16 February, 2020

Quora Answer: How Does Singapore Stay Clean?

The following is my answer to a Quora question: “How does Singapore stay so clean?

Singapore has an army of cleaners.  They get to work in the early hours of the morning, sweeping the roads and sidewalks all over the island, and they are done before mid-morning.  The garbage collectors also come early, and every bin is emptied every single day.

All public infrastructure has a maintenance schedule.  Signs are replaced regularly, the grass is cut, trees are trimmed, drains are cleared, and roads are repaved on schedule.  Private buildings and infrastructure are required, by law, to be maintained to a certain standard for safety and sanitation.  There is also special emphasis on toilets.

Regarding the individual, there are laws against littering and dumping, and they are strictly enforced.  There is a range of punitive measures, from fines and jail for egregious offences such as killer litter, to corrective work orders, where convicted offenders are made to clean up public places.

Essentially, it is a combination of maintenance, logistics, and social engineering through public education, and legislation.



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