Marcus Lee Eugene (SOC), Raeanne Yong Rui Xuan (FASS), Jessica Charisse Ganadhi (FOS), Xiao TianLe (FOS)
Academic Advisor: Ms. Sadaf Ansari
The overall domestic recycling rate in Singapore is 20% (MEWR, 2018), and only 60% households recycle their trash on a regular basis (NEA, 2019). Our survey found that recycling participation in RVRC residents (n=50) is 30% – less than half of the national recycling rate, and that inconvenience and lack of recycling knowledge are the primary causes. Furthermore, during a spot check, we found 4 of 9 recycling bins contaminated. Our project aimed to tackle these interconnected problems by testing a specially designed compartmentalised bin, with visual aids to allow easy sorting of trash. Our bin re-design was based on the residents’ survey feedback. The re-designed bins were provided to 12 randomly selected residents, and their use was tracked over three weeks to collect data on recycling. Our findings indicate a significant increase in the rate of recycling and a decrease in rate of contamination among participants, showing the effectiveness of the newly designed bin.