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Straits Times
20-07-2025
- Business
- Straits Times
Smart recycling boxes pop up at 51 new spots since May; 37 in Ang Mo Kio GRC
The smart recycling boxes only require users to key in their mobile numbers to unlock hatches to dispose of recyclables according to type. SINGAPORE – Local waste company 800 Super has pushed ahead with a wider roll-out of its smart recycling boxes from May, close to a year after ironing out several kinks in the technology from its pilot across 10 locations in Bishan East-Sin Ming. Over the past two weeks, the company fitted out its bins – which let users exchange recyclables for NTUC FairPrice vouchers – in 14 locations across Serangoon North, Potong Pasir and Braddell Heights, after its systems made its way to 37 void decks across all Ang Mo Kio GRC divisions in May. 800 Super is the public waste collector appointed by the National Environment Agency to collect refuse and recyclables for the Ang Mo Kio-Toa Payoh sector. It also serves the Pasir Ris-Bedok sector. Glitches such as login difficulties, blank screens and hatches that won't open in the bins used during the two-year trial in Bishan and Sin Ming should now be a thing of the past. Those bins have been replaced by improved bins from a new vendor, 800 Super told The Straits Times ahead of the launch of the Ang Mo Kio bins on July 20. Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong at the launch of the smart recycling boxes in Ang Mo Kio on July 20. ST PHOTO: AZMI ATHNI Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong attended the launch on the side of an event celebrating the completion of the Teck Ghee Neighbourhood Renewal Programme at Blocks 221 to 226 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 1. The software powering the smart recycling boxes has become more intuitive, only requiring users to key in their mobile numbers to unlock hatches to dispose of recyclables according to type – metal, plastic, paper, glass and old clothes. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore 1 in 3 vapes here laced with etomidate; MOH working with MHA to list it as illegal drug: Ong Ye Kung Singapore HSA extends hotline hours, launches new platform to report vaping offences Singapore 2-in-1 airport police robot on trial can patrol and serve as PMD with ride-hailing feature Asia Tearful relatives await news of victims in Vietnam boat capsize Singapore ComfortDelDro to discipline driver who flung relative's wheelchair out of taxi Multimedia How to make the most out of small homes in Singapore Asia Over 380,000 people affected by autogate glitch at JB checkpoint over 2 days Singapore Minor Issues: Why I didn't send my daughters to my brand-name primary school Users previously needed to generate a QR code from the 800 Super Recycle Right mobile app to scan it on a QR reader at the bins to unlock a hatch. Even so, screens might turn unresponsive after a scan, leaving users stranded with their recyclables. The risk of being stranded with recyclables is lower now as the refreshed app allows users to check the 'fill' status for each bin live before they go down. Previous users could not find out if a bin close to them is full. The new bins are bigger as well, allowing residents to fit more recyclables. Each of the five bins situated at each void deck can accommodate 360 litres, up from 240 litres previously. They have replaced the previous bins in the trial sites since July 2024, and their ease of use has more than doubled the recycling rates there. Monthly collections from the 10 trial sites have averaged some 15,000 kg since the switch, a far cry from the 7,517 kg average in the seven months prior. Since the smart bins were rolled out in Ang Mo Kio GRC between May 13 and 19, more than 2,500 of its residents have downloaded the 800 Super app to start collecting points. As at July 1, they have recycled 29,961 kg of metal, plastic, paper, glass and textiles. Madam Florence Lee, a 76-year-old retired hotel housekeeper, has used the bins below her flat at Block 225 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 1 more than 200 times since they were installed, earning 1,072 points. She can use 1,000 points to claim a $10 FairPrice voucher. Carrying a bag of about 20 metal cans on July 20, she deftly keyed in her mobile number on the screen and deposited the cans without a hitch, earning a point from her effort. She had brought back the cans from her estate to her flat for a wash first. On her mobile app, ST could see her last deposit of 1.96 kg of paper waste the night before was more rewarding, yielding her 10 points. Her best returns were 30 points, from depositing a big bag of used clothes someone else had left by a common bin. She told ST she has made it a daily routine to pick and sort common refuse, such as used delivery boxes, since she noticed the segregated recycling bins. The former avid user of the blue recycling bins said she doesn't mind going the extra mile, now that she would be rewarded for her recycling efforts. 