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The distribution of the household recycling box, known as Bloobox, was launched on Saturday (Nov. 26) by Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu at Yuhua Single Member Constituency (SMC).

The launch took place during an event by Clean and Green Singapore at Yuhua Community Club.

Fu has been a long-time Member of Parliament of Yuhua SMC.

The distribution will be piloted at five constituencies, including Yuhua.

The other four constituencies are Fengshan, Sembawang West, Tampines North and Yio Chu Kang.

Under this initiative which was announced earlier this year in January, each household in Singapore will receive one Bloobox with the aim of encouraging a habit of recycling at home.

Where to collect your Bloobox

Households in the five constituencies can collect their boxes from Nov. 26 to Dec 23, 2022 at the following locations:

Fengshan residents can also collect from Fengshan Mullberry RN, located at Block 79 along Bedok North Rd.

The rest of Singapore will be able to collect the recycling box from March 2023 onwards.

How to collect?

Each household is entitled to one Bloobox, and any household member registered at the residential address can help to collect the box.

The boxes are distributed via vending machines, and those collecting will have to either scan their NRIC or FIN card or enter their NRIC or FIN number during collection. Sounds pretty similar to previous rounds of masks collection from the neighbourhood vending machines right?

Those collecting the boxes can find out where the nearest vending machines are located at as well as the machine's stock levels online.

"Origami-style" design

Designed in collaboration with students from Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT), the Bloobox is foldable, reusable and can hold up to 5kg of paper, plastic, met or glass recyclables, or e-waste.

The SIT team is made up of three third-year Sustainable Infrastructure Engineering (Land) students -- Ralph Faller, Sherry Low and Ang Yong Sheng -- as well as their mentor Kwong Kwok Kuen, a Senior Professional Officer.

Faller, the team lead, shared with Mothership that one of their main inspiration when designing the box was for it to have an “origami-style” design.

The box itself is also recyclable, Faller pointed out.

To help households sort between recyclables and non-recyclables, the Bloobox has labels to help with identification as well as a removable divider to create a compartment for small e-waste items.

You can also check whether an item is recyclable or not by checking this list or looking up a search engine by Clean and Green Singapore.

After the box fills up, households can then empty their recycling boxes into appropriate recycling collection bins -- a blue recycling bin, a recycling chute or at e-waste bins.

Part of zero waste plan: Fu

Speaking at the event, Fu highlighted that the Bloobox initiative is to remind and help make it easier for Singaporeans to recycle.

"We found that by putting a box in every household, it reminds us about the importance of recycling. And this is a very important part of our Zero Waste Nation Plan, where we can reduce the waste to incineration, reduce the waste to landfill so that we can stretch the lifespan Pulau Semakau."

Fu shared that the initiative will start with 65,000 boxes across the five constituencies.

“It’s a pilot phase. We will study what we can learn from this pilot phase and then go on to do a national distribution”, Fu added.

Top images by Gawain Pek and NEA