Meet Mdm Zhang, a 66-year-old resident of Block 393 Yishun Avenue 6. She has been grappling with a peculiar problem since the year 2020 – her upstairs neighbour’s persistent habit of tossing litter out of the kitchen window and landing on her clothes, according to Shin Min Daily News.
Zhang’s exasperation has since reached a tipping point and she is voicing out her frustrations and helplessness at the whole situation.
A Disturbing Habit
According to Zhang, her upstairs neighbour’s littering habits encompass a dismaying array of items, from food wrappers to bits of bread, curry, and even crumpled paper. This ongoing behaviour has transformed her window ledge into an impromptu garbage collection point.
The consequences of this unrelenting littering are not limited to an unsightly view. Zhang’s window ledge, now littered with food remnants, has become an inadvertent invitation to local birds.
These feathered visitors not only disrupt her peace but also leave behind unsavoury souvenirs in the form of droppings.
Zhang recalls her experience during the Covid-19 pandemic, a time when she was confined to her home. It was then that she noticed the relentless pattern of littering.
She stated, “During the Covid-19 pandemic when I was at home, I realized that the neighbour upstairs would throw food wrappers, bread, curry, and bits of paper down the building.” This daily occurrence became a constant source of frustration for her.
The consequences of this inconsiderate behaviour have forced Zhang to make significant adjustments to her daily routine. She no longer hangs her freshly washed clothes outside for fear of them being stained by the falling debris. Instead, she resorts to drying them inside her house, sacrificing the convenience of outdoor drying.
Intriguingly, Zhang discovered remnants of bread trimmings and strands of bee hoon on her laundry pole, indicating the extent of the littering. Even more puzzling, her son’s white shirts bore black stains, a result of the mysterious substances hurled from above.
Rain-soaked writing papers were also seen stuck onto Zhang’s window ledge. This paper, it was surmised, originated from children’s math worksheets and was yet another curious byproduct of the littering habit.
An exasperated Zhang lamented, “I had already thrown away the bread crumbs in the morning. After that, there was paper. It’s like this every day.” Her daily life had been significantly disrupted by the inexplicable actions of her upstairs neighbour.
A Shared Predicament
Zhang is not alone in her ordeal. Another resident told Shin Min that they also witnessed bread and liquids being thrown from the floor above.
He shared his own misfortune, saying, “Occasionally, my clothes hanging outside will get stained, but fortunately, it’s not too frequent. I can only blame my luck when it happens.”
Zhang’s frustration prompted her to report her neighbor’s actions to the town council, hoping for a resolution to this ongoing issue. However, despite her efforts, the situation remains the same.
In response to inquiries by Shin Min Daily News, the Yishun Town Council acknowledged the issue and stated that they had issued advisory letters to individuals suspected of high-rise littering and issued them warnings, and that notices have also been placed around the estate.