Environmental Public Health (General Waste Collection) (Amendment) Regulations 2023

No. S 460

Environmental Public Health Act 1987

Environmental Public Health
(General Waste Collection)
(Amendment) Regulations 2023

In exercise of the powers conferred by section 111(1) of the Environmental Public Health Act 1987, the National Environment Agency, with the approval of the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment, makes the following Regulations:

Citation and commencement

1.—(1) These Regulations are the Environmental Public Health (General Waste Collection) (Amendment) Regulations 2023 and, except for regulation 13, come into operation on 1 July 2023.

(2) Regulation 13 is deemed to have come into operation on 31 December 2021.

Amendment of regulation 2

2. In the Environmental Public Health (General Waste Collection) Regulations (Rg 12) (called in these Regulations the principal Regulations), in regulation 2(1) —

(a)

before the definition of “code of practice”, insert —

“ “Central Provident Fund” means the fund that is established under section 6 of the Central Provident Fund Act 1953;”;

(b)

after the definition of “recyclable waste”, insert —

“ “resident waste collection worker” means a waste collection worker who is a citizen or permanent resident of Singapore;”;

(c)

in the definition of “residential property”, in paragraph (b), replace the full‑stop at the end with a semi‑colon; and

(d)

after the definition of “residential property”, insert —

“ “salary period”, in relation to a waste collection worker, means a period of time, that is, one hour, one day, one week, one month or any other period, that may be stated or implied in the contract of service between the waste collection worker and a licensee, in respect of which the waste collection worker is entitled to be paid for working;

“section 31DA Order (waste collection workers)” means an order made by the Commissioner for Labour under section 31DA(1) of the Act in respect of waste collection workers.”.

New regulations 2A and 2B

3. In the principal Regulations, after regulation 2, insert —

“Components of “baseline wage”

2A. For the purposes of paragraphs (b) and (c)(iv) of the definition of “baseline wage” (as defined in section 2 of the Act), a baseline wage in relation to a waste collection worker —

(a)

includes —

(i)	any commission, allowance and any other cash payment that is payable to the waste collection worker and is attributable to his work for a salary period, or a completed piece or task of work; and
(ii)	any amount that is payable by a licensee into the Central Provident Fund as a contribution under section 7(1) of the Central Provident Fund Act 1953 in respect of the waste collection worker, which is recoverable by the licensee under section 7(2) of that Act; and

(b)

excludes —

(i)	any payment in kind (including the grant of stock options) or lump sum payment that is payable to the waste collection worker, but is not attributable to the waste collection worker’s work for a salary period, or a completed piece or task of work; and
(ii)	any amount that is payable by a licensee into the Central Provident Fund as a contribution under section 7(1) of the Central Provident Fund Act 1953 in respect of the waste collection worker, which is not recoverable by the licensee under section 7(2) of that Act.

Components of “progressive wage model bonus”

2B. For the purposes of paragraph (b) of the definition of “progressive wage model bonus” (as defined in section 2 of the Act), a progressive wage model bonus in relation to a waste collection worker includes any additional payment by a licensee to the waste collection worker by way of bonus payments or annual wage supplements.”.

Amendment of regulation 4

4. In the principal Regulations, in regulation 4 —

(a)

replace paragraph (1) with —

“(1) An application for the grant or renewal of a general waste collector’s licence must, where the applicant employs any resident waste collection worker, be accompanied by a progressive wage plan that complies with the requirements in paragraph (3).”;

(b)

in paragraph (2), replace “furnish” with “provide”; and

(c)

after paragraph (2), insert —

“(3) For the purposes of paragraph (1), the progressive wage plan must contain and be accompanied by all of the following information and documents in respect of every resident waste collection worker that the applicant employs who belongs to the class or a class of waste collection workers specified in the section 31DA Order (waste collection workers):

(a)

full name;

(b)

sex;

(c)

job title;

(d)

nationality;

