SINGAPORE – CleanHood, a new initiative to get schools and community businesses within estates to keep their neighbourhoods clean, was announced by Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu at the launch of the annual Keep Singapore Clean 2025 campaign in Sentosa on April 13.

Organised by the Public Hygiene Council (PHC), CleanHood, an enhanced programme formerly known as the Sustainable Bright Spot, aims to cultivate collective ownership among residents, students and merchants by equipping them with resources to keep their common spaces clean.

In 2024, PHC carried out nearly 2,500 clean-up activities. It has supported close to 1,500 Keep Singapore Clean initiatives, and engaged more than 76,000 participants and volunteers nationwide.

PHC also strengthened its corporate outreach with the launch of its Corporate Action Network, expanding its number of partner organisations to 100 from 30 in one year, and signing memorandums of understanding with OCBC Bank and SBS Transit.

PHC aims to expand CleanHood to 15 schools by the end of 2025 to cultivate good public cleanliness habits among young people. The programme will extend to community businesses, including convenience stores, supermarkets and neighbourhood shops, in the coming years.

“For schools, CleanHood will provide wide-ranging resources that educators can tap on to nurture a sense of environmental ownership among students. Students will be encouraged to become environmental advocates through hands-on activities, from designing publicity materials to sharing experiences with their peers during school assemblies,” Ms Fu said.

At the community level, CleanHood will focus on developing community champions, who will be equipped with knowledge and skill sets through workshops to drive environmental initiatives in the community.

“I am certain that this new initiative will complement the National Environment Agency’s efforts to fortify community stewardship in caring for public spaces,” she added.

“Good public hygiene is one cornerstone of Singapore’s success and our reputation as a clean city... Many public cleanliness and hygiene issues, such as pest infestation and high-rise littering, can adversely affect our health and quality of life.

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