Enforcement ‘crucial’ for public toilet cleanliness but grants incentivise operators to ‘do even better’: Grace Fu

Why is the government offering S$10 million in grants for coffeeshop operators to clean their toilets?

According to the Minister for Sustainability & the Environment, Grace Fu, grants encourage coffeeshop operators "to do better in implementing good toilet designs and initiate the practice of regular deep cleaning".

Enforcement, said the minister, is still crucial in ensuring that minimal toilet cleanliness standards are upheld.

The minister wrote this in response to a Parliamentary question filed by Member of Parliament (MP) Gerald Giam.

Speaking of enforcement...

Fu laid out the penalties that errant coffeeshop operators face if they do not keep their toilets clean.

Under the Environmental Public Health (Food Hygiene) Regulations, licensees of food establishments, which includes coffeeshops, may be fined up to S$2,000 for toilet-related offences

Under an enhanced penalty regime, the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) issues composition sums of up to S$500 for toilet-related offences.

Operators can also incur demerit points for toilet-related offences under the Points Demerit System.

Accumulating 12 demerit points within 12 months may cause an operator to have their licence suspended for up to three days.

500 coffeeshop operators faced enforcement in 2024

The SFA has been taking enforcement against errant coffeeshop operators, according to statistics provided by Fu:

• 70 toilet-related enforcement actions were taken against 60 coffeshop operators on average each year, between 2020 to 2023.
• 960 enforcement actions were taken against 500 coffeeshop operators in 2024, the Year of Public Hygiene.
• 11 coffeeshops were suspended for toilet-related offences in 2024

Coffeeshop toilets are provided as a service to community

Fu went on to explain that while coffeeshops are privately operated, their toilets are generally made accessible to the public as a "service to the community".

Fu noted that those who benefit from this include senior citizens, taxi drivers, private hire car drivers, and food delivery personnel.

"However, relying on grants and enforcement is not enough. Toilet users can play their part by using public toilets responsibly and keeping them clean for other users," wrote Fu.

Top image: Canva