Most diners returning trays on second day after dining in resumes at food centres
SINGAPORE – Most diners at two hawker centres were seen returning their trays and used cutlery on the second day after dining-in was allowed to resume.
When The Straits Times visited North Bridge Road Market and Food Centre at about 9.45am on Tuesday (June 22), more than 10 people were seen returning their trays.
It is mandatory for diners to return their trays and clear their table of litter from June 1, but no enforcement action will be taken until Aug 31 as part of an effort to help diners adjust, the National Environment Agency (NEA) had said on May 14.
But dining out was not allowed until Monday, after Singapore introduced the phase two (heightened alert) measures on May 16.
The Covid-19 pandemic has underscored the need to maintain high public hygiene and cleanliness standards. Despite years of extensive educational efforts to change behaviour and mindsets of diners in public places, there are still some who do not clear their tables or return trays at food courts and hawker centres.
Some diners were still seen not returning their trays when ST visited the hawker centres.
Senior Minister of State for Sustainability and the Environment Amy Khor said NEA officers had advised 4,500 diners to return their trays on Monday.
From Sept 1, enforcement action will be taken against those who do not clean up after themselves in public dining places.
First-time offenders will be given a written warning. Second-time offenders will face a $300 composition fine and subsequent offences may lead to court fines, which can go up to $2,000 for the first conviction.
The Singapore Food Agency will work with NEA to roll out enforcement progressively at coffee shops and food courts in the fourth quarter of this year.
Most diners that ST spoke to said they were aware that returning trays is now mandatory.
Mr Tan Toh Kian, who returned his tray after having his breakfast at the North Bridge Road hawker centre, felt most diners here do not have the habit of returning trays.
The 59-year-old Grab driver said: “I’ve always been doing it because it’s a good habit to have. It keeps the table clean for the next diner. I think making it compulsory is the only way to get people to adopt this habit.”
Another diner, Ms Rachel Cheng, said she was not aware that it was now mandatory despite returning her tray after her meal.
The 26-year-old, who works in e-commerce, said: “Giving people fines seems a bit heavy-handed. It is a good social norm to cultivate but fines do seem punitive.”
A hawker at Clementi 448 Market & Food Centre said making tray return mandatory benefits everyone, including hawkers.
Ms Saadah Zulkifli, 24, said: “Sometimes the cleaner will take time to clean up the plates on the tables. There are tables directly in front of my store and it is unhygienic because birds will come and pick on the leftover food on the plates.”