April 06, 2019, 07:03 PM 
A new high-tech waste collection system has been implemented for 38 HDB blocks in Yuhua, Jurong since 2015.
How it works
The pneumatic waste conveyance system (PWCS) was deemed to be more efficient, convenient and hygienic than the old way of managing waste in the residential estates.
In summary, waste that residents dispose of goes into a refuse chamber on the ground floor.
The waste will then be transported at high speed with a suction force to a centralised bin centre where the waste is stored in sealed containers.
Photo from HDB.
However, the adoption of the new system has its teething problems.
Persistent odour
Foul smell exuding from the centralised bin centre at Blk 223A of Jurong East Street 21 has been a persistent problem in Yuhua since the PWCS started.
According to a recent report from the Chinese evening newspaper Lianhe Wanbao, residents have been bearing with the smelly environment for the past four years.
Some residents also revealed that some people throw bulky items such as large soft toys, cardboards and mattresses, which choke up the pipe network.
This worsens the foul smell in the area and the cleaners will have to manually take the items out.
The adoption of technology is laudable, but the success of this new system also depends on the users to be mindful of what they disposed of.
HDB & town council to seek solutions
The Jurong-Clementi town council told Wanbao that PWCS helps improve hygiene in the estate by reducing pest breeding areas.
They are aware of the odour and have been working with the Housing and Development Board on this matter over the years.
In the past, they have tried a few methods to get rid of the smell, such as installing mechanical ventilation in the bin centre.
Most recently on Feb. 1, 2019, they have also started to connect the vent hood on the roof of the bin centre to a bin filled with water and cleaning solution to hopefully remove the odour.
The town council spokesperson also mentioned that flyers have been distributed to inform residents on how to use the PWCS correctly.
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