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No. S 585

Environmental Public Health Act

(CHAPTER 95)

Environmental Public Health
(General Waste Collection) (Amendment)
Regulations 2016

In exercise of the powers conferred by section 111 of the Environmental Public Health Act, the National Environment Agency, with the approval of the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources, makes the following Regulations:

Citation and commencement

1. These Regulations are the Environmental Public Health (General Waste Collection) (Amendment) Regulations 2016 and come into operation on 1 December 2016.

Amendment of regulation 2

2. Regulation 2(1) of the Environmental Public Health (General Waste Collection) Regulations (Rg 12) (called in these Regulations the principal Regulations) is amended —

(a)

by deleting paragraph (g) of the definition of “general waste” and substituting the following paragraph:

“(g)	recyclable waste;”;

(b)

by deleting the definition of “incinerable waste” and substituting the following definition:

“ “incinerable waste” means any general waste that is suitable to be destroyed, rendered inert or reduced to ash through a process of controlled, high temperature combustion without causing damage to, or disrupting the operation of, the refuse incineration plant in which the process is carried out, but does not include recyclable waste and waste specified in the Third Schedule;”; and

(c)

by deleting the definition of “non‑incinerable waste” and substituting the following definitions:

“ “non‑incinerable waste” means —

(a)	any recyclable waste;
(b)	any waste specified in the Third Schedule; or
(c)	any general waste that is not incinerable waste;

“recyclable waste” means any general waste that is capable of being recycled, and includes —

(a)	any recyclable; and
(b)	any refuse or waste specified in the Fourth Schedule;”.

Deletion and substitution of regulation 3

3. Regulation 3 of the principal Regulations is deleted and the following regulation substituted therefor:

“No person to act as general waste collector, etc., without licence

3.—(1) A person must not do any of the restricted activities mentioned in paragraph (2) unless the person is —

(a)	a holder of a general waste collector’s licence; or
(b)	an employee of a holder of a general waste collector’s licence in the discharge of his duties as such an employee.

(2) The restricted activities are —

(a)	collecting or transporting general waste for payment or other remuneration (whether monetary or otherwise);
(b)	collecting or transporting from any food establishment (whether or not licensed under section 32 of the Act or section 21 of the Sale of Food Act (Cap. 283)) used cooking oil;
(c)	disposing of waste at a refuse incineration plant or a refuse transfer station; and
(d)	entering or remaining in a refuse incineration plant or a refuse transfer station for the purpose of disposing of waste.”.

Amendment of regulation 4

4. Regulation 4 of the principal Regulations is amended by deleting paragraph (2) and substituting the following paragraph:

“(2) Every applicant must furnish, in such form as the Director‑General may require —

(a)

the following particulars of the applicant:

(i)	the applicant’s full name;
(ii)	the address of the applicant’s registered office or place of business;
(iii)	the applicant’s telephone number and email address;

(b)

the following particulars of each worker employed by the applicant to carry out general waste collection, including any driver or crew member of a vehicle owned or used by the applicant for general waste collection:

(i)	the worker’s full name and nationality;
(ii)	the worker’s identification number or work permit number;
(iii)	the worker’s Workforce Skills Qualifications certificate number;

(c)

the following details of each vehicle owned or used by the applicant for the collection and transportation of general waste from a collection point to a disposal facility:

(i)	the vehicle registration number;
(ii)	the type of waste that may be carried in the vehicle;

(d)

the following details of any equipment owned or used by the applicant for the purposes of general waste collection:

(i)	the total number of hook‑lift systems;
(ii)	for each hook‑lift system, the inspection report issued by a workshop accredited by the Singapore Accreditation Council;
(iii)	the total number of compactors and open‑top containers;
(iv)	for each compactor or open‑top container, the inspection report issued by a workshop accredited by the Singapore Accreditation Council;

(e)

the address and telephone number of the yard or depot at which the vehicles and equipment mentioned in sub‑paragraphs (c) and (d) are kept;

(f)

the following information on the general waste to be collected:

(i)	the types and quantities of general waste;
(ii)	the disposal facilities (including recycling facilities) to which the general waste will be transported; and

(g)

any other information that the Director‑General may require in any particular case.”.

Amendment of regulation 6

5. Regulation 6 of the principal Regulations is amended —

(a)

by deleting the word “and” at the end of paragraph (a); and

(b)

by deleting the full‑stop at the end of paragraph (b) and substituting the word “; and”, and by inserting immediately thereafter the following paragraph:

“(c)	the competency of the applicant’s workers to operate the vehicles and equipment mentioned in regulation 4(2)(c) and (d) in a safe manner, including by using suitable personal protective equipment.”.

