SINGAPORE - Households in Singapore can now collect free home recycling boxes from vending machines at over 140 locations, as part of an effort to encourage residents to recycle more regularly.

Known as Blooboxes, the foldable, washable and reusable boxes are aimed at making recycling more convenient for residents.

In a pilot distribution in November and December 2022, the boxes were made available to residents in five neighbourhoods – Fengshan, Sembawang West, Tampines North, Yio Chu Kang and Yuhua.

More than 8,600 households collected the recycling boxes during the pilot.

During the launch of the nationwide distribution of the Blooboxes on Sunday, Dr Amy Khor, Senior Minister of State for Sustainability and the Environment, said: “We hope that by encouraging residents to set up a recycling corner at home, they will be reminded to recycle more regularly, as well as to recycle right.”

The recyclables collected in a Bloobox can be dropped off at blue recycling bins or recycling chutes, which are more common in newer Housing Board blocks.

“I believe this will help to reduce the contamination in blue recycling bins, which has been at around 40 per cent. When there is contamination, the other items cannot be recycled and it is a waste of others’ recycling efforts,” said Dr Khor.

“So by encouraging restaurants to recycle more and recycle right, we will not only divert the amount of waste that goes to Semakau Landfill, but also turn trash into treasure and reduce carbon emissions.”

The Bloobox can hold up to 5kg of paper, plastic, metal and glass recyclables, as well as electronic waste. It has instructions printed on it to help residents ident...