As Singapore celebrates its SG60 milestone, the focus isn’t just on looking back – it’s on stepping forward. On 13 April 2025, the Public Hygiene Council (PHC) launched its Keep Singapore Clean (KSC) 2025 campaign at Sentosa, kicking off a month-long nationwide initiative to rally communities around a cleaner, healthier, and more resilient Singapore. The event was graced by Ms Grace Fu, Minister for Sustainability and the Environment, and marks the latest push in a decades-long public hygiene journey.
Celebrating a Legacy of Cleanliness
Singapore’s reputation for cleanliness didn’t happen by accident. It’s the product of long-term planning, public cooperation, and consistent effort. In 2024, designated as the Year of Public Hygiene, PHC organised over 2,500 clean-up activities, supported nearly 1,500 community initiatives, and engaged more than 76,000 people.
It has also expanded its Corporate Action Network (C.A.N) from 30 to 100 partner organisations, including major players like OCBC and SBS Transit. This year, the KSC 2025 campaign theme, “Keep Singapore Clean – Our Shared Mission,” reminds us that maintaining public hygiene is everyone’s responsibility. It continues the Council’s goal to move beyond individual behaviour change and foster a shared sense of ownership for public spaces.
A Record-Breaking Start
To mark the launch of the Keep Singapore Clean campaign, more than 1,000 participants took part in ‘Ridge to Reef: The Great Sentosa Plog’, a record-setting event co-organised by Sentosa Development Corporation (SDC) and supported by PHC and Mount Faber Leisure Group.
For the unfamiliar, plogging combines jogging with picking up litter, and the event is recognised by the Singapore Book of Records as the largest mass plogging activity – blending environmental action with wellness.
Minister Grace Fu flagged off the event from Wings of Time Fireworks Symphony, with SDC staff leading the route around Sentosa. The initiative reflects the wider campaign’s priorities: sustainability, public ownership, and long-term commitment.
One of the key enhancements in this year’s campaign is the launch of the CleanHood Programme – formerly known as Sustainable Bright Spot. The programme now extends its reach beyond residential blocks to include schools and local businesses, equipping students and merchants to take a more active role in keeping their environments clean.
Through partnerships with schools, PHC is integrating CleanHood with the Ministry of Education’s Values-in-Action (VIA) programme. Students are encouraged to take leadership roles in clean-up activities, design educational materials, and advocate for good hygiene habits during school-wide events.
At the same time, the CleanHood programme will run capacity-building workshops for community leaders, helping them initiate their campaigns and share best practices. These grassroots champions will be critical voices in expanding the movement’s reach.
Recognising Cleanliness Champions
To further encourage participation, PHC has introduced the CleanHood Award, a new recognition framework that spotlights organisations and individuals actively driving cleanliness efforts. At the campaign launch, 13 partners were honoured with gold, silver, and bronze awards — a small step towards building a culture where environmental responsibility is acknowledged and celebrated.
While much of the campaign focuses on visible litter and shared spaces, public toilet cleanliness remains a key challenge. PHC Chairman Mr Andrew Khng emphasised the importance of sustained, joint efforts to raise standards across the board.
This includes community-driven initiatives such as expanding the Neighbourhood Toilets Community Group and installing more CleanPods across the island – self-service stations that provide cleaning tools for public use.
Mr Khng summarised the campaign’s direction clearly: “Sustaining high levels of public cleanliness and hygiene requires all of us to do our part… We encourage everyone to join us in our common mission – to build good habits and ensure a cleaner, more hygienic and safer Singapore for our current and future generations.”
Looking Ahead
The Keep Singapore Clean 2025 campaign is more than a month-long event. It’s a reflection of a broader shift in how Singapore approaches public hygiene – from top-down enforcement to community-led action. With growing corporate involvement, youth engagement, and grassroots leadership, the message is clear – cleanliness is not just a standard to meet but a shared mission and responsibility to uphold.
For more information, you can visit their website here, and be sure to follow them on their socials on Instagram and YouTube for the latest on the Keep Singapore Clean campaign!
Visuals courtesy of Public Hygiene Council (PHC).