(e)

whether the resident waste collection worker is a citizen or permanent resident of Singapore;

(f)

identification number;

(g)

the date on which the employment of the resident waste collection worker by the applicant commenced;

(h)

whether the resident waste collection worker is engaged as a full‑time employee, part‑time employee or casual employee;

(i)

the aggregate number of hours that the resident waste collection worker is required to work per week under his contract of service with the applicant;

(j)

the baseline wage payable to the resident waste collection worker under his contract of service with the applicant;

(k)

the manner of calculating the overtime payment payable to the resident waste collection worker;

(l)

the amount of progressive wage model bonus that is payable to the resident waste collection worker, and the frequency at which the progressive wage model bonus is to be paid;

(m)

the training records of the resident waste collection worker, that set out the training courses that the resident waste collection worker has attended, and the frequency of such attendance;

(n)

a copy of every Workforce Skills Qualification certificate that is issued to the resident waste collection worker;

(o)

where the application is for a renewal of a general waste collector’s licence —

(i)	the amount of every progressive wage model bonus that was paid to the resident waste collection worker in the calendar year preceding the date on which the application is made and the date of such payment;
(ii)	the number of hours that the resident waste collection worker has worked overtime in the month preceding the date on which the application is made, the total amount paid to the resident waste collection worker as overtime pay for work done in those hours and the rate at which the overtime pay is calculated; and
(iii)	the amount of the baseline wage that was paid to the resident waste collection worker for the month preceding the date on which the application is made.

(4) In this regulation, “identification number” means —

(a)	in the case of an individual who is a citizen or permanent resident of Singapore and who has been issued with an identity card under the National Registration Act 1965, his Singapore identity card number (including the letters that form the prefix and suffix to the identity card number); or
(b)	in the case of any other individual, the country that issued his passport followed by his passport number.”.

Amendment of regulation 6

5. In the principal Regulations, in regulation 6 —

(a)

replace “grant or refuse to grant” with “grant or renew or refuse to grant or renew”;

(b)

in paragraph (b), delete “and” at the end;

(c)

in paragraph (c), replace the full-stop at the end with a semi‑colon; and

(d)

after paragraph (c), insert —

“(d)	whether the progressive wage plan complies with the requirements in regulation 4(3);
(e)	whether such proportion of the waste collection workers that the applicant employs have attended such training and at such frequency as the Director‑General may specify; and
(f)	where the application is for the renewal of a general waste collector’s licence, whether the applicant had complied with the licence conditions of the general waste collector’s licence that is the subject of the application, including the licence conditions in regulation 7AA.”.

Replacement of regulation 7 and new regulation 7AA

6. In the principal Regulations, replace regulation 7 with —

“Changes to information submitted

7.—(1) Subject to paragraphs (2) and (3), every licensee must, at 6‑monthly intervals starting on the date on which the licensee’s application for the grant or renewal of a general waste collector’s licence is granted, notify the Director‑General by written notice of all the changes to the following that had occurred in the 6‑month period immediately preceding the date of the written notice, if any:

(a)	information contained in the licensee’s application for the grant or renewal of the licensee’s general waste collector’s licence or any document accompanying the licensee’s application;
(b)	particulars of the progressive wage plan that was provided by the licensee with the licensee’s application for the grant or renewal of the licensee’s general waste collector’s licence;
(c)	any other information the licensee provided to the Director‑General for the purposes of the licensee’s application for the grant or renewal of the licensee’s general waste collector’s licence.

(2) Where there is any change in the particulars of the progressive wage plan that was provided by the licensee with the licensee’s application for the grant or renewal of the licensee’s general waste collector’s licence, the written notice mentioned in paragraph (1) in respect of such change must be accompanied by a progressive wage plan that complies with regulation 4(3) and reflects the change.

(3) A licensee must notify the Director‑General in writing of any change in the licensee’s business address within 7 days of such change.

