More than 10 tonnes of leftover food has been recycled at Tiong Bahru Market since a food waste recycling pilot was launched two weeks ago, Channel NewsAsia understands.

SINGAPORE: More than 10 tonnes of leftover food has been recycled at Tiong Bahru Market since a food waste recycling pilot was launched two weeks ago, Channel NewsAsia understands.

Previously, 2.2 to 2.5 tonnes of food waste was generated at the market daily.

For their recycling efforts, hawkers got a present on Thursday (Feb 4). A bio-fertiliser made from the food waste, which was ground and mixed with micro-organisms, was handed out by VRM Operations, which runs the food recycling machine at the Market.

Meanwhile, banners have also been put up to encourage patrons to return their plates to the tray-return points. Cleaners currently separate organic waste from other materials at these points.

For plates that are left on the table, the cleaners end up throwing everything into the hand-trolley bins. This waste will then go into the mix-waste stream, and will not be recycled.

A cleaner Channel NewsAsia spoke to said it means more work, but he sees the point of the recycling initiative.

“There is purpose in this,” he said. “It’s just that it’s more troublesome because when we throw the rubbish, we still have to separate. So work is a little more cumbersome.”

– CNA/ek

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