DISPOSAL OF BULKY REFUSE FROM HDB FLATS

[Mr Speaker in the Chair]

Mr Eric Cheong Yuen Chee asked the Minister for National Development what steps the Housing and Development Board is taking to expedite the removal of bulky refuse, e.g. disused cupboards, old mattresses and other household items, discarded at staircase landings and lift entrances which, besides posing a fire hazard, may be used as killer litter.

The Minister for National Development (Mr Teh Cheang Wan): Mr Speaker, Sir, the HDB residents are responsible for bringing down their bulky household refuse such as furniture, refrigerators, washing machines, etc, from their flats to the nearest bin compound for final disposal at the dumping grounds. Instead, many residents are discarding their bulky refuse at lift entrances, staircase landings and other common areas within the blocks. The indiscriminate dumping not only causes inconvenience but also poses a danger to other residents. In order to prevent any mishap to residents, arrangement is being made by HDB to cart them away whenever they are found by HDB field staff in their routine rounds.

To completely eradicate the problem of bulky refuse being discarded in the common areas, the HDB will need the full cooperation of residents. The Board has therefore organized "Junk Removal Days" jointly with the grassroots organizations to encourage residents to dispose of their bulky refuse in an orderly manner.

Articles are also published in "Our Home" magazine and the mass media to raise residents' awareness of the dangers posed by the bulky refuse.

Apart from these measures, the Board is also looking into the possibility of providing a service to the residents to remove their bulky refuse from homes at a charge.