'I am used to it. Even without this, I always take (recyclables) to throw in the (blue bins). People stare at me, but I am doing the right thing,' she said, noting that people 'spoil the world' when they don't do their part for the environment. The blue bins are a less sophisticated means of collecting recyclables, with metal, glass, plastic and paper waste mixed in a bin and sorted later in facilities. Each of the five new bins situated at each void deck can accommodate 360 litres, up from 240 litres previously. ST PHOTO: AZMI ATHNI Residents said there's still room for improvement. 800 Super could, for example, provide a QR code directing new users to download the app. They could also make the rewards system more bite-sized to motivate users to develop the habit of recycling. A 65-year-old former office worker, who arrived at the bins at Ang Mo Kio Avenue 1 with two big bags of paper and plastic recyclables on July 20, said she has accumulated only 50 points so far despite making it a point to recycle things since hearing about the bins weeks ago. She said she would feel more motivated if incentives can be redeemed in 100-point blocks. For the rest of the year, 800 Super would still set up new boxes in 22 other locations in the Ang Mo Kio-Toa Payoh sector. The company's director Milton Ng said the initiative supports the Singapore Green Plan 2030 and the national push towards a Zero Waste Nation by providing residents with convenient, 24/7 access to segregated recycling. The pilot showed recyclables collected through the smart bins were cleaner by 95 per cent, he added. This is significant as contamination is a major challenge for domestic recycling in Singapore. Contaminated recyclables are incinerated. Separately, SM Lee thanked residents at the completion ceremony of the Teck Ghee Neighbourhood Renewal Programme for putting up with the noise and inconvenience since upgrading works started during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2021. The government-funded initiative to rejuvenate older estates delivered close to 30 new and upgraded facilities, including covered linkways, drop-off points and covered barrier-free access ramps to improve the area's connectivity, the Ang Mo Kio Town Council said. 'Four years through Covid, we persevered and we (have) now completed it,' SM Lee said as he urged residents to make full use of the new facilities. 'We hope that this will make you a little happier and give you more opportunities to live fulfilling, healthy, forward-looking good lives.' At the ceremony, the town council also launched a set of exclusive commemorative tattoo stickers, which feature the dragon playground in Cheng San and the twin Merlion statues at Ang Mo Kio Avenue 1, among other heritage icons. Residents may collect the stickers from the front counters of the town council's offices at Avenue 1 and Avenue 10.
Straits Times
01-07-2025
- Automotive
- Straits Times
Bike-sharing company HelloRide to expand S'pore fleet to 20,000, roll out bikes with added features
HelloRide's fleet expansion will help it remain competitive amid the Government's plans to push for more walk-cycle-ride commutes. ST PHOTO: AZMI ATHNI Bike-sharing company HelloRide to expand S'pore fleet to 20,000, roll out bikes with added features SINGAPORE – Chinese bicycle-sharing company HelloRide has been given the go-ahead to expand its bike fleet to 20,000 – up from 15,000 – starting July 1, and it plans to roll out two-wheelers with added features such as phone holders, better pedals and seats. The Land Transport Authority (LTA) has approved the company's application to renew its licence to operate a fleet of up to 20,000 for one year until June 30, 2026, said an LTA spokesperson on July 1. LTA said that its considerations for granting HelloRide's new licence include the operator's plans to manage indiscriminate parking and its record for doing so, as well as efforts to educate users on proper parking behaviour. It added that it takes into account the total shared bicycle population in Singapore, demand for bicycle sharing services and availability of parking infrastructure when evaluating applications for fleet expansions. 