High-rise Littering Cases Reported and Individuals Charged Since Introduction of Presumption Sections in Environmental Public Health Act 1987

Mr Gan Thiam Poh asked the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment since the introduction of presumption sections in the Environmental Public Health Act 1987 for littering from residential flats (a) how many cases of high-rise littering have been reported; and (b) how many individuals have been charged for such offences.

Ms Grace Fu Hai Yien: The statutory presumption provision for littering from residential flats came into force on 1 July 2023. Between 1 July 2023 and 8 October 2023, the National Environment Agency (NEA) received and followed up on close to 7,800 feedback cases on high-rise littering. Over the same period, about 140 acts of high-rise littering from over 80 residential flats were recorded by surveillance cameras deployed by NEA. Enforcement action has been taken against 36 offenders, of which four individuals have been charged under the statutory presumption provision after they failed to respond to NEA’s letters providing them with the opportunity to justify why the presumption provision should not be applied to them. As high-rise littering is a serious offence, NEA will continue to take swift and firm enforcement against offenders.