Surveillance cameras in housing estates to curb high-rise littering

[Vanessa]

Surveillance cameras in housing estates to curb high-rise littering

Published on Aug 30, 2012

In NEA's pilot project conducted between May and December 2011, two offenders were caught and charged with high-rise littering. In this picture from footage captured, Hasmin Homammad Kashim was caught on camera throwing a cigarette butt from the kitchen window of #03-85, Bukit Batok Street 33. He was prosecuted in court on April 17 2012 for the offence. The court fined him $800. -- PHOTO: NEA

The National Environment Agency (NEA) will deploy surveillance cameras in various housing estates - including 'problem spots' in Bukit Panjang, Pasir Ris, West Coast, Hong Kah and Sembawang - to curb high-rise littering.

The cameras, to be installed within the next three months. Those caught on cameras will be charged in court and have their cases publicised, in a move that the NEA hopes will deter other potential litterbugs. Offenders under the law face a maximum fine of $1,000 and/or a Corrective Work Order not exceeding 12 hours.

One resident in Jalan Kayu, Ms Eleanor Lee, said: "I was often afraid to open my windows for fear that the litter, such as raw eggs and diapers, would dirty them. I'm thankful the cameras will be introduced to alleviate this problem."

Mr Derek Ho, director-general of NEA's Public Health Division, said: "Deployment of cameras should thus not be necessary in most instances where there are strong community bonds and residents manage to work out the differences among themselves. With more community pressure and use of technology, we can look forward to fewer high-rise littering incidents and a cleaner environment."

The public who encounter high-rise littering are advised to call NEA’s 24-hour call centre at 1800-CALL NEA (1800-2255 632).

 

[Vanessa]

NEA to set up surveillance cameras at 100 'problem spots'

30 August 2012 4:13 PM | Updated 5:00 PM

<cite style="display: block; font-style: normal; font-size: 10px; margin: 4px 0px; ">Picture for illustration purposes only. (Photo / Wikimedia)</cite>
Housing estates in Pasir Ris, West Coast, Bukit Panjang, Hong Kah and Sembawang will soon have surveillance cameras at “problem spots” in the neighbourhood to curb high-rise littering.

The National Environment Agency (NEA) said in a statement today that it will set up the cameras at 100 locations in the next three months, starting with those with persistent or more serious littering issues, such as those involving faeces, urine or food wastes, or with a high number of feedback cases from residents.

Some residents have reported to the agency about neighbours who throw items such as food waste and cigarette butts out of the windows, staining their clothes, windows and floors.

The agency said that Mr Ng Cham Wat, who lives in Block 174, Yishun Avenue 7, is one of those who have had to put up with urine that is tossed out of windows from higher floors.

Mr Ng said it is disturbing for his family because the urine not only stains his windows and clothes, but is also “smelly and unhygienic”.

Ms Eleanor Lee, a resident living in Block 446A Jalan Kayu, told NEA that she is often afraid to open her windows at home for fear that the litter such as raw eggs and soiled diapers would splatter in or dirty her windows and floor.

With the cameras in place, those caught littering would be charged in court.

Privacy issue

Channel NewsAsia reported that the cameras would only survey the areas near to the windows of home units to capture any act of littering.

The agency said that it would inform residents of the affected blocks before putting up the cameras. It added that only authorised personnel will be allowed to view and analyse the video footage.

NEA uses video analytics software with the cameras, which has been “proven effective in nabbing high-rise litterbugs in trials conducted”, it said in its statement.

The cameras can pick up items as small as cigarette butts being thrown from windows, even in low-light conditions at night. In an earlier pilot run in Bukit Batok, two offenders were charged in court after being caught on camera throwing cigarette butts out from their windows at night. They were fined S$800 and S$1,000.

Offenders could be fined up to S$1,000 and/or be sentenced to a Corrective Work Order of up to 12 hours.

The NEA said it assesses new cases of high-rise littering carefully and conducts “at least two rounds of educational efforts” with the town councils “to exert community pressure on the litterbugs” before deploying cameras.

“Deployment should thus not be necessary in most instances where there are strong community bonds and residents manage to work out the differences among themselves,” it said.

Mr Derek Ho, director-general of NEA’s public health division, said the agency intends to send “a strong message to the small minority of recalcitrant high-rise litterbugs that they will be caught and prosecuted”.

“Nevertheless, a collective effort from the community is still needed to combat this problem. We believe that in a civil and gracious society, residents will not engage in such anti-social behavior,” he said.

To report high-rise littering, you may call the agency’s 24-hour call centre at 1800-CALL NEA (1800-2255 632).

 

[Vanessa]

Yes to more 'eyes' to catch high-rise litterbugs

By Victoria Barker
my paper
Friday, Aug 31, 2012

For almost a decade, Mr Ng Cham Wat has had to put up with urine being poured along staircase landings at, and flung from, his Housing Board block.

The 71-year-old retired electrician has lived on the 11th floor of Block 174, Yishun Avenue 7, since 1987. He claims that he lives one floor below a serial high-rise litterbug.

The sight and smell disgust him and the urine even drips onto his kitchen walls if his windows are open, he said.

He told my paper yesterday: "You cannot ask (the culprit) to stop. She won't stop."

Another resident in the same block, nine-year-old Jackie Ng, got a nasty surprise early one morning last week.

The Primary 3 pupil of Chongfu School said he was walking with his father under the block - on their way to a bus stop nearby - when faeces fell onto his shirt.

Jackie was not sure if it was human or animal excrement, but said it was definitely not bird droppings. He said: "After I walked away, I saw more faeces dropping down.