Amendment of regulation 7A

6. Regulation 7A of the principal Regulations is amended —

(a)

by deleting the word “waste” in paragraph (1) and substituting the words “recyclable waste”; and

(b)

by deleting the regulation heading and substituting the following regulation heading:

“Collection of recyclable waste for recycling”.

Amendment of regulation 7B

7. Regulation 7B of the principal Regulations is amended by deleting the word “waste” in paragraph (1) and in the regulation heading and substituting in each case the words “recyclable waste”.

Deletion and substitution of regulation 9

8. Regulation 9 of the principal Regulations is deleted and the following regulation substituted therefor:

“Transportation of general wastes under Class B and Class B.1

9.—(1) General waste listed under Class B in the Second Schedule must be transported by compaction vehicles, roll‑off compactors or such other vehicles as may be permitted by the Director‑General.

(2) General waste listed under Class B.1 in the Second Schedule must be transported —

(a)	in intermediate bulk containers on open lorries; or
(b)	in such other storage equipment, or by such other vehicles, as may be permitted by the Director‑General.”.

Deletion and substitution of regulation 13

9. Regulation 13 of the principal Regulations is deleted and the following regulation substituted therefor:

“Labelling of vehicles and equipment

13.—(1) A licensee must label all vehicles and equipment owned or used by the licensee for the collection and transportation of general waste.

(2) For the purposes of paragraph (1), every container or mobile compactor must be labelled on both sides of the container or compactor (as the case may be).

(3) Every label —

(a)	must conform to the dimensions and any other requirements specified in the code of practice;
(b)	must be painted onto or securely attached to the vehicle or equipment;
(c)	must not be obstructed from view; and
(d)	must be kept clean on the surface.”.

Amendment of regulation 14

10. Regulation 14 of the principal Regulations is amended —

(a)	by inserting, immediately after the words “his vehicles”, the words “and equipment used”; and
(b)	by deleting the words “collection vehicles for” in the regulation heading and substituting the words “vehicles and equipment used for collection of”.

Amendment of regulation 17

11. Regulation 17 of the principal Regulations is amended —

(a)

by deleting paragraphs (1) and (2) and substituting the following paragraphs:

“(1) A licensee must transport all incinerable waste to either of the following for disposal:

(a)	a refuse incineration plant;
(b)	a disposal facility specified by the Director‑General under paragraph (4).

(2) A licensee must transport all non‑incinerable waste (except recyclable waste) to a landfill for final disposal.

(2A) A licensee must transport all recyclable waste to a recycling facility.”;

(b)

by deleting the words “incinerable and non‑incinerable wastes” in paragraph (3) and substituting the words “recyclable waste, incinerable waste and non‑incinerable waste”; and

(c)

by deleting the regulation heading and substituting the following regulation heading:

“Disposal of recyclable waste, incinerable waste and non‑incinerable waste”.

Amendment of regulation 17A

12. Regulation 17A of the principal Regulations is amended by deleting the word “waste” in paragraph (1) and in the regulation heading and substituting in each case the words “recyclable waste”.

Amendment of regulation 18

13. Regulation 18 of the principal Regulations is amended —

(a)	by deleting the words “public health officer” in paragraph (2) and substituting the words “authorised officer”; and
(b)	by deleting the word “service” at the end of the regulation heading.

Deletion and substitution of regulation 20

14. Regulation 20 of the principal Regulations is deleted and the following regulation substituted therefor:

“Employment of licensee

20. Any person who produces incinerable waste or non‑incinerable waste must engage to dispose of such waste only a person who is licensed to collect and transport such waste for disposal in accordance with regulation 17(1) and (2).”.

Amendment of regulation 22

15. Regulation 22 of the principal Regulations is amended —

(a)	by deleting “$2,000” and substituting “$10,000”; and
(b)	by deleting “$100” and substituting “$500”.

Deletion and substitution of First Schedule

16. The First Schedule to the principal Regulations is deleted and the following Schedule substituted therefor:

“FIRST SCHEDULE

Regulation 2(2)

Categories of recyclables

Recyclables

Examples

1.	Paper products

Newspapers and magazines, writing paper, envelopes, car park coupons, brochures or pamphlets, books, cardboard and paper packaging (such as cereal boxes and drink cartons) and other paper products, but excluding tissue paper and paper food wrappers.

