Bishan East is latest neighbourhood to get community litter-picking facility

More community litter-picking facilities will be rolled out across the island to nurture collective responsibility in public cleanliness, said the Public Hygiene Council (PHC).

The latest housing estate to get a community shed - known as a CleanPod - is Bishan Cresta.

Located next to the estate in Bishan Street 13 and along the park connector, the CleanPod, launched on May 11, will help residents take the initiative in clearing litter in the community by providing equipment such as tongs and buckets.

The launch capped the month-long Keep Singapore Clean 2025 campaign, which saw more than 13,000 participants take part in about 250 clean-up activities across residential areas, parks and community spaces.

The expansion of CleanPods - Bishan Cresta's is the 23rd one - is part of the CleanHood initiative launched in April to deepen collective responsibility for public cleanliness by equipping the community with resources to keep common spaces hygienic.

Following the launch event, more than 50 residents and volunteers were joined by newly elected Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC MP Elysa Chen to pick up litter in the vicinity using equipment from the shed.

Among them was Mr Jonathan Ng, who is chairman of the Bishan Youth Network and who has been volunteering in Bishan for 10 years.

The 28-year-old public servant said that while there are estate clean-up initiatives from time to time, the equipment would have to be brought over from Bishan Community Club. The new CleanPod eases the logistics and makes it more convenient for volunteers, he added.

The shed also serves as a reminder for everyone to keep the park clean, he said.

Mr Ng noted that while the estate is generally clean, the litter found in the residential areas include food wrappers and fliers, while plastic bags and cups can be found near the park connector.

PHC chairman Andrew Khng said at the launch that the community's commitment to keeping its shared spaces clean and beautiful reflects its values of responsibility, respect and collective ownership of Singapore.

The first CleanPod was launched in July 2019. While initially placed at parks and beaches, the sheds were later expanded into residential neighbourhoods from October 2021. There are now CleanPods in housing estates in Beach Road, Pek Kio and Yuhua, as well as in Coney Island Park and Gardens by the Bay.

When asked about the utilisation rate of the existing CleanPods, Mr Khng said "usage has grown steadily".

He added that the council is identifying more strategic locations in which to roll out CleanPods, making it easier for residents and organisations to take part in spontaneous clean-ups or to plan community activities as part of everyday life.

PHC has also officially launched the CleanHood@School initiative for primary and secondary schools, and students will have access to CleanPods within their estates to support their learning and activities, he added.

The new CleanPod in Bishan is located next to Kuo Chuan Presbyterian primary and secondary schools.

Mr Khng said that as part of the CleanHood@School initiative, primary school pupils will go through the Buddy Clean Workshop, where they will learn about Singapore's cleanliness journey, develop appreciation for cleaners, and gain hands-on experience through proper use of cleaning tools and cleaning their schools.

Ms Chen, who was elected on May 3, told reporters at the event that she had spoken to pupils from Ai Tong School in Bishan about their clean-up initiatives, and was very proud of their community spirit.

The executive director of CampusImpact, a charity that helps disadvantaged youth, Ms Chen said she was touched by her residents' warmth since the election, and that some early priorities include introducing mental health initiatives for the community.

This was because residents have told her there is "a big need" for more mental health support programmes in the community, she said.

"There's also a lot of interest from our young people who want to come along and help me with it, so it really has to be a ground-up thing," she added. "There's going to be a process of consultation, working with the grassroots, and seeing what that actual plan looks like."