"My father just took a tissue and wiped it away, (but) I felt a little bit mad at the person who threw (it)."

Mr Ng and Jackie are among many residents who welcome stepped-up measures by the National Environment Agency (NEA) to stamp out high-rise littering.

Following a pilot initiative to curb the problem, more surveillance cameras will be deployed at some 100 locations within the next three months, NEA said in a statement yesterday.

Neighbourhoods with problem spots - determined by persistent feedback from residents, or areas found to have serious littering problems involving faeces, urine or food waste - will be the first to be fitted with the cameras. These include housing estates in Bukit Panjang, Pasir Ris, Hong Kah, West Coast and Sembawang.

Those caught on camera will be charged in court and have their cases publicised, in the hope that it will deter such "inconsiderate and anti-social behaviour", NEA added. Mr Derek Ho, the director-general of NEA's Public Health Division, said in the statement: "We intend to send a strong message to the small minority of recalcitrant highrise litterbugs that they will be caught and prosecuted."

Costs to implement the usage of surveillance cameras, as well as manpower costs, come up to about $600,000 annually, NEA said.

In April, NEA announced that such cameras would be installed at 40 locations islandwide.

However, this number was raised following extensive feedback from residents.

Feedback to NEA on such acts has been rising steadily, with 5,232 reports received last year, compared to 4,449 in 2010. From January to July this year, 4,108 feedback reports were received.

For neighbourhoods seeing new cases of high-rise-littering, the cameras will be deployed after careful assessment of the situation and at least two rounds of educational efforts by town councils and NEA to exert "community pressure" on the litterbugs, NEA said.

During the pilot project of the scheme, conducted between May and November last year, two offenders were fined for tossing cigarette butts out of their Bukit Batok flats.

[email protected]

 

[lianbeng]

lianbeng worried cctv may spy on people in bathrooms.

 

[Ultŕaman]

'Eyes' on high-rise litterbugs

Friday, Sep 07, 2012

HIGH-RISE litterbugs, watch out, you may get caught by one of the surveillance cameras that will be set up at 100 locations in the next three months.

The National Environment Agency (NEA) said it is first targeting the housing estates in Bukit Panjang, Pasir Ris, West Coast, Hong Kah and Sembawang. These estates have more serious littering issues involving faeces, urine and food waste, and the most complaints from residents there.

Those caught littering on camera will be charged in court and have their cases publicised, said the NEA.

The surveillance cameras, together with video analytic software, have proven effective in trials conducted to nab high-rise litterbugs, it said. The equipment can pick up items as small as cigarette butts being thrown from windows, even in low light conditions.

 

[AIpha]

High-definition cameras to catch highrise litterbugs

AsiaOne
Saturday, Sep 15, 2012

SINGAPORE - In moving towards a community norm of zero tolerance for littering, the authorities will install high-definition surveillance cameras to nab high-rise litterbugs.

Recently, the National Environment Agency announced that it would be deploying cameras at 100 locations in the next three months. Those caught throwing litter will be prosecuted.

The move is part of the refreshed Keep Singapore Clean efforts led by the Public Hygiene Council (PHC), together with the Singapore Kindness Movement (SKM), Keep Singapore Beautiful Movement (KSBM), and NEA.

The campaign was launched earlier today at NEA's 10th Anniversary Community Exhibition.

As public cleanliness has remained a persistent issue in Singapore, the PHC will lead the collective effort to change people's attitudes towards littering, said a government statement issued today.

The group will also leverage on the community, majority of which do not litter, to exert social pressure on those who litter.

PHC will also use various communication channels such as social media to spread the message and gain feedback, and reach out to youths "so that good values can be inculcated from young".

To kick off this effort, the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources, Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, made the call to get Singaporeans to do their part to keep Singapore clean.

The government has traditionally taken the lead in encouraging an anti-littering mindset. In order to take the Keep Singapore Clean efforts to the next level, PHC and the NGO partners (SKM &, KSBM), working with NEA, will champion the efforts to develop community-led initiatives.

Said the statement: "Singapore has achieved 1st world infrastructure but social graces have not caught up. The refreshed Keep Singapore Clean efforts aim to inspire the community to take shared responsibility in keeping our nation clean. With this whole of community effort, we can work towards a common vision for Singapore to move from being a 'cleaned city to a truly clean city'."

Chairman of PHC, Mr Liak Teng Lit said: "We need the good people in our society to come forward and take charge of cleanliness in their spheres of influence, no matter how big or small."

The public can initiate or participate in the various initiatives by PHC, SKM, KSBM, NEA, and school students can play their part in keeping spaces such as hawker centres and public toilets clean to take ownership of the cleanliness of these public spaces.

NEA will continue to step up its efforts to keep the place clean, make sure that there are sufficient bins in areas where there is high human traffic, and continue to be firm with litterbugs through strict enforcement. In particular, high definition surveillance cameras will be deployed to apprehend high-rise litterbugs.

NEA has also worked with BuUuK, a mobile applications developer, to develop a crowd sourcing platform on mobile application CleanLah! . These outreach efforts, together with enforcement, aim to raise public cleanliness.

The two-day Community Exhibition On its 10th Anniversary at HDB Hub Atrium, is open to the public. It showcases NEA's key achievements in partnership with the community over the past 10 years. Through this exhibition, NEA also would like to reach out to the public and get the community to do their part for the environment by participating more actively in environmental activities.

[email protected]

 

[MeMyselfoIo]

They should focus more on jurong, boon lay and little India.