Student Law Huimin was so passionate about recycling at home that she kept recyclables in her bedroom. But several of her classmates had parents who complained that recycled items took up too much space in their flats and looked unsightly in the kitchen.
So, Ms Law and five other Singapore Polytechnic (SP) students decided to design a stylish and compact recycling bin for their final-year project after conducting a survey of residents of 100 HDB households.
Ms Law, a 19-year-old property development and facility management student, said: “We found that most Singaporeans (87 per cent) wished they could recycle more but the lack of recycling bins at home did not encourage them to do so.”
Though Singapore’s national recycling rate has been increasing over the years - from 47 per cent in 2003 to 57 per cent in 2009 - the recycling rate for paper, glass and plastic for both households and businesses in 2009 were only 48 per cent, 21 per cent and 9 per cent respectively. The recycling rates for used slag, construction debris and ferrous metals in that same year were 99 per cent, 98 per cent and 92 per cent.
The SP students hope their recycling bin will get more Singaporeans to recycle. Measuring 40cm by 53cm by 71 cm, the bin has three flexible and adjustable compartments to accommodate three different types of recyclables.
Student Daryl Lim, 19, said: “It’s really important to separate your waste, otherwise it contaminates the whole collection which then cannot be recycled. “
The compartments can be closed to keep out unpleasant smells and a sliding cover conceals the contents of the bin. The built-in compactor at the bottom of the bin reduces the volume of the recyclables.
Though the bin was designed for home use, it can be enlarged for commercial use, said the students.
SP hopes to find a manufacturer for the bin and is confident it can retail for under $20.
For their efforts, the six students won a Special Merit Award of $2,000 from Sembawang Shipyard’s Green Wave Environmental Care Competition last October. The competition requires students to think of innovative ideas and projects that can improve and protect the environment.