Conditions of general waste collector’s licence

7AA.—(1) For the purposes of section 31AA(1) of the Act, the following conditions are imposed on every licensee:

(a)

the licensee must enter into a contract of service in writing with each waste collection worker employed by the licensee;

(b)

every contract of service entered into between the licensee and every resident waste collection worker must provide for the payment of a baseline wage, a progressive wage model bonus and an overtime payment to the resident waste collection worker, that —

(i)	is not less than the minimum amount of baseline wage, minimum amount of progressive wage model bonus and minimum amount of overtime payment, respectively; and
(ii)	in the case of a progressive wage model bonus, is at the frequency,

specified by the section 31DA Order (waste collection workers) for the class of waste collection workers to which the resident waste collection worker belongs;

(c)

the licensee must ensure that every waste collection worker employed by the licensee satisfies the training requirements as may be specified by the Director‑General for the class of waste collection workers to which the waste collection worker belongs;

(d)

the licensee must not deploy any individual who is not employed by the licensee to carry out any waste collection work, unless the individual is a waste collection worker employed by another licensee;

(e)

the licensee must keep the records, accounts or documents specified in paragraph (2) for the period of retention specified in paragraph (3).

(2) For the purposes of paragraph (1)(e), the records, accounts or documents are —

(a)

the accounts of the licensee’s business or activities that the licensee is authorised to carry out under the licensee’s general waste collector’s licence;

(b)

a copy of the contract of service between the licensee and every waste collection worker —

(i)	who is in the licensee’s employ as at the date of the licensee’s application for the grant or renewal of the licensee’s general waste collector’s licence; or
(ii)	who is employed by the licensee after that date,

including any amendment, variation or addition to the contract of service;

(c)

the detailed job description of every waste collection worker;

(d)

the pay records of every waste collection worker the licensee employs in respect of payments to the waste collection worker on or after 1 July 2023, including a breakdown of the baseline wage, progressive wage model bonus and overtime payment paid to the waste collection worker;

(e)

the records of every amount that is paid by the licensee into the Central Provident Fund in respect of every waste collection worker under section 7(1) of the Central Provident Fund Act 1953, which is recoverable by the licensee under section 7(2) of that Act; and

(f)

the records of the training that every waste collection worker has attended on or after 1 July 2023.

(3) The period of retention mentioned in paragraph (1)(e) is —

(a)	in the case of the accounts specified in paragraph (2)(a) — 4 years after the end of the period to which the accounts relate;
(b)	in the case of the contract of service specified in paragraph (2)(b), the detailed job description specified in paragraph (2)(c) and the records specified in paragraph (2)(f) — 4 years after the end of the employment of the waste collection worker to whom that contract of service, job description and records relate; and
(c)	in the case of the records specified in paragraph (2)(d) and (e) — 4 years after the date on which the payment concerned was made.”.

Amendment of regulation 13

7. In the principal Regulations, in regulation 13(2), replace “both sides of the container or compactor (as the case may be)” with “the 2 opposite sides of the container or compactor (as the case may be) that form the length of the container or compactor, as the case may be”.

Amendment of regulation 17

8. In the principal Regulations, in regulation 17 —

(a)

in paragraph (1), replace “A licensee” with “Subject to paragraphs (1A), (1B) and (1C), a licensee”;

(b)

after paragraph (1), insert —

“(1A) Where any incinerable waste exceeds the dimensions specified in paragraph (1B), the incinerable waste must be dismantled or broken down into smaller pieces before it may be transported by the licensee for disposal under paragraph (1).

(1B) For the purposes of paragraph (1A), the dimensions are —

(a)	where the incinerable waste is a solid object — 0.6 metre in length, 0.6 metre in width or 0.1 metre in thickness; or
(b)	where the incinerable waste is a hollow object — 0.6 metre in length, width or thickness.

