Smart recycling boxes, lockers at 83 more locations in S'pore by January

A system that uses smart recycling boxes and lockers to collect recyclables and food waste will be expanded to 83 more locations by Jan 1, 2025, after a successful trial in Bishan and Sin Ming that cut the contamination rate of recyclables.

- Ariel Yu

The system, introduced by local waste company 800 Super, collects paper, plastic, aluminium, glass, metal cans and clothing, and awards points to residents for depositing these separately. The points can be exchanged for FairPrice vouchers via an app.

Trialled alongside the smart recycling boxes is a food waste recycling locker. Users can put food scraps like fruit peel and fish and meat trimmings in provided airtight containers, and weigh them before placing them in the locker.

800 Super, which specialises in environmental solutions, plans to install the smart recycling boxes and lockers at new locations in Ang Mo Kio and Toa Payoh.

It first rolled out the system at 10 locations in Bishan and Sin Ming in April 2022. About 2,000 users have registered across the 10 locations as at May.

Mr Milton Ng, chief operating officer of 800 Super, said it will be replacing the first batch of smart boxes and lockers with new ones in stages, as well as replacing the app by Aug 1.

He acknowledged that there are teething problems in the technology, but the company is working to iron out the kinks.

For instance, when The Straits Times visited Block 125 Bishan Street 12 – one of the locations where the 800 Super bins are installed – on June 23, the plastic recycling box was sealed off with a sign stating it was under maintenance and the display screen was faulty.

The adjacent food waste recycling lockers were also not in use.

The display screen on the smart recycling boxes at Block 112 Bishan Street 12 was also under maintenance, but the food waste recycling lockers were functioning.

Residents also said they sometimes face difficulties logging into the app, and that points accrued take a while to be reflected.

Said Mr Ng: “It was a lot of trial (and error) because of issues with system integration… We had challenges in terms of capturing the data and also issuing points to the participants.”