Marine Parade-Braddell Heights Town Council workers not to wear uniform during personal BCRS activities
Marine Parade-Braddell Heights Town Council (MPBHTC) has responded to a viral TikTok video showing its workers returning a large bagful of beverage containers at a Return Right machine.
The workers were depositing containers from their own purchases and doing so outside working hours, said the town council in a Facebook post on Sunday (1 Nov).
Source: @jiatong888 on TikTok
Marine Parade-Braddell Heights Town Council workers return bagful of BCRS containers
In the video, two men wearing blue shirts with the MPBHTC logo on their backs were seen using a Return Right machine at an undisclosed location.
They had a large black garbage bag containing numerous beverage containers, which they inserted into the machine to get a S$0.10 deposit each under the Beverage Container Return Scheme (BCRS).
Source: @jiatong888 on TikTok
An elderly man carrying a tote bag was queuing behind them, possibly waiting to use the machine.
As a man recorded the two workers, they grinned sheepishly at his commentary.
Source: @jiatong888 on TikTok
TikToker accuses town council workers of taking BCRS containers from trash
In the caption, the TikToker claimed this was the second time they had seen town council workers doing this.
Hashtagging Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC MP Tin Pei Ling, they noted that rummaging through public refuse bins and removing items is illegal and questioned why town council workers could do it.
They also accused the workers of earning “double salary” as they were paid by the Government but also allegedly earning money by taking containers from the trash.
Netizens defend workers, say they deserve the income
However, many netizens defended the workers in the comments, saying they were responsible for cleaning the environment.
Since they worked hard and didn’t earn much, we should not begrudge them some extra income, they added.
Source: TikTok
Another commenter challenged the assumption that the worker had taken the containers from the trash, saying they could have picked them up while cleaning.
Source: TikTok
One user did not mind the workers making use of the BCRS scheme, but felt they should not do so when in uniform.
Source: TikTok
Marine Parade-Braddell Heights workers given some BCRS containers by residents
In its post, MPBHTC clarified that the workers were depositing containers from their own purchases.
Some of the containers were also given directly to them by residents, it said.
They were also using the machines after their working hours.
Marine Parade-Braddell Heights workers not allowed to rummage through trash
MPBHTC also explained that, like the general public, its workers are not allowed to rummage through refuse or recycling bins to retrieve BCRS containers.
This was emphasised to all conservancy workers since the scheme started, it said.
MPBHTC has since reminded them to follow operational guidelines and not to wear their work uniforms when carrying out personal BCRS activities outside working hours.
This is in light of the recent incident, and to avoid any “misunderstanding” that they are doing so in their capacity as MPBHTC’s appointed workers.
Source: @jiatong888 on TikTok
‘Workers are also members of the community’: Town council
MPBHTC thanked members of the public who shared their thoughts, saying they take the feedback “seriously”.
It especially thanked those who spoke kindly of the conservancy workers, who play “an important role in keeping our neighbourhoods clean”.
Noting that the workers are also members of the community, MPBHTC added:
We hope residents can understand that they may participate in the recycling scheme in their own time, just like everyone else.
At the same time, proper work practices should be observed, and it will continue to work with the cleaning contractor to reinforce these expectations, it concluded.
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Featured image adapted from @jiatong888 on TikTok.
