Picking up after moviegoers does not seem like a task until live crabs and soiled diapers are among the popcorn boxes and bottles which have to be cleared.
Most of the waste usually is snack and popcorn boxes, empty drink bottles and nacho trays. But occasionally, there are a few odd items such as prams, wallets, keys, luggage and once even a bag full of new underwear.
Consumable goods left behind are kept for 24 hours, which was what happened with the live crabs found at GV Jurong Point. Other belongings are kept for a period of time, so that the owners may have a chance to claim it. There is a great improvement now in the disposal of trash, as some moviegoers clear it themselves.
Terence Heng, vice-president for innovation, content and engagement at Shaw Organisation, said such civic-minded patrons help make cinemas more pleasant for others. The way this worked was a carefully designed plan, where a video right before the movie starts, which has a moral-based plot, to remind the moviegoers to be more responsible.
For instance, a video series featuring two friends with different views on kindness has been screened before the start of movies by some operators since June. Kelvin Gay, a business relationship manager at Just clean Services, the cleaning contractor for GV Paya Lebar, said some inconsiderate habits remain. "There are some people who slot wrappers in between the seats. Others would wipe their dirty hands on curtains."
A cleanup is usually done after every movie, right before the next movie comes on. This is usually just clearing away the trash like popcorn boxes and bottles.
At the end of the day, after the last show has been screened, there is a more rigorous cleaning. This involves vacuum cleaning and wiping with disinfectants. It is usually a long process and takes up to an hour with every hall.
Hence, people are being urged to maintain basic standards of cleanliness themselves, to ensure a better cinematic experience for others.
