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SINGAPORE: There is a “gulf” between feelings about keeping tables in public dining rooms clean and actual practice on the ground, the National Environment Agency (NEA) said on Saturday (February 6).
In a survey conducted in late 2020, NEA found that 90 percent of respondents indicated that customers should be required to clean their tables after eating at public restaurants.
It also found that 76 percent of those surveyed said they returned their trays and / or used dishes most of the time in public restaurants.
However, the average tray return rate at most street vending centers is “currently only about 30 percent.”
This indicates that “the actual practice in the field does not match the behavior adopted by the individual when it comes to returning trays,” NEA said.
There is also a large disparity in tray return rates among street vendor centers.
Street vending centers in Tiong Bahru, Marine Parade Central, Bukit Merah Central, Adam Road, Our Tampines Hub and Kampong Admiralty have relatively high tray return rates of more than 60 percent, the agency said.
Most other hawker centers see a rate of less than 30 percent.
READ: Leaving trays, food scraps at street vendor centers could expose others to disease: Health experts
Other NEA surveys suggest that members of the public are more likely to clean their tables if the tray return infrastructure is conveniently and prominently located.
Large dining groups were also less likely to return their trays, NEA said, and that these groups may require a push from cleaners and volunteers to clean their tables.
“There is a gulf between what diners think they should be doing and what diners are actually (not) doing when it comes to cleaning the table of junk and used dishes after meals,” said Tan Meng Dui, director NEA executive.
CLEAN THE TABLES CAMPAIGN
NEA has launched a Clean Tables campaign in an attempt to close this gap.
Seeks to remind diners in public dining rooms to keep tables clean, cleaning tissues and wipes, disposable tableware, and returning used dishes and trays.
The initiative was launched on Saturday by Dr. Amy Khor, Minister of State for Sustainability and the Environment, at Yuhua Village Hawker Center and Broadway Coffeeshop on Toh Guan Road.
The reminders, such as posters, banners, visual cues and audio announcements, will be progressively rolled out to 111 street vendor centers, coffeeshops and food courts starting this month, NEA said.
NEA will launch a series of posters featuring typical diners in public dining rooms to educate diners on proper etiquette and behavior when dining out. (Photo: National Environment Agency)
NEA will launch a series of posters featuring typical diners in public dining rooms to educate diners on proper etiquette and behavior when dining out. (Photo: National Environment Agency)
More tray return shelves will also be installed in street vending centers.
The NEA and the Singapore Food Agency will work with cafeterias and food courts to improve infrastructure and systems to keep tables clean over the coming months.
READ: What would make Singaporeans return their trays? How about a mermaid?
“As daunting as it may sound, clean tables can be achieved in our public dining rooms. We have achieved good results in some hawker centers, although not enough to make a difference nationally,” Tan said.
“We need strong support from all stakeholders, including merchants, cleaning contractors, cleaners, and most of all, diners.”
Tan urged diners to “close the loop” and adopt a self-service concept, noting that many already pick up their own food and crockery from food stands.
“NEA seeks public support to cooperate with cleaners as we all work toward the standard of having cleaner tables in our soup kitchens,” he said.
