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Stiffer penalties and more visible punishments for litterbugs By Jeremy Koh | Posted: 06 June 2010 1444 hrs SINGAPORE : Singapore may be clean and green. But its streets are not free of litter. Between 2005 and 2009, the number of offenders increased more than ten-fold - to over 41,000, in part due to increased enforcement. Seven in ten of those caught are locals. Tougher penalties, like stiffer fines and greater public shaming, are being introduced to keep offenders at bay. The National Environment Agency (NEA) is also stepping up public engagement efforts, while making it easier for people to bin their trash. This year's anti-littering campaign is based on the findings of a new survey, and its key objective is to fight littering, by tackling social habits. Environment and Water Resources Minister Dr Yaacob Ibrahim said: "The study shows that some people see occasional littering as alright. The message we want to tell them is, there's no such thing as occasional littering. A litter is litter, whether it's at your home, at your park, in the drain, it will affect all of us." About 48 per cent of people surveyed also quoted "difficulty in locating bins" as the main reason for littering. Also, many litterbugs think they can get away. A majority feel that Corrective Work Order (CWO) is effective. That is why NEA has increased fines for first-time offenders - from $200 to $300. Those on CWO will have to sweep town centres, so that the punishment is more visible. Litter bins will be placed in areas where there's a greater need, while smoking areas will have bins with ash trays. NEA also wants to ensure zero tolerance of litter. Andrew Tan, CEO, National Environment Agency, said: "I cannot imagine how NEA on its part can be deploying double the number of people, triple the number of people, quadruple the number of people if the community itself does not now step in to say we do want to take action against litterbugs." Besides training more volunteers to be Litter-Free Ambassadors, it's also launching an anti-littering publicity campaign. The aim is to reduce litter in public places by 20 per cent and cut the number of litterbugs - from four in ten of the population - to three in ten by 2015. - CNA/jy

http://youtu.be/Xbs6eMxa5ds

Red light at the traffic light opp AMK Hub (the overhead bridge there) at 645pm today. This shoulder-length hair auntie (mayb uncle) open her SG* 6453E Black Mitsubishi Lancer OPC's door, saw her hand came out from under the door sneakily, "drop" a piece of used tissue on the road, closed door, n drove off! I was like WTF! now still got such uncivilised singaporean, should make this auntie wear CWO vest sweep the road. somemore after the traffic light, never signal cut into my lane. reminds me of some drivers who flicked their lit cigarette butts out of their car... if u r guilty, for safety of other drivers, pls refrain for such inconsiderate act. i dun mind drivers who flick their pisai out cos too small LOL but if motorcyclist open their mouth jialat liao haha.

June 12, 2008 Killer litter drama at Clementi block Woman arrested for throwing an assortment of items, ranging from shoes, cartons and papers from highrise flat By Eisen Teo and Stephanie Song IT was raining papers, shoes, cartons and even tupperware at Block 331, Clementi Avenue 2 on Thursday morning. Police received a call at 9.15 am about things being flung from a seventh-floor flat, littering a playground and void deck below. Two fire engines from the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) arrived at about 11.30 am and the rescuers quickly laid out an inflatable cushion at the foot of the block, as scores of residents looked on in suspense. More items continued to rain down from the flat, including hundreds of pieces of torn paper and pamphlets. Four SCDF personnel rappelled from the eighth floor to prevent the killer litter culprit from hurting herself. At 1.20 pm, police forced open the door to the flat and arrested 57-year-old Gina Ho Hock Tee. She was clad in a yellow blouse, blue and white striped shorts and yellow slippers. As the woman was being led away by police, she shouted: 'I never did anything wrong, why you handcuff me?' This is not the first time Ho had thrown things out of her flat, said her close friend, Ms Katherine Kng, 60, a factory worker. She had previously hurled pillows and blankets from her flat. Police are investigating. http://www.straitstimes.com/Latest%2...ry_247102.html ok.. other then the iron, no sharp object thrown.. tsk tsk. confirm is killer litter.. goto jail, lose flat. __________________ The other story French woman charged with killer-litter By Elena Chong A FRENCH national was charged in a magistrate's court on Thursday with a killer-litter offence. Sandrine Bionda Courbet, 39, a bank executive, is said to have thrown three knives and a wooden knife holder from the kitchen window of her 15th-floor flat at Ridgwood Close on Jan 27. She initially wanted to plead guilty but when told by the judge that the offence normally carried a jail term, she changed her mind. The judge had asked if she wanted to engage a lawyer. She asked for an adjournment to make representations. She is released on bail of $5,000. Her passport was impounded. She will be back in court on June 26. If convicted of the rash act, she faces a jail term of up to three months or a fine of $250 or both. ----------