'We will continue to closely monitor the supply and demand of the deployed fleets, while ensuring all operators continue to manage dis-amenities,' said an LTA spokesperson. The expansion will help HelloRide remain competitive amid the Government's plans to push for more walk, cycle, ride commutes and the opening of more bicycle paths, said HelloRide general manager Hayden Choo. 'Walk, cycle, ride' is the Government's vision of sustainable transport, focusing on walking, cycling and public transport as the main modes of travel. The fleet expansion comes after HelloRide increased its fleet to 10,000 shared bicycles in July 2023 from the 1,000 bikes it had when it started in 2022, with an add-on of 5,000 in October 2024. HelloRide also operates in Australia, New Zealand and, recently, in Hong Kong. The new fleet of HelloRide commuter bikes, which has been tested in China, will come with centre-mounted phone holders and improved seat adjustability to accommodate different rider heights. 'These were the two most requested features from users, and we believe they'll be a clear differentiator compared with Anywheel,' said Mr Choo. Anywheel, which was founded locally, is the other bicycle-sharing operator in Singapore. Mr Choo said HelloRide is also in the process of refreshing its existing bicycle fleet with new commuter bikes. The total shared-bike fleet allowed on the streets here has expanded to 55,000 under LTA's bicycle-share licensing framework, said LTA. This is up from 50,000 before the expansion. All bike-sharing operators in Singapore require a full licence under LTA to operate here. HelloRide, which is owned by Chinese conglomerate Alibaba's fintech affiliate Ant Group, was given a 'sandbox' licence in 2022 when it set up shop here to operate a fleet of up to 1,000, and had to apply for a full licence when it increased its fleet. Mr Choo added that the firm will deploy the new bikes at various hot spots in Singapore to cater to casual lifestyle riders and those who use them to commute. Its shared bikes are now deployed at East Coast Park, Marina Bay Sands, National Stadium, parks along the Kallang River, and a few other districts including Little India, Bugis and Boon Keng. HelloRide has the second-largest fleet here after market leader Anywheel, which currently operates a fleet of 35,000 , after operator SG Bike pulled out of the market in April 2024 . Anywheel's chief executive Htay Aung said Anywheel now serves two million users in Singapore, since its launch in 2017, and has seen a five-digit growth of new users month on month. 'We still see a lot of potential in Singapore based on current data,' said Mr Htay Aung. The operator has expanded its fleet several times since its start here, including its first expansion to 10,000 bikes from 1,000 after graduating from its sandbox licence in 2018 and doubling its fleet from 15,000 to 30,000 in 2022. Anywheel's focus now is on rolling out its new generation of bikes in August to renew its bike fleet, after a test batch of about 1,000 bikes deployed on the streets here since February, said Mr Htay Aung. The operator also hopes to apply for a new licence to raise its maximum fleet size after the roll-out, but plans are contingent on data and whether there is a strong demand, he added. 'Any competitor, including HelloRide, as long as they play fairly, I think they should be welcomed to Singapore. It's good for the market and good for us,' he said. Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
Straits Times
29-06-2025
- Business
- Straits Times
Depot Lane industrial estate and warehouses to be vacated by Q4 to make way for housing
Under URA's master plan, the Depot Lane industrial estate is part of a 7.3ha site zoned for residential use. ST PHOTO: AZMI ATHNI Depot Lane industrial estate and warehouses to be vacated by Q4 to make way for housing SINGAPORE - An industrial estate and a row of warehouses at Depot Lane in Bukit Merah will be vacated by the fourth quarter of 2025 to make way for housing. JTC Corporation, which manages the industrial estate, said the plot will be returned to the state for future residential development, in response to queries from The Straits Times. Under the Urban Redevelopment Authority's master plan, the Depot Lane industrial estate is part of a 7.3ha site zoned for residential use. Its plot ratio, which determines the intensity of the development, is subject to detailed evaluation. The industrial estate, consisting of about 240 units across eight blocks, was built in the 1970s. Six adjacent warehouses, which make up the rest of the plot, are owned by the Singapore Land Authority (SLA). JTC said tenants were told about the redevelopment plans for the area in 2018 and were offered replacement factory spaces at JTC Space @ Ang Mo Kio or Bedok Food City. Western food stall Original Botak Jones took to social media in April to announce the closure of its outlet in the Yue Hua coffee shop at Depot Lane on June 22 due to redevelopment of the area. 