Source: Government of Singapore
25 March 2026 – The National Environment Agency (NEA) continued its stepped-up enforcement approach to uphold high standards of public cleanliness in 2025.
Over 13,600 enforcement actions taken for littering offences in 2025
2. In 2025, NEA took approximately 13,600 enforcement actions for littering offences islandwide, of which 13,200 were for ground littering. At cleanliness hotspots – identified through localised litter counts, public feedback and sustained ground observations – enforcement efforts were enhanced through visible patrols, standees, surveillance cameras, and ground engagements.
3. About 300 enforcement blitzes were conducted at hotspots, more than double the blitzes in 2024. Additionally, NEA issued over 700 Corrective Work Orders (CWO) in 2025, with 60 CWO sessions conducted at cleanliness hotspots to enhance deterrence. These targeted measures proved effective, resulting in a 40 per cent reduction in litter count at hotspots observed over a six-month period.
About 350 enforcement actions taken for high-rise littering in 2025
4. High-rise littering feedback has remained stable over the past three years, averaging 28,600 feedback cases annually. In 2025, NEA conducted approximately 2,200 camera deployments and took about 350 [1] enforcement actions for high-rise littering offences.
5. One notable enforcement outcome involved a case at Ang Mo Kio Ave 6. Following persistent feedback of high-rise littering, surveillance cameras were deployed and successfully captured multiple acts of littering from a unit within a two-week period. The offender was convicted in court and fined a total of $2,800.
6. Under the Environmental Public Health Act, any individual who litters is liable on conviction to a court fine of up to $2,000 for a first conviction, $4,000 for a second conviction, and $10,000 for the third and subsequent convictions. The court may also impose a Corrective Work Order, requiring offenders to clean public areas for up to 12 hours.
Strengthening detection through extended surveillance and partnerships
7. NEA continues to explore new ways to enhance surveillance and enforcement capabilities. Since August 2025, NEA has extended camera surveillance duration for high-rise littering from 14 days to up to 28 days, to improve the effectiveness of the intervention.
8. In October 2025, NEA also introduced a six-month pilot programme with town councils (TCs), providing each TC with two high-rise littering surveillance camera deployments per month, to enable TCs to respond to the ground situation. TCs can deploy cameras at high-rise littering hotspots identified by their ground staff. All TCs have joined the pilot, with 39 cameras deployed since October 2025 with a 30 per cent catch-rate.
About 1,300 enforcement actions for rat-related lapses in 2025
9. NEA’s two-monthly surveillance cycle showed a decrease in the average number of rat burrows per cycle from about 5,400 in the first half of 2025 to about 4,200 in the second half of the year. Majority of burrows were detected in public housing estates, followed by grass verges along roadsides and in industrial estates.
10. Since 1 April 2025, NEA has tightened enforcement against premises managers and owners for rat-related lapses including poor refuse management and housekeeping practices, defects in refuse handling facilities (e.g. bins, bin centres), and presence of rat harbourage. About 1,300 enforcement actions were jointly taken by NEA and the Singapore Food Agency against premises owners for rat-related lapses, of which about 620 were for poor refuse management.
11. Targeted operations were conducted in areas such as Little India, which saw stepped up rat control efforts since September 2025. These efforts included engaging stakeholders on good housekeeping and proper refuse management, conducting regular night inspections, and stepped-up enforcement. Between September 2025 and January 2026, a total of 114 enforcement actions were taken against premises owners and operators for rat-related lapses, of which 70 were for poor refuse management [2] . With the collective efforts of stakeholders in the area, NEA’s latest thermal and passive infrared camera deployments showed up to 70 per cent reduction in rat activities at various locations within Little India.
12. Sustained efforts from all stakeholders remain crucial, as rat populations can quickly rebound if good housekeeping practices are not maintained consistently. NEA will continue to adopt a multi-pronged approach encompassing enforcement, innovative solutions, and stakeholder engagements, to uphold high standards of public cleanliness. Everyone plays a part to keep Singapore clean. All residents are encouraged to take active ownership of cleanliness in their environment and report public health offences via the OneService app.
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[1] Data is provisional as of 6 March 2026
[2] Data is provisional as of 6 March 2026
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