Man and woman seen carrying away bags of clothes left next to Cloop recycling bin in Bukit Merah
A man and woman were seen carrying away bags of items intended for recycling left next to a Cloop recycling bin in Bukit Merah.
Stomper Lily shared photos of the incident that took place in the void deck of Block 127 Kim Tian Road on Jan 2 at 7.45pm.
She claimed the duo took more than eight bags of clothes.
"As the bin was full, others placed many bags beside it. These two people helped themselves to the clothing," said the Stomper.
"Is it time for the recycling company to improve their recycling bins?"
Cloop describes itself as a "circular fashion social enterprise focused on reducing fashion overconsumption and waste by helping consumers close the textile loop with solutions for pre-loved apparel/textiles and sustainable shopping alternatives".
Its yellow recycling bins can accept clothes, bags, shoes, accessories, belts, hats, underwear, toys, bedsheets and towels in clean, dry and reusable condition.
In response to a Stomp query, Cloop co-founder Tan Yin Ling said Cloop does not condone the unauthorised removal of items from its recycling bins and surrounding area.
She explained: "These bins are the property of our recycling partner, Life Line Clothing, and all items deposited are intended for proper recycling and redistribution.
"Unauthorised removal undermines the integrity of the recycling system."
Ms Tan added that rummaging through bins often creates mess and unsightly conditions around collection points, and does not reflect the spirit of Cloop's shared commitment to sustainability and community care.
"We understand the frustration when bins are full or when people witness items being taken," she said.
"As best practice, we kindly encourage residents to place donations inside the bin only, use nearby bins, or return at a later time. Items left outside the bin are unfortunately unsecured, and wet donations cannot be recycled."
To further improve awareness and responsible use, upgraded bin stickers are being rolled out, clearly outlining accepted and non-accepted items, proper recycling steps, and warning notices.
Some of the bins have also been fitted with security cameras on a trial basis.
Ms Tan asked that anyone who notices a full bin or people removing items or creating a mess to take a photo with the bin number on top of the bin and send it to +65 8308 3631 via WhatsApp.
"This will help our partners respond quickly and appropriately. For convenience, the new bin stickers also include a QR code for quick reporting," she said.
"We would like to assure the public that Life Line Clothing responds promptly to reports of full bins, and collection efforts have been stepped up to meet growing participation in our textile recycling initiative, especially during the spring-cleaning and festive periods."
Stomp earlier reported in February 2025 that a couple was caught on video raiding a Cloop textile recycling bin in Sengkang in the middle of the night.
Cloop's other co-founder, Ms Jasmine Tuan, said at the time that such cases were becoming more frequent and "getting out of hand".