'We reopened this outlet during the most uncertain times – in 2021, when dining in wasn't even allowed. It's been an incredible four-year journey,' it said. The coffee shop shuttered on June 23. Mr Xu Tianmu, director of Yue Hua coffee shop, told ST that he felt reluctant to close the place as it had been at Depot Lane for around 20 years. 'It's quite sad because this is the oldest coffee shop we have. Many of the stallholders have been with us for more than 15 years,' said Mr Xu, who also ran the Original Botak Jones outlet there. He took up JTC's offer of a replacement site at Bedok Food City and set up an Original Botak Jones outlet there in 2022. 'Depot Lane used to be very vibrant and business used to be good,' he said, adding that many businesses moved out of the industrial estate about three years ago. When ST visited the Depot Lane industrial estate on June 24, many of the tenants appeared to have moved out. Mr Alex Lim, owner of PPF Singapore Xpel, a company that sells protection films for vehicles, said it has to move out of Depot Lane by the end of June, after about five years there. He said he had to bid for a unit at an industrial park in Ang Mo Kio, as JTC had not offered him a replacement site. When ST visited the Depot Lane industrial estate on June 24, most of the tenants appeared to have moved out. ST PHOTO: AZMI ATHNI JTC said business owners who took up tenancies after the announcement of the redevelopment plans in 2018 were told not to expect replacement sites when they were asked to vacate. Although Mr Lim was awarded the Ang Mo Kio unit, he lamented that its monthly rental of $4,500 is markedly higher than the $2,600 rent for the Depot Lane unit. In 2018, all of the Housing Board's industrial properties and land – including the Depot Lane industrial estate – were transferred to JTC. Tenants that were originally under HDB will be offered replacement units and other relocation benefits when they move out due to redevelopment, under HDB's Industrial Redevelopment Programme. The owner of a construction engineering firm, whose office has been at the Depot Lane industrial estate since 1987, said he initially wanted to take up JTC's offer of a replacement unit in Ang Mo Kio. But he could not get his preferred ground-floor unit. The owner, who declined to be named owing to the sensitivity of the matter, said he tried bidding for an industrial unit in Penjuru Close. As the tender closed with another tenderer placing the highest bid, he is unsure if he will be awarded the unit. 'When we get a new place, we still need to renovate it, arrange for electrical installations and a lot of things. All this needs money,' he said. The SLA-owned warehouses at Depot Lane are tenanted to a master tenant, real estate management services group LHN Group, ST understands. All sub-tenants will also have to vacate the site by the fourth quarter of 2025. Mr Lee Sze Teck, senior director of data analytics at real estate firm Huttons Asia, said there could be pent-up demand for homes in the Depot Road area as the last public housing development there was launched in 2012. Depot Road is sandwiched between two mature estates – Redhill and Telok Blangah – and there was good demand for the four-room flats in the Depot Heights Built-To-Order (BTO) project launched in July 2012, he noted. Mr Lee estimated that, with a gross plot ratio of 3, more than 2,000 HDB flats can be built on the 7.3ha site, around the area of 10 football fields. He said BTO flats there could fall under the Standard category as it is not near any MRT stations. Standard flats, which come with a five-year minimum occupation period (MOP), form the bulk of flat supply. Plus and Prime flats, which are closer to the city centre, transport nodes and amenities, come with stricter resale conditions, such as a 10-year MOP and a subsidy clawback. Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
Straits Times
27-06-2025
- Business
- Straits Times
New $123m advanced facility launched, gives local semiconductor firms a leg-up
