rubbish unattended along the corridor, without sparing a thought about cleanliness of the common area - or for the cleaner who has to face it in the morning. It’s like the cleaner and the Town Council are on a treadmill. Each morning they remove the often untied bags of rubbish and clean the corridors. But every day like clockwork, the plastic bags return – smell and all. Recycling may be a lesson learned. But the one lesson that’s still outstanding is consideration. After all, if common areas resemble a landfill site and stink to high heaven then it’s time to remember your home is located there as well. Tags: environment, singapore 
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I would like to point out that people these days seem less concern with waste management. For example, there are cases where people throw their rubbish (the likes of 'gold diggers') out of the window. Somehow there is no connection with non-killer litters as litters and so waste management is to be applied. Are there an absense of waste bins concept at homes?
Singaporeans understand one thing. FINE. Then it will stop. Courtesy is not our way of life, even though we sang it to the rafters some 30 years ago. FINE >FINE> FINE> them...and it will stop.
People like us also face smelly rubbish bin problem. Some pet's owner or their maid use newspaper or small plastic bag to pick up their pet's poo. They convienently throw them into my rubbish bin outside my house. The rubbish truck came to collect my garbage, pick up my gabbage which is tied up in garbage bag and leave the pet's poo behind. Image the smell at the bottom of my bin for days.
I didn't dare to open my bin.
I have experience something worse then throw the rubbish in the common area.I have a problem with one of the neigbours in the block.they throw their rubbish in the lift!
really unbearable.but after one of my neighbours found out who are they and
tell them off .they stopped doing that.
I personnally do not think that Singapore is working hard enough on waste management. The people should be allowed to get involve in the way we disposed off our waste. There are currently many alternatives to waste management and at much lower cost (estimated to be one-tenth of the current cost of a few hundred million dollars a year) but with a compulsory refuse fee that all households have to pay, the system does not help in the reduction of waste instead it generates a selfish behaviour. This is normal. In addition, when HDB introduced the common refuse chute, there was no public consultation and they were the only one that decided what the users should do. The result confirms that HDB is wrong and it is time that they learn this lesson and start a public consultation before it gets worse. Of course, they can resort to fines and I guess that this is what they will do. It is just part of Singapore! This is very unfortunate as Singapore will be much better off if the people can be consultted in public related issues.
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