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MEWR
Whole of Government

Top 5 Most Popular FAQs PUBLIC HEALTH
1.	How can I report illegal hawking? The Singapore Food Agency (SFA) is the reviewing agency for all illegal hawking issues. You may share your feedback and report on any illegal hawking matters via the SFA's feedback form.
2.	Why can’t we ban smoking in all public areas? Although the long-term goal is to prohibit smoking at all public places, except at Designated Smoking Areas (DSA) , we need to recognise that smokers also need space to smoke. The National Environment Agency (NEA) has been progressively extending the Smoking Regulations to more public places where the public are more likely to be exposed everyday to second-hand tobacco smoke, in consultation with the public and relevant stakeholders. In 2013, the NEA extended the smoking prohibition to common areas in residential buildings, sheltered walkways, linkways, overhead bridges, outdoor compounds of hospitals and a five metre buffer zone around bus shelters. In June 2016, the smoking ban was also extended to include more public areas such as, reservoirs and more than 400 parks. These include parks under the purview of JTC Corporation, parks in public housing estates, which are managed by the respective Town Councils, and neighbourhood parks, under NParks, which are within private housing estates. Since 30 June 2017, NEA also stopped accepting applications for smoking corners in all food retail establishments. Existing smoking corners will remain until the current licence expires. Food retail establishments with smoking corners are required to demarcate the smoking corner clearly, but setting up of physical partitions is not compulsory. Since January 2019, public areas within the Orchard Road precinct was designated as a No Smoking Zone (NSZ). Brochures listings of the locations of DSAs are available at shopping malls and point-of-sales of tobacco products. Signage and advertisements are also found at lamp posts and bins in the erected areas, selected bus stops and on buses that ply Orchard Road. More information can be found at the NEA’s website here.
3.	Where can i get information on food hygiene standards and regulations relevant to food handlers, caterers and home-based business? The Singapore Food Agency (SFA) regulates Singapore's food retail industry to ensure that food sold at retail outlets is safe for consumption. SFA licenses food retail businesses, including restaurants, cafes, snack bars, supermarkets, mobile food wagons and food caterers. Information on food hygiene practices and guidelines can be found on SFA's website here.
4.	How can I report smoking offences? If you have feedback on smoking offence committed in public spaces, you may share it with us via our feedback form. The officers from the National Environment Agency (NEA) will work with the respective agency/landowner to address your feedback. There are currently no regulations prohibiting smoking within one's private residential premises. The authorities would encourage the feedback provider to seek mediation with their neighbours through the Community Mediation Centre (CMC) to reach an amicable compromise. Alternatively, the feedback provider could also consider legal recourse through the Community Dispute Resolution Tribunal if the neighbours refuse to attend the mediation. To learn more about smoking prohibition in Singapore, you may visit NEA's website here.
5.	How can I appeal for my offences issued by NEA? The National Environment Agency (NEA) is the reviewing agency for all appeals issued against littering, smoking and spitting. For enquiries, you may use our feedback form. Please note that you will be asked for supporting documents for your appeals to be considered. All information regarding the offence and the appeal outcome are considered confidential and will only be disclosed to the offender/appellant directly.

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