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2021/CTI/SEM2/005
Session: 2

Overview of Singapore’s Integrated Solid Waste

Management System
Submitted by: Singapore

Webinar on Improving Waste Management

and Recycling Policies in the APEC Region
17 June 2021
Overview of Singapore’s Integrated Solid Waste
Management System

APEC Webinar –
Improving Waste Management and Recycling Policies in the APEC Region
17 June 2021
Challenges – Waste Growth and Land Scarcity

Singapore’s tonnage of waste disposed of increased about

7-fold over the past 40 years

25.00
GDP
At this rate..

20.00 Semakau Landfill until: ~2035

8,175 tonnes/day (2019)
15.00 1,200 tonnes/day (1970)
New offshore landfill
Index

every: 30-35 years

10.00
Waste Disposal
But there will be less & less land
5.00 available
Population

0.00
1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 2020
Year
2
Land Area: 724.2 km2 Population Density: 7,788 per km2
Singapore’s Waste Management System

Total Waste Generated Non-Incinerable Waste

16,111 t/d Collection 596 t/d Landfill
Consumers
4%
Incinerable Waste
Recyclable Waste 7,326 t/d
8,189 t/d
45%
Commercial & Residential 51% Ash
1,291 t/d
Retail Total Recycled Waste
8,328 t/d

Factories &
Industries
52% Metals Recovered 138 t/d

1%
Recycling
Waste-to-Energy

Producers
Electricity
(2020 Waste statistics) 2,179 MWh/d
3
Solid Waste Management Strategies

4
Towards a Zero Waste Nation

Our Targets

1 Extend Semakau Landfill’s lifespan beyond 2035

2 Reduce amount of waste sent to landfill per capita per day by

30% by 2030
3 By 2030, achieve a 70% overall recycling rate:
- 81% non-domestic recycling rate
- 30% domestic recycling rate

70% 81% 30%

Overall Recycling Non-Domestic Domestic
Rate Recycling Rate Recycling Rate

5
SG Green Plan 2030
A domestic sustainability movement, with concrete sectoral
plans and targets over the next ten years that will position
Singapore to achieve net zero emissions as soon as viable

City in Nature Sustainable Living Energy Reset

5 Pillars of the SG
Green Plan

Green Economy Resilient Future

Target
To reduce the amount of waste (per capita) sent to landfill by
20% by 2026; and subsequently by 30% by 2030
Sustainable
Living
For more information, visit www.GreenPlan.gov.sg
6
Resource Sustainability Act to
Close Three Resource Loops
Packaging Waste,
Including Plastics

Packaging Waste, including plastics

Food waste

Food Waste
E-waste

E-waste

7
 Closing the E-waste Loop
2021: Extended Producer Responsibility
covering the following products:

Producers Producer Responsibility Scheme Retailers

(PRS)

Batteries
Lamps

• Consumer EEE: Required • Appointed by NEA • Required to provide free

to join a PRS • Takes on producers’ one-for-one take-back
ICT Equipment • Non-consumer EEE: responsibilities to services upon delivery of
Required to provide free develop and implement new products
take-back services for all collection and recycling • Large EEE retailers (floor
end-of-life equipment system for consumer EEE area above 300 m2):
from clients upon request Provision of in-store
collection services

Large Appliances 8
 Closing the Packaging Loop

From 2021:
Packaging Waste Mandatory reporting of packaging data
55% 30% 15% and plans to reduce, reuse or recycle
packaging

To start with producers of packaged

products and supermarkets with annual
Plastic Paper Others, e.g. glass, metal
turnover of more than $10 million
(based on 2019 data)

Partnership between Singapore Manufacturing Federation

and National Environment Agency
No later than 2025:
Packaging Partnership Programme Extended Producer Responsibility for
packaging waste management
Industry-led programme to support companies in their
journey towards sustainable packaging waste management Start with Beverage Containers Return
including fulfilling their new obligations under the
Mandatory Packaging Reporting
Scheme under Phase 1 of EPR

9
 Closing the Food Waste Loop

Mandatory food waste segregation and treatment

for large food waste generators
Potential for food waste to be
converted into useful products
From 2021: From 2024:
Developers of new large Mandate food waste
commercial and segregation for
industrial premises to treatment/recycling for
allocate and set aside large industrial and
Compost / space for on-site food commercial food waste
Biogas generators
Liquid Nutrients waste treatment
systems in their design
plans Ensure that segregated
food waste is treated on-
site

Food retail
Hotels and malls Industrial premises
establishments

10
Recycling in Singapore

Domestic Waste

660L 120L
Recycling Bins Recycling Bins
at HDB for homes in
apartment private estates
blocks National
Recycling
Programme
(NRP)
100%
Mandatory Schools recycling
Recycling receptacles corner programme
for all condominiums

To achieve 70% overall recycling rate by 2030 11

 Promoting the Zero Waste Mindset
Refreshed Label to Reduce Recycling Improved Collection of Recyclables using apps #RecycleRight Engagement Initiatives
Bins/Chutes Contamination Denise Keller Video Series

Recycling Receptacle for New

HDB BTO Homeowners

Citizen Working Group on Household Recycling

Standardised Appearance for Recycling Trucks

#RecycleRight Publicity
Campaign with Targeted Key
Messages

12
Developing Local Recycling Capabilities

Mechanical Recycling (MR) Chemical Recycling (CR)

Treating post-industrial plastic waste, and future Treating plastics unsuitable for MR, such as
post-consumer plastic waste aggregated from the contaminated plastic bags and other single-
DRS use plastics

13
Creating “NEWSand” from Incineration Bottom Ash

• NEA is developing environmental standards for the use of incineration bottom ash (IBA) as building materials in non-
structural applications (NEWSand).

• Field trials have commenced in 2020 to assess environmental performance of treated IBA.

• Successful use of IBA will help maximise resource recovery and reduce waste residues sent to Semakau Landfill.

Ash pit at Tuas South Incineration Plant Incineration Bottom Ash 14

Safeguard • Nurture • Cherish