Return your tray initiative to make a comeback

The Government is re-launching the tray-return initiative at a few hawker centres in the last quarter of this year. 

Existing centres will be retrofitted with tray-return areas, and all new ones will have such facilities. 

The aim is to encourage patrons to return their crockery after eating, so the workload of cleaners can be eased. 

Environment Minister Vivian Balakrishnan assured that this will not lead to cleaners being out of jobs. 

He said in future, cleaners are likely to be in short supply.

"As patrons, as customers, we will all have to be more gracious and more considerate, not only for the burden of the cleaners but also for the patrons who join us at the table, or eat subsequently at the same table as us. I would point out that it is very wrong to take the attitude that it is a paid-for service, therefore I don't need to return the tray or I don't need to clean up the mess that I leave behind. I think we should flag this out as simply ungracious, inconsiderate behaviour."