(1C) A licensee must not dispose of, or cause or permit to be disposed of, any waste specified in the Fifth Schedule at a refuse incineration plant or landfill, unless with the consent of the Director‑General.”;

(c)

in paragraph (2), replace “A licensee” with “Subject to paragraph (2AA), a licensee”; and

(d)

after paragraph (2), insert —

“(2AA) Where any non-incinerable waste mentioned in paragraph (2) exceeds 2 metres in length, 2 metres in width or 0.1 metre in thickness, the non‑incinerable waste must be dismantled or broken down into smaller pieces before it may be transported by the licensee for final disposal under paragraph (2).”.

Deletion of regulation 19

9. In the principal Regulations, delete regulation 19.

Deletion of regulation 21

10. In the principal Regulations, delete regulation 21.

Amendment of Second Schedule

11. In the principal Regulations, in the Second Schedule, under Class A, replace item (1) with —

“(1)	Waste such as unwanted furniture, electrical appliances, construction and renovation debris, matter settled out of ballast water in a ship and cut tree trunks and branches.”.

Replacement of Third and Fourth Schedules and new Fifth Schedule

12. In the principal Regulations, replace the Third and Fourth Schedules with —

“THIRD SCHEDULE

Regulation 2(1)

Non-incinerable waste

1.	Carbon fibres

2.	Fibreglass

3.	Fire retardants

4.	Insulation materials, including rock wool, asbestos, calcium silicate boards and ceramic fibres

5.	Light materials, including feathers, dust and powders

6.	Polychlorinated compounds, including Polychlorinated Bi‑phenyl (PCB)

7.	Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) waste, including PVC pipes, plastic film, upholstery, containers and packaging materials

8.	Uncontaminated sludge, ash or slag

FOURTH SCHEDULE

Regulation 2(1)

RECYCLABLE WASTE

First column

Second column

Recyclable waste

Examples

1.	Concrete and renovation debris

Concrete, hardcore, earth, stone, sand, slag, brick, masonry and tile

E-waste

(a)	Large household appliance, including washing machine, refrigerator and air‑conditioning unit;

(b)	electrical or electronic appliance, including computer, printer, printer cartridge, mobile phone and tablet computer;

(c)	parts and components of electrical or electronic appliance

3.	Food waste

Unconsumed bread and waste from food processing, including spent grains, spent yeast and soy pulp

4.	Horticultural waste

Garden or landscaping waste, but excluding soil

5.	Large metal waste

Large drum or container, vehicular part, metal chair, wire rope and spring mattress

Rubber

Tyre

Slag

Copper slag and steel slag

8.	Textile products

Clothing and fabric

9.	Used cooking oil

—

10.	Wood products

Wooden furniture and pallet

FIFTH SCHEDULE

Regulation 17(1C)

WASTE NOT TO BE DISPOSED WITHOUT
CONSENT OF DIRECTOR‑GENERAL

1.	Chemical waste

2.	Chlorinated fungicide, chlorinated herbicide and chlorinated insecticide

3.	Explosive or highly flammable waste, including ammunition, dry and wet carbide waste, fireworks, self‑igniting waste and excessive quantities of films

4.	Human and animal excrement, sludge from neutralisation pits, foul smelling waste and animal carcasses

5.	Liquid and volatile waste, oil sludge and paints

6.	Poisonous and radioactive waste

7.	Smouldering waste”.

Miscellaneous amendments

13. In the principal Regulations —

(a)	in regulation 2(1), in the definition of “residential property”, in paragraph (a), replace “(Cap. 232)” with “1998”; and
(b)	in regulation 3(b), replace “(Cap. 283)” with “1973”.

[G.N. Nos. S 480/2002; S 562/2008; S 557/2010; S 792/2014; S 585/2016; S 707/2017; S 387/2019]

Made on 27 June 2023.

LEE CHUAN SENG

Chairperson,
National Environment Agency,
Singapore.

[MSE/C030/01/138; NEA/LD/42; AG/LEGIS/SL/95/2020/30 Vol. 1]

(To be presented to Parliament under section 111(4) of the Environmental Public Health Act 1987).

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