300 cleaners employed to clear trash off Marina Bay after New Year party

Almost 300 cleaners were engaged to the clean the area after the New Year countdown event

Picture for representation
Picture for representation Reuters

With every party, there come a bucket full of trash and the huge New Year party at Singapore's Marina Bay was no exception. Almost 300 cleaners were engaged to clean the area after the New Year countdown event.

It was reported that the workers hired by the event organisers had to work from midnight until 7am on 1 January to remove the garbage littered by the revellers. At least 260 volunteers from the Lions Club of Singapore Mandarin joined the cleaners and helped them until around 1.30am.

According to Straits Times, a cleaner identified as Madam Tan said the after party trash situation this year was not as bad as initial years. "I could see that many people held on to their trash as they left. Some thanked me and wished me a happy new year when they saw me," said the worker.

While most of the crowd used the dustbins provided at the venue, some unruly people littered the place with their cans, bottle, advertisement fliers and unwanted picnic maps. Moreover, many revellers also chose to stack cans and other used products near bins after they got stacked with rubbish till the brim.

Volunteers with placards saying "bin it right" were seen at the New Year Party. They also distributed free garbage bags among the public who came for the countdown as a part of a first-time initiative undertaken by the Public Hygiene Council. "Overall, the Marina Bay area was not really clean as we observed many pockets of littering. Our volunteers went around reminding members of the public to bag their trash and bin it," said a council spokesperson.

More than 300,000 people joined the event organised by the Urban Redevelopment Authority and the Esplanade - Theatres on the Bay. The largest New Year party of Singapore had a countdown and spectacular firework show.

"This is a yearly tradition for us, to put the old year behind and welcome the new. 2016 has been a happening year for many and you can see that everyone here is looking forward to a new start in 2017," said a 54-year-old reveller who came to the party with his family, according to The Straits Times.

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