Return the tray or get fine on first day of rule enforcement

[The_King]

SINGAPORE - As patrons flocked to coffee shops and foodcourts on the first day of the new year, they had to remember to return their trays as the relevant rule began being enforced.

Most returned their used crockery at the NTUC Foodfare foodcourt in AMK Hub on Saturday (Jan 1), making Mrs Doris Choy's job easier.

The foodcourt cleaner, who is in her 70s, told The Sunday Times: "Most people returned their used plates after eating. I think they have got used to it already.

"Those who didn't, did so after I reminded them. They told me they had simply forgotten."

After an advisory period of two months, those who get caught flouting the tray return rule can now be sanctioned, and The Sunday Times observed most patrons at two coffee shops and two foodcourts clearing up after themselves at lunchtime on Saturday.

In response to queries from this newspaper, the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) said it issued about 140 advisories as at 3pm on Saturday, to remind diners at coffee shops and foodcourts to return their trays and dirty crockery, and clear their litter after their meals.

 

 

Those who fail to do so will be issued a written warning on their first offence. If they are caught a second time, they face a composition fine of $300, and a court fine of up to $2,000 for subsequent offences.

 

No written warnings or fines were issued on Saturday.

The punishment is simply not worth it, said Mr Cheng Lam Mui, a patron at the AMK Hub foodcourt, after clearing his tray.

The 70-year-old retiree said: "Once the rules kicked in a few months back, I already started to return my tray. There is no point getting fined for this."

 

Another diner at the foodcourt, retiree Lawrence Ho, 65, said that though he was aware of the new rule and the fines that came with it, he cleared his tray because he had been doing so since he was young.

He added: "This is a habit I learnt in primary school and I have been continuing it since then. Not only does it help the cleaners, but it also leaves a clean table for the next person to use."

While this reporter did not see any used crockery left behind at the AMK Hub foodcourt, there were a few at the nearby S-11 Food House.

Within an hour, four groups of diners were observed leaving their plates and cups on the table after eating at the coffee shop at Block 51 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 3, risking punishment.

Plates and crockery left behind by patrons on a table near a tray return station at the La Kopi coffee shop in Ang Mo Kio on Jan 1, 2022. ST PHOTO: KELVIN CHNG

Mr Sunil Mudambi was one of those who did clear his used cup, and he lamented that the authorities had to resort to sanctions to correct people's behaviour.

The managing director, who is in his 40s, said: "We should not have to be fined to clear up after ourselves. This should be basic social etiquette."

Over at Food Junction at Junction 8 in Bishan, most patrons were observed returning their trays, while a few did not.

The situation was the same at Kim San Leng Food Centre at Bishan Street 13, where a few customers also left used crockery behind.

There were cleaners stationed at the tray return points at the coffee shop to clear the returned utensils, but some had to leave their posts when they observed customers leaving behind used crockery on the table.

A 50-year-old cleaning supervisor there, who did not want to be named, was surprised  that people were still doing this despite the potential fines.

She said: "Despite the rules, there are some who still leave their plates and bowls behind. Maybe they think they won't get caught."

A boy returning his tray and crockery to a tray return station at Kim San Leng Food Centre on Jan 1, 2022. ST PHOTO: KELVIN CHNG

She said the situation has been like that since the start of the advisory period in November at the 24-hour coffee shop, especially during the wee hours of the night.

"If people clean up after themselves, it helps the cleaners clean the tables faster," she  added.

There were several signs reminding patrons to clear up after themselves at all the eating establishments The Sunday Times visited on Saturday.

SFA said on Thursday (Dec 30) that more than 7,000 diners were reminded to return their crockery and trays during the advisory period at foodcourts and coffee shops. There are about 1,120 coffee shops and 220 foodcourts in Singapore.

Foodfare staff member Tang Chiew Khin reminding patrons to return their trays and crockery at the NTUC Foodfare foodcourt in AMK Hub on Jan 1, 2022. ST PHOTO: KELVIN CHNG

Hawker centres began enforcing tray return rules earlier and one person has been issued a written warning as at Thursday for flouting the rules at one of the 114 National Environment Agency-run hawker centres islandwide.

Mr Choong Pei Nung, 57, a patron at the Kim San Leng Food Centre, said only a small minority continue to leave their used utensils behind.

The engineer said: "I have noticed that since the rules started, most people clear up after themselves and I am heartened by this.

"At crowded places like this, patrons often take over the tables soon after the previous customer leaves, and it is nice to have a table that is clean."

 

https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/community/patrons-at-food-courts-coffee-shops-seen-to-return-trays-on-first-day-of-rule-enforcement