Side-loader recycling trucks reduce manpower needed during collection
SINGAPORE: Trucks with side-mounted lifting mechanisms will be
collecting recyclables from Housing & Development Board (HDB)
estates in the Ang Mo Kio-Toa Payoh and Jurong districts for one
year, under a trial programme that will reduce the manpower needed
for the collection process.
Currently, recyclables within HDB estates are collected using
rear-end-loader trucks. These trucks are manned by one driver and
two workers whose task is to push the blue recycling bins into
truck for emptying.
The new side-loader trucks, however, will only require one worker-
the driver, the National Environment Agency (NEA) announced on
Saturday (April 21).
“The use of side-loader trucks is an opportunity to upskill workers
in the environmental services (ES) industry and improve the
productivity of recyclables collection through the adoption of
technology,” said NEA chief executive officer Ronnie Tay.
“It is also an example of what job redesign can look like in the ES
industry, to adapt to the changing circumstances and the needs of
the environment,” Mr Tay added.
The trial commenced in the Ang Mo Kio–Toa Payoh sector on
Friday, and will be implemented in the Jurong area on May 2.
Recyclables from 223 HDB blocks will be involved in the trials - 90
blocks in the Ang Mo Kio-Toa Payoh sector and 133 blocks in the
Jurong sector, NEA said.
Along with the introduction of the side-loader trucks are new blue
recycling bins, which are about three times the capacity of the
current 660-litre receptacles.
The bigger and taller bins will prevent recyclables from
overflowing and reduce pilfering, thereby enhancing the overall
cleanliness and tidiness of the area around the recycling bins,
said NEA.
Wheels have not been fitted on the new bins, in order to prevent
the unauthorised shifting of the receptacles, the agency
added.
The side-loader truck collection system has previously been
successfully deployed in countries such as Italy, Spain and
Australia.
In this system, the driver of the truck need only activate the
vehicle’s lifting mechanism to collect automatically lift the
compatible recycling bin and offload the recyclables into the
truck’s storage compartment.
An on-board weighing system tracks the weight of recyclables
collected.
The side-loader truck collection system is part of initiatives
under the environmental services Industry Transformation Map
launched in December last year.
Source: CNA/aj