Bishan East is latest neighbourhood to get community litter-picking facility
SINGAPORE - More community litter-picking facilities will be rolled out across the island to nurture collective responsibility in public cleanliness, said the Public Hygiene Council (PHC).
The latest housing estate to get the community shed, known as a CleanPod, is Bishan Cresta . Located next to the estate at Bishan Street 13 and along the park connector, the CleanPod launched on May 11 will help residents take the initiative in clearing litter in the community by providing equipment such as tongs and buckets.
The launch capped off a month-long Keep Singapore Clean 2025 campaign, which saw over 13,000 participants take part in some 250 cleanup activities across residential areas, parks, and community spaces.
The expansion of CleanPods - Bishan Cresta's is the 23rd one - is part of the CleanHood initiative launched in April to deepen collective responsibility for public cleanliness by equipping the community with resources to keep their common spaces hygienic.
Following the launch event, more than 50 residents and volunteers were joined by newly-elected Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC MP Elysa Chen to pick up litter in the vicinity using equipment from the shed.
Among them was Mr Jonathan Ng, who is chairman of the Bishan Youth Network and who has been volunteering in Bishan for 10 years.
The 28-year-old public servant said that while there are estate cleanup initiatives from time to time, the equipment would have to be brought over from Bishan Community Club. The new CleanPod eases the logistics and makes it more convenient for the volunteers, he added.
The shed also serves as a reminder for everyone to keep the park clean, he said. He noted that while the estate is generally clean, the litter found in the residential areas include food wrappers and flyers, while plastic bags and cups can be found near the park connector.
PHC chairman Andrew Khng said at the launch that keeping Singapore clean is a shared mission, and reflects the community's shared values of responsibility, respect, and collective ownership of one's home.
The first CleanPod was launched in July 2019, and while initially placed at parks and beaches, they were later expanded into residential neighbourhoods from October 2021. There are now CleanPods in housing estates in Beach Road, Pek Kio and Yuhua, as well as in Coney Island Park and Gardens by the Bay.
When asked about the utilisation rate of the existing CleanPods, Mr Khng said 'usage has grown steadily'.
He added the council is identifying more strategic locations to roll out CleanPods, making it easier for residents and organisations to take part in spontaneous clean-ups or to plan community activities as part of everyday life.
PHC has also officially launched the Cleanhood @School initiative for primary and secondary schools, and that students will also have access to CleanPods within their estates to support their learning and activities, he added.
The new CleanPod in Bishan is located next to Kuo Chuan Presbyterian Primary and Secondary School.
Mr Khng said that as part of the Cleanhood @School initiative, primary schools students will go through the Buddy Clean Workshop, where they will learn about Singapore's cleanliness journey, develop appreciation for cleaners, and gain hands-on experience through proper use of cleaning tools and cleaning their schools.
Ms Chen, who was elected on May 3, told reporters at the event that she had spoken to students from Ai Tong School about their clean-up initiatives, and that she was very proud of their community spirit.
Newly-elected Bishan-Toa Payoh MP Elysa Chen (second from right) handing out tools and equipment to volunteers on May 11.
ST PHOTO: DESMOND FOO
The executive director of CampusImpact, a charity which helps disadvantaged youth, also said she was touched by her residents' warmth since the election, and that some early priorities include introducing mental health initiatives for the community.
'I don't have a concrete plan worked out right now, (but) I just know that this is a big need in our community,' she said.
'There's also a lot of interest from our young people who want to come along and help me with it, so it really has to be a ground-up thing. So there's going to be a process of consultation, working with the grassroots, and seeing what that actual plan looks like.'
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