Minister-in-charge of Energy and Science & Technology Tan See Leng (centre) tours the cleanroom at the National Semiconductor Translation and Innovation Centre for Gallium Nitride during its launch on June 26. ST PHOTO: AZMI ATHNI SINGAPORE – A new $123 million facility that enables Singapore to produce advanced semiconductors for the designing of more compact and larger-capacity electronics and communications systems opened its doors on June 26 under an ambitious national plan. The National Semiconductor Translation and Innovation Centre for Gallium Nitride – dubbed NSTIC (GaN) – at one-north is slated to start commercial services in mid-2026. Speaking at the centre's launch, Minister-in-charge of Energy and Science & Technology Tan See Leng said the local semiconductor industry has the potential to be more competitive globally. It currently accounts for close to 6 per cent of Singapore's gross domestic product and employs about 35,000 people . 'With a surging demand for such systems, the global radio frequency gallium nitride device market is projected to double to over US$2.7 billlion (S$3.4 billion) from 2022 to 2028 ,' said Dr Tan, adding that the new centre aims to capture some of these opportunities. Gallium nitride (GaN) can operate at higher voltages and generate less heat compared with traditional silicon. These properties allow for smaller and more energy-efficient devices crucial for the development of 5G and 6G communications and satellite systems, commonly used for autonomous vehicle navigation and remote surveillance. 'In today's volatile global environment, marked by supply chain fragmentation and strategic competition, what we're doing reinforces the importance of investing and developing world-leading capabilities,' said Dr Tan. 'It is only by building a deep technological differentiation can we then achieve our objectives of driving the next bound of high-growth value add... and position ourselves at the forefront of next generation semiconductor technologies.' In 2023, NSTIC (GaN) received $123 million in funding over five years to set up production lines and pay for manpower costs and expertise. A partnership between A*Star, DSO National Laboratories and Nanyang Technological University, NSTIC (GaN) aims to provide companies and researchers with local access to advanced wafer fabrication and prototyping infrastructure. It is part of a broader NSTIC initiative led by A*Star, which aims to uplift the local semiconductor industry. Other NSTIC centres include NSTIC (Advanced Photonics), which focuses on R&D in flat optics and silicon photonics, and NSTIC (R&D Fab), a $500 million national advanced packaging facility at JTC nanoSpace @ Tampines. NSTIC (GaN) is the first in Singapore to host both 6-inch GaN-on-Silicon Carbide and 8-inch GaN-on-Silicon wafer fabrication lines. ST PHOTO: AZMI ATHNI NSTIC (GaN) is the first in Singapore to host both 6-inch GaN-on-Silicon Carbide and 8-inch GaN-on-Silicon wafer fabrication lines. A wafer is a thin circular semiconductor material that is used as the base of hundreds to thousands of chips. The diameter of the wafer determines the number of chips that can be fabricated, which impacts production efficiency and cost. Having both production lines will allow the centre to serve a range of applications, from common consumer products to advanced satellite communication systems, said Dr Tan. NSTIC (GaN)'s commercial services will allow companies to overcome high capital costs, which is often a pain point in research translation, he added. 'Our small and medium-sized enterprises and start-ups would be able to access these services locally to accelerate their product development and fabrication, and achieve speed-to-market,' Dr Tan said. Several memorandums of understanding and research collaboration agreements were signed on June 26. One of them is between NSTIC (GaN), DSO National Laboratories and local start-up WaferLead to develop high-quality silicon carbide substrates, which is a key component in GaN wafer production. WaferLead's chief executive Sunil Wickramanayaka said that creating a high volume production line for components in Singapore requires a huge capital, which budget-strapped start-ups may not be able to access. Here is where NSTIC (GaN) comes in handy. Using NSTIC (GaN)'s equipment instead of buying its own is projected to save WaferLead around $6 million to $10 million in capital costs, he said. WaferLead produces bare silicon carbide and epitaxial silicon carbide wafers, which can be used in power devices such as electric cars, solar inverters and wind generators, Dr Sunil added. 'We can use that money instead for other applications, such as market and product development, and that helps us a lot,' he said. Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
26-06-2025
- Business
- Straits Times
New $123m advanced facility launches, gives local semiconductor firms a leg-up
