dotlah! dotlah!
  • Cities
  • Technology
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Society
  • Science
  • About
Social Links
  • zedreviews.com
  • citi.io
  • aster.cloud
  • liwaiwai.com
  • guzz.co.uk
  • atinatin.com
0 Likes
0 Followers
0 Subscribers
dotlah!
  • Cities
  • Technology
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Society
  • Science
  • About
  • Lah!

In Land-Scarce Singapore, Where Does Your Rubbish Go?

  • October 22, 2019
Island Nation Aerial Photography.
Total
0
Shares
0
0
0

Singapore is not exactly the biggest country in the world, only having a total land area of 724.2 square kilometers. Unlike in other places where they have the luxury of space, Singapore has little room for mistakes. Every part of the island must be carefully planned to ensure and maximise the use of space. What Singapore cannot boast in terms of land area it compensates for by being smart.

A clever disposition

Singapore is known for its wise use of the highly limited space, allowing it to be established as one of the most successful and developed countries in the world today.

Among the steps Singapore has taken to maximize the amount of available space is the creation of an efficient waste management system.

Landfills can easily expand and occupy precious land area. It is important for Singapore to keep their waste in check at all times.

In 2017, Singapore produced 8, 443 tonnes of solid waste each day. That’s a lot, equivalent to the weight of about 5,600 cars, according to The Straits Times.

How is Singapore not filled with rubbish, where does it all go? It is almost like a riddle. Now, it is time that we find out the answer.

Singapore’s waste management system

Once the rubbish is collected, portions of it will go on different journeys. The first of which is recycling.

Dedicated recycling trucks are deployed to gather recyclables and bring them to materials recovery facilities where they are sorted. Then, these are transported to recycling plants here and overseas where they are repurposed. The Strait Times states that the overall recycling rate of Singapore is about 61%. 

The non-recyclable rubbish needs to be processed differently. In Singapore, incineration is the chosen method of dealing with this kind of rubbish.

Singapore’s incineration plants adopt a waste-to-energy (WTE) system. This means that electricity is produced in the incineration process. Here’s a typical process diagram of a WTE system:

Now that looks a bit complicated. Let’s simplify things a bit.

During the incineration process, steam is produced. This steam turns turbines which in turn generates electricity. This is the energy conversion process.

But what about all the smoke produced during incineration? Wouldn’t that add to the already massive volumes of emission in our atmosphere?

Worry not,  the incineration plants are also equipped with filtration systems which remove pollutants from the smoke produced. This way, all that comes out of the incineration plants is clean air.

Lastly, there is ash from the incineration which needs to be disposed off. All the ash is collected and transported to the Semakau landfill, Singapore’s sole, offshore landfill.

Semakau Landfill

The catch

While all seems to be good, there’s a catch: not all non-recyclables can be incinerated. This is why Singapore still produces waste. This is also why Singapore expects the Semakau landfill to hit full capacity by as early as 2035.

There are several solutions to this problem in landfill space:

  • The most straightforward one of course is to find another landfill space
  • Think about ways to reuse the ash produced by the incineration facilities to further bring down the waste produced by Singapore
  • Adjust consumer items so that all materials used in production are either recyclable or incinerable

All of these things will take careful planning and long time spans to actualize.

In our end, we can also do our part to help. We should aim to reuse or recycle as much of the things we use in our everyday lives as possible. A reduced, mindful consumption will also go a long way.

Total
0
Shares
Share
Tweet
Share
Share
Related Topics
  • Incineration
  • Recycling
  • Semakau
  • Waste
  • Waste Management
majulah

Previous Article
  • Cities
  • Lah!

PMD Etiquette Every Singaporean Should Know

  • October 21, 2019
View Post
Next Article
  • Lah!

Jewel Changi Airport Marks Six Months Of Operations With A Grand Opening Celebration

  • October 23, 2019
View Post
You May Also Like
View Post
  • Lah!

Tariffs, Trump, and Other Things That Start With T – They’re Not The Problem, It’s How We Use Them

  • John Francis
  • March 25, 2025
View Post
  • Lah!

Canonical announces 12 year Kubernetes LTS

  • John Francis
  • March 4, 2025
dotlah-smartnation-singapore-lawrence-wong
View Post
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Featured
  • Features
  • Lah!
  • Machine Learning
  • Technology

Growth, community and trust the ‘building blocks’ as Singapore refreshes Smart Nation strategies: PM Wong

  • Dean Marc
  • October 9, 2024
dotlah-singapore-ndp-2024
View Post
  • Lah!

Here’s what to expect for NDP 2024!

  • dotlah.com
  • August 9, 2024
dotlah-singapore-airlines_may_21-1716298816
View Post
  • Lah!

Severe turbulence during