Chinese New Year celebrations has gotten back on track. Families have resumed CNY visiting and feasting as per normal, with house visiting back in full swing (or should it be in full hop). With that, more red packets were used as well.
Now that the celebrations are almost over, it is most likely that you will have a pile of empty red packets or ang baos lying around and you may feel that it is a waste to dump the almost new and pretty red envelopes in the dustbin and wonder what to do with them.
Red packets are actually not easy to recycle due to the amount of ink and gold stamping involved. Often they end up incinerated. So a dedicated red packet recycling will help to plug the gap.
Some businesses have come forward to provide red packet recycling bins to repurpose them to paper products like cardboard boxes and even coasters.
In 2022, over 5,000kg of red packets were recycled – 5,000kg of red packets are enough to produce around 12,500 carton boxes.
According to NEA, recycling 1,000kg of paper saves 17 trees. Many trees take about 10 to 20 years to reach maturity, so imagine how much you can contribute to saving the earth just by recycling your used red packets!
Read Also: Why I Plan To Give Out “Not So New” Notes For Chinese New Year Red Packet Gifting
Geneco – 30 recycling bins across Singapore till 31 Mar 2023
Geneco has partnered with several retailers and malls to support the recycling of red packets.
This initiative is in its third year and the bins can be found at the retail locations of Cru, IUIGA, OTO, REFASH, and at Wisma Atria Shopping Centre, as well as the Geneco office. The locations are spread out across Singapore, including Duxton Road, Alexandra Road, Jurong East, Yishun, Sembawang, Changi, Ubi, and Orchard Road.
The collected red packets will be sent to Tay Paper Recycling to be pulped and made into paper products.
Geneco is also giving out $28 eCapitaVoucher to 20 lucky winners for this recycling initiative. Visit its Facebook page for more details. The contest ends on 12 February 2023.
DBS – 36 recycling bins all year round
DBS has recycling bins located at all DBS/POSB branches across Singapore. The recycling bins are available all year round.
You can recycle your red packets, DBS QR Gift Cards, and mandarin orange carriers. Its dedicated red packet recycling initiative will turn the ang baos into new paper products.
Some bins are located at branches that will be accessible during mall operating hours. Those branches that are not located in malls will be open within banking hours.
| Within Banking Hours | Within Mall Operating Hours |
| DBS Bishan Branch | DBS Plaza Singapura Branch |
| DBS South Bridge Branch | DBS Thomson Branch |
| DBS Suntec City Branch | DBS MBFC Branch |
| POSB Square 2 Branch | POSB Yishun Central Branch |
| POSB Toa Payoh Central Branch | POSB Yishun West Branch |
| POSB Kampung Admiralty Branch | DBS Woodlands Branch |
| DBS Towner Road Branch | DBS Parkway Parade Branch |
| DBS Bedok Branch | POSB Paya Lebar Branch |
| POSB Eastpoint Branch | DBS Tampines One Branch |
| POSB Serangoon Central Branch | POSB Bedok Central Branch |
| POSB Tampines Central Branch | DBS Kovan Branch |
| POSB Waterway Point Branch | POSB White Sands Branch |
| DBS HarbourFront Branch | POSB Tanjong Pagar Branch |
| POSB Bukit Panjang Branch | POSB Buona Vista Branch |
| POSB Jurong East Central Branch | DBS Westgate Branch |
| POSB Jurong West Branch | |
| POSB Bukit Batok Central Branch | |
| DBS Choa Chu Kang Branch | |
| POSB Jurong Point Branch | |
| DBS Bukit Timah Branch | |
| POSB Yew Tee Branch |
Read Also: I Tried To Recycle My Trash For A Day, This How It Went
UOB – bins located in participating branches all year round
You may recycle your red packets by dropping off your unused or used red packets in specially designed Lunar New Year recycling bins at participating UOB branches.
The programme will be available for the whole year and the red packets will be collected and sent to a local recycler.
Earlier batches of red packets were repurposed into tables and coasters to benefit charitable organisations.
OCBC – available in all branches until 10 Feb 2023
Since CNY 2022, OCBC has been providing recycling boxes to recycle the red packets. This year, the recycling initiative will be from 25 January 2023 to 10 February 2023.
Last year, OCBC collected 4,000 kg of red packets. The red packets and recycling boxes were pulped and made into products such as cardboard boxes.
A total of 10,000 cardboard boxes were made.
Takashimaya – until 5 Feb 2023
Takashimaya has also collaborated with Tay Paper Recycling for the ang bao recycling initiative from 5 January to 5 February 2023.
The bin is located at the main escalator at Level 1 of The Atrium (behind the main stage).
The red packets will be sorted and exported to overseas paper mills to be recycled by manufacturers to make into new products.
Image Credit: Takashimaya
Featured Image Credit: OCBC, UOB
Read Also: 6 Ways To Make Money By Recycling In Singapore
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