Minister-in-charge of Energy and Science & Technology Tan See Leng (centre) tours the cleanroom at the National Semiconductor Translation and Innovation Centre for Gallium Nitride during its launch on June 26. ST PHOTO: AZMI ATHNI SINGAPORE - A new $123 million facility that enables Singapore to produce advanced semiconductors for the designing of more compact and larger-capacity electronics and communications systems opened its doors on June 26 under an ambitious national plan. The National Semiconductor Translation and Innovation Centre for Gallium Nitride - dubbed NSTIC (GaN) - located in one-north, is slated to start commercial services in mid-2026. Speaking at the centre's launch, Minister-in-charge of Energy and Science & Technology Dr Tan See Leng said that the local semiconductor industry has the potential to be more competitive globally. It currently accounts for close to six per cent of Singapore's gross domestic product, hiring around 35,000 people . 'With a surging demand for such systems, the global radio frequency gallium nitride device market is projected to double to over US$2.7 billlion from 2022 to 2028 ,' said Dr Tan, adding that the new centre aims to capture some of these opportunities. Gallium nitride (GaN) can operate at higher voltages and generate less heat compared with traditional silicon. These properties allow for smaller and more energy-efficient devices crucial for the development of 5G and 6G communications and satellite systems, commonly used for autonomous vehicle navigation and remote surveillance. 'In today's volatile global environment, marked by supply chain fragmentation and strategic competition, what we're doing reinforces the importance of investing and developing world-leading capabilities,' said Dr Tan. 'It is only by building a deep technological differentiation can we then achieve our objectives of driving the next bound of high-growth value position ourselves at the forefront of next generation semiconductor technologies.' In 2023 , NSTIC (GaN) received $123 million in funding over five years to set up production lines, and pay for manpower costs and expertise. A partnership between the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), DSO National Laboratories and Nanyang Technological University, NSTIC (GaN) aims to provide companies and researchers with local access to advanced wafer fabrication and prototyping infrastructure. It is part of a broader NSTIC initiative led by A*STAR, which aims to uplift the local semiconductor industry. Other NSTIC centres include NSTIC (Advanced Photonics), which focuses on R&D in flat optics and silicon photonics, and NSTIC (R&D Fab), a $500 million national advanced packaging facility at JTC nanoSpace @ Tampines NSTIC (GaN) is the first in Singapore to host both 6-inch GaN-on-Silicon Carbide and 8-inch GaN-on-Silicon wafer fabrication lines. ST PHOTO: AZMI ATHNI NSTIC (GaN) is the first in Singapore to host both 6-inch GaN-on-Silicon Carbide and 8-inch GaN-on-Silicon wafer fabrication lines. A wafer is a thin circular semiconductor material that is used as the base of dozens to hundreds of chips. The diameter of the wafer determines the number of chips that can be fabricated, which impacts production efficiency and cost. For instance, an 8-inch GaN-on-Silicon wafer costs around $1,000, while the 6-inch GaN-on-Silicon Carbide wafer costs three times more, said Prof Ng Geok Ing, executive director of NSTIC (GaN) . Having both production lines will allow the centre to serve a range of applications, from common consumer products to advanced satellite communication systems, said Dr Tan. NSTIC (GaN)'s commercial services will allow companies to overcome high capital costs, which is often a pain point in research translation, said Dr Tan. He added: 'Our small and medium-sized enterprises and start-ups would be able access these services locally to accelerate their product development and fabrication, and achieve speed-to-market.' Several memorandums of understanding and research collaboration agreements were signed on June 26 . One of them is between NSTIC (GaN) and local start-up WaferLead to develop high-quality silicon carbide substrates, which is a key component in GaN wafer production. WaferLead's chief executive Dr Sunil Wickramanayaka said that creating a high volume production line for components in Singapore requires a huge capital, which budget-strapped start-ups may not be able to access. Here is where NSTIC (GaN) comes in handy. Using NSTIC (GaN)'s equipment instead of buying its own is projected to save WaferLead around $6 to $10 million in capital costs , said Dr Sunil. WaferLead produces bare silicon carbide and epitaxial silicon carbide wafers, which can be used in power devices such as electric cars, solar inverters and wind generators, said Dr Sunil. 'We can use that money instead for other applications, such as market and product development, and that helps us a lot,' he added. Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
