Singapore’s People's Action Party (PAP) has announced that it will partner with SGRecycle to roll out over 78 paper recycling machines in public housing estates across Singapore by the end of this year.

Some 78 paper recycling machines will be rolled out in public housing estates across Singapore by the end of this year. (Photo: mothership.sg)

The launch of paper recycling machines is part of PAP's first phase to make every PAP-managed town "zero waste, energy efficient, and greener" by 2025.

Fifty-nine paper recycling machines will be ready for use by the end of this week, and another 19 will be installed islandwide by the end of this month. One tonne of paper recycled per machine each month is estimated to be equivalent to saving 17 trees.

Paper in the form of general scraps, letters, books, corrugated cardboard, magazines, and newspapers can be deposited into the machine. There are sensors within the machine to weigh the amount of paper deposited.

To use the machine, Singaporean citizens will have to register for an account with SGRecycle. For every 1kg of paper deposited into the machine and recycled, users will receive six reward points, or the cash equivalent to 6 cents, in their digital wallets. According to SGRecycle, 1000 points is equivalent to 10 SGD, or 7.3 USD.

The minimum sum of money that one can withdraw is 10 SGD. This can be done via PayNow, PayLah!, and bank transfer.

In addition, outreach programmes will be conducted to raise awareness of these machines amongst residents to improve the rate of paper recycling in PAP managed towns, when COVID-19 situation allows.

Source: VNA