Collecting and recycling trash is a far-from-glamourous business. But that image is set to change with plans to transform the waste management sector.
NTUC, the Building Construction And Timber Industries Employees' Union (BATU), and the Waste Management & Recycling Association of Singapore (WMRAS) have joined forces to embark on an Operation and Technology Roadmapping (OTR) process to professionalise and upgrade the sector.
The series of workshops facilitated by NTUC from August to October 2020 explored industry-level data and strategies. Participants of the workshops also developed a consensus on new norms that will impact the sector and its workers.
“The OTR has come at an opportune time when we are facing a foreign manpower crunch made worse by COVID-19. We look forward to implementing the Roadmap and hope it will help our businesses leverage technology to make our work processes safer, more innovative and productive; upgrade our workers' skills and prospects; enhance our image and attract more locals to join us,” said WMRAS Chairman Melissa Tan.
WMRAS was set up in 2001 as a registered society to represent and promote the business interests of its 160-odd members. The association currently has 17 of these member companies in the general waste collection and recycling sub-sectors participating in a consortium OTR.
They are committing to three key strategies for the next phase of sector transformation:
With targeted completion by Q3 2021, the OTRs will benefit some 12,000 workers through sub-sector and company-level transformation initiatives.
Wah & Hua was one of the waste management companies that participated in the consortium OTR and had completed its company-level OTR.
The company held a media event on 22 October 2020 to share its key strategies to set best standards for the sector. These include investing in new equipment, continuous talent development, and automation of trucks’ collection system.
Wah & Hua Assistant General Manager Desmond Tan said: “The consortium OTR was certainly helpful in charting out the strategies to tackle the common challenges faced by the industry.
“For Wah & Hua specifically, the company-based OTR has been particularly useful as it helps crystallise our plans for that added distinctive competitive edge to propel our company forward in the new normal.”
Speaking at the sidelines of the event, NTUC Secretary-General Ng Chee Meng underlined the significance of these efforts.
“This is important because it will allow us a chance to work with employers to increase productivity in this whole sector. And when they have success, our workers can also partner with what we call the 4.0 programmes.
“We hope to upgrade our workers in this area, further boost productivity, and therefore have a win-win situation like this,” he said.
