Environmental Public Health Act is enacted

The Environmental Public Health Act came into effect on 2 January 1969.^[1] The act aimed to improve Singapore’s public-health laws by standardising the code governing public-health-related matters such as hygiene standards of eating places, markets and public places as well as the provision of public cleaning services.^[2] The legislation also helped to augment the role of the Public Health Division, especially its responsibility as the enforcer of the clauses embodied in the act.^[3]

The Environmental Public Health Act was modelled after similar legislations at the time such as the United Kingdom’s Public Health Act, New Zealand’s Public Health Act and New York City’s Health Code.^[4] The act was realised after the government had introduced a series of measures to raise Singapore’s environment standards and make Singapore a cleaner and greener city.^[5] These measures include daily refuse collection as well as the launch of the Keep Singapore Clean campaign on 1 October 1968.^[6]

Some of the notable features in the act include provisions against littering and the disposal of refuse in public places. Penalties were imposed on those who littered, disposed refuse  or building-materials waste in public places, or failed to take precautions to prevent danger to others during building operations.^[7]

To facilitate the removal of refuse, developers of housing estates and industrial complexes were required by law to provide refuse chutes and refuse bin centres within the property.^[8] Building owners also had to carry out necessary repair and maintenance work on defective sanitary facilities within their premises and ensure that drains were not clogged.^[9]

The act also incorporated public-health practices into the licensing and control of markets, hawker centres and food establishments. Under the act, all stallholders and food handlers were required to undergo regular medical examinations and immunisation. In addition, food establishments had to comply with regulations governing the preparation, storage, transport and sale of food.^[10]

References
1. Republic of Singapore. Government Gazette. Acts Supplement. (1968, December 28). The Environmental Public Health Act 1968 (Act 32 of 1968) (p. 315). Singapore: Government Printer Office. Call no.: RSING 348.5957 SGGAS.
2. Singapore. Parliament. Parliamentary Debates: Official Report. (1968, December 16). Second Reading of the Environmental Public Health Bill (Vol. 28, cols. 399–400). Singapore: [s.n.]. Call no.: RCLOS 328.5957 SIN.
3. Parliamentary Debates: Official Report, 16 Dec 1968, Vol. 28, col. 400.
4. Ministry of Environment. (1973). Towards a clean and healthy environment (p.18). Singapore: Author. Call no.: RSING 614.7 SIN.
5. Parliamentary Debates: Official Report, 16 Dec 1968, Vol. 28, cols. 396–398; ‘Cleanest state in Asia’ drive from next week. (1968, August 8). The Straits Times, p. 7. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
6. The Straits Times, 8 Aug 1968, p. 7; Launched: Drive to make Republic Asia's cleanest. (1968, August 16). The Straits Times, p. 6. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
7. Parliamentary Debates: Official Report, 16 Dec 1968, Vol. 28, cols. 403–404.
8. Parliamentary Debates: Official Report, 16 Dec 1968, Vol. 28, cols. 404–406.
9. Parliamentary Debates: Official Report, 16 Dec 1968, Vol. 28, cols. 404–406.
10. Parliamentary Debates: Official Report, 16 Dec 1968, Vol. 28, col. 405.