Tampines MP dives into dumpster bin to show the mistakes people make in recycling

SINGAPORE: Charlene Chen, who has been representing the Tampines East division of Tampines GRC since 2025, documented an unusual journey recently, showing in a recent video how she went through the contents of a Bloobin, the blue recycling bins found all across Singapore.

She aimed to uncover some of the most common recycling mistakes people make.

“While many have the right intention to recycle, recycling right makes all the difference,” she wrote, adding that recyclables need to stay clean and dry, as one contaminated item can render an entire batch unrecyclable.

Before diving into the Bloobin, she warned that if food waste is found in it, it would be a feast for cockroaches, which, naturally, no one wants.

True enough, however, as her camera caught a roach scurrying across the floor, it was obvious that remnants of food had erroneously been thrown into the bin.

“Sometimes, put things that shouldn’t be in there. So today, we are here to find out what shouldn’t be in the Bloobin,” she said.

When she removed a bag of plastic jugs that had been cleaned well, she commended the person responsible for it.

However, she also found a half-eaten sandwich and a container of fried rice in the bin; she reminded people that these should go into the regular green trash bin. The same goes for toilet paper, paper towels, and tissue paper.

Egg cartons, meanwhile, should go into the Bloobin, as should cardboard boxes, though these should be flattened first.

Dr Chen also found a cigarette butt, however, and she asked people not to throw them into Bloobins, as they can cause other recyclables to catch fire.

At the end of her Bloobin “ransack,” she said, “We see that a lot of people are recycling, and they really want to recycle the right way. But unfortunately, we still see a lot of contamination going on. Some things that shouldn’t be in here are still in here. So please make sure you don’t just recycle but recycle right. Let’s learn to toss the right things into the Bloobin so it won’t overflow.” 

Some commenters thanked and commended the MP for doing a dirty and uncomfortable job.

“Thank you for taking the time to do up this video, and kudos to you for not minding the filth and mess,” wrote one, adding that she sees a lot of food remnants when she recycles items into a Bloobin.

“Good work and video. Wish we can learn from Japan on this recycling culture, starting from the young generation. We have a long way to go,” added another. /TISG

Read also: Residents complain that numerous bags of clothing were piled up outside recycling bins, sparks concerns about environmental cleanliness