Wednesday 3 June 2015

[Today] Safety mechanism needed for automated waste system

Reading about the pneumatic waste system in the report “Automated system makes garbage disposal cleaner” (June 2) was fascinating, and I applaud the Housing and Development Board’s efforts to implement new technology. I had a grim thought, however.
In the past, cleaners have found abandoned babies thrown down the chute. With a large bin of rubbish as a cushion, a baby has a chance to survive. With this technology, the poor child stands no chance.
While I am aware that technology and progress should not be impeded by such rare occurrences, we cannot deny as well that it does happen.
Did the HDB consider this possibility and can a safety mechanism also be installed, perhaps a system that stops when there is sound above a certain decibel level for a prolonged time?