Pasir Ris resident's discarded items cause rubbish ruckus
A Pasir Ris resident's attempt to declutter her home backfired after passers-by turned her neatly placed discards into a 'mountain of trash'.
Ms Wu Shiyan, 45, who lives at Block 125 Pasir Ris Street 11, had packed her unwanted items into five boxes and placed them beside a recycling bin on the ground floor on June 20.
However, people began rummaging through them, leaving a mess in their wake.
"I told them not to take things, the cleaners would have a hard time clearing them, but they wouldn't listen," Ms Wu told Shin Min Daily News.
A team of four town council cleaners reportedly had to work overtime until 9pm to clear the staggering amount of rubbish.
"On Thursday, we cleared three barrels of trash, which included DVDs and audio equipment," recounted one cleaner. "There were more over the next two days, including glass and ceramic fragments."
This wasn't the only clutter crisis at Block 125. Another resident, Mr Cui, reported a separate pile of discarded boxes and appliances left near the ground-floor lift lobby.
The situation wasn't limited to the common areas either. The refuse chutes in the block were reportedly choked with trash, forcing cleaners to resort to alternative methods.
"It was so full, we couldn't clear it the way we always do," explained one cleaner.
Mr Cui described hearing loud noises like shattering glass being thrown down the chute between 8pm and 10pm on Friday, prompting an exasperated resident to yell "Stop throwing!" from the window.
The incident coincides with the recent completion of the Home Improvement Programme in the estate, potentially leading to a surge in spring cleaning and unwanted items.
In response to media queries, a Pasir Ris-Punggol Town Council spokesperson said it took immediate action to remove the discarded items and reminded residents of the proper disposal methods available.
The spokesperson added that the town council offers a bulky refuse removal service that residents can access through its website or hotline.
It has issued notices advising on the proper disposal of bulky refuse and items that may cause noise nuisance if disposed of in the Central Refuse Chute (CRC).
Get The New Paper on your phone with the free TNP app. Download from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store now