Cai Kai’an (SOC), Ngo Ngoc Phuong Uyen (SOC) & Roy Tan Chun Wang (FASS)
Academic Advisor: Ms. Sadaf Ansari
Inconvenience is a crucial factor in Singapore’s declining domestic recycling rate (NEA, 2019), with 82% of RVRC students (n=76) citing it as a reason for not recycling regularly (AY1920G20B, 2019). Our project aimed to address this by providing an opportunity for waste segregation, so as to enhance the recycling rate in the RVRC dining hall. We targeted the waste from grab-and-go items during the breakfast service. We installed separate recycling bins for drink cartons and sandwich packaging, over three weeks. This effort was supported by an awareness campaign targeted at the residents. We collected a total of 95 juice cartons and 78 plastic sandwich containers. Of the estimated 840 such recyclables generated from residents dining in, our project successfully diverted 173 (21%) of them. Hence, our placement of recycling bins in a suitable location, along with the publicity campaign, has indicated it as a successful strategy to increase recycling rates in the RVRC dining hall.