2.	Metal products

Cans or containers made of metal such as drink cans, milk powder tins and food cans.

3.	Plastic products

Bottles or containers made of plastic such as detergent containers, milk containers, mineral water bottles, soft drink bottles, juice bottles, plastic bags, plastic packaging and other plastic products, but excluding styrofoam.

4.	Glass products

Jars and bottles, but excluding light bulbs, window glass and fish tanks.

”.

Amendment of Second Schedule

17. The Second Schedule to the principal Regulations is amended —

(a)

by deleting items (1), (2) and (3) under Class A and substituting the following items:

“(1)	Waste such as unwanted furniture, electrical appliances, construction and renovation debris, and cut tree trunks and branches.

(2)	Bulky waste.

(3)	Non‑putrefiable waste.

(4)	Recyclable waste (excluding food waste).”;

(b)

by inserting, immediately after the words “food waste” in item (1) under Class B, the words “(excluding used cooking oil)”;

(c)

by deleting item (2) under Class B and substituting the following item:

“(2)	Waste with a high organic content and which is putrefiable.”;

(d)

by inserting, immediately after item (2) under Class B, the following heading and item:

“Class B.1

(1) Used cooking oil.”; and

(e)

by deleting the word “wastes” in items (1) and (2) under Class C and substituting in each case the word “waste”.

New Third and Fourth Schedules

18. The principal Regulations are amended by inserting, immediately after the Second Schedule, the following Schedules:

“THIRD SCHEDULE

Regulation 2(1)

Non‑incinerable waste

1.	Big appliances such as washing machines, refrigerators and air‑conditioning units.

2.	Big metal pieces such as large drums or containers, vehicular parts, metal chairs, wire ropes and spring mattresses.

Bulky waste that consists of any of the following:

(a)	a solid object exceeding 0.6 m in length or width or 0.1 m in thickness;
(b)	a hollow object exceeding 0.6 m in length, width or height.

4.	Carbon fibres.

5.	Chlorinated herbicides, chlorinated insecticides and chlorinated fungicides.

6.	Chemical waste with chemical content which is unsuitable for incineration.

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

8.	Fire retardants.

9.	Human and animal waste, sludge from neutralisation pits, foul‑smelling waste and animal carcasses.

10.	Insulation materials such as rock wool, asbestos, calcium silicate boards, ceramic fibres and big carpets.

11.	Large quantities of electrical parts and components such as printed circuit boards, cables and electronic cards.

12.	Light materials such as sawdust, feathers, dust and powders.

13.	Liquid and volatile waste, oil sludge and paints.

14.	Poisonous and radioactive waste.

15.	Polychlorinated compounds such as Polychlorinated Bi‑phenyl (PCB).

16.	Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) waste such as PVC pipes, plastic film, upholstery, containers and packaging materials.

17.	Smouldering refuse.

18.	Toxic industrial waste specified in the Schedule to the Environmental Public Health (Toxic Industrial Waste) Regulations (Rg 11).

19.

Tyres.

20.	Construction and renovation debris, earth, concrete, stone, sand, sludge, ash and slag.

21.	Waste from grease interceptors.

22.	Waste from sewerage systems, including waste from sewage treatment plants, septic tanks and water‑seal latrines.

23.	Waste from sanitary conveniences not part of a sewerage system, including waste from sanitary conveniences which are mobile or in ships or aircraft.

FOURTH SCHEDULE

Regulation 2(1)

Recyclable waste

Recyclable waste

Examples

1.	Textile products

Clothing and fabric.

E‑waste

Computers, printers, printer cartridges, mobile phones, tablets and electrical or electronic appliances.

3.	Horticultural waste

Garden or landscaping waste, but excluding soil.

4.	Wood products

Wooden furniture and pallets.

Slag

Copper slag and steel slag.

Hardcore

Concrete, bricks, masonry and tiles.

7.	Food waste

Unconsumed bread, used cooking oil and waste from food processing such as spent grains, spent yeast and soy pulp.

”.

[G.N. Nos. S 480/2002; S 562/2008; S 557/2010; S 792/2014]

Made on 11 November 2016.

LIAK TENG LIT

Chairman,
National Environment Agency,
Singapore.

[NEA/LD/39/6 Vol. 1; AG/LLRD/SL/95/2010/7 Vol. 2]

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