Reaching Out To Residents at NEA's Inaugural Earth Day Recycling Outreach Programme

In support of Earth Day this year, NEA organised a community recycling drive under the Recycling Outreach Programme (ROP) in Bishan Active Park. The inaugural event was held at Bishan Active Park on 24th April 2010, and was graced by the Guest-of-Honour, Dr Yaacob Ibrahim, Minister for the Environment and Water Resources.



The GOH, Dr Yaacob Ibrahim, urging youths to take an active interest in the environment and to develop the right attitude to be more environmentally-friendly

From 5th April 2010, students from nine schools in Bishan, Ang Mo Kio and Toa Payoh joined hands to collect recyclables from their school community. During the finale event at Bishan Active Park, some 350 students from Raffles Institution (Junior College), St Andrew’s Junior College, Raffles Institution, Catholic High School (Secondary), Ang Mo Kio Secondary School, CHIJ St Nicholas Girls’ School, Guangyang Secondary School, First Toa Payoh Primary School and Jing Shan Primary School engaged residents to adopt recycling habits by collecting recyclables from door-to-door at 35 HDB blocks around the Park. They were also joined by 20 Youth Olympic Games (YOG) volunteers from Environmental Challenge Organisation (Singapore), who were also keen to do their part for the environment.


At a count of 3, the GOH sounded the air horn to kick start the recycling drive

Through this event, NEA empowered the students to translate their knowledge of the 3Rs (Reduce, Reuse and Recycle) into an opportunity to engage and educate residents on the importance of households recycling as part of an environmentally friendly lifestyle.


Recycling efforts from Raffles Institution (Junior College)

The total amount of recyclables collected by the students from the school community and the Bishan residents reached an impressive 10 tonnes! To end the ROP event on a high note, NEA worked with the National Youth Achievement Award (NYAA) Council to organise a Youth Eco Concert for the students that evening, during which Ang Mo Kio Secondary School was presented with the Best Collector award by Mr Zainudin Nordin, Mayor of Central Singapore District, for collecting the highest amount of recyclables.

The recyclables collected for ROP also contributed towards the Central Singapore District-wide recycling initiative, Project E.A.R.T.H. and offset some of the carbon emitted from the NYAA Council’s Youth Eco Concert.



A lively song and dance performance by the ITE students at the Youth Eco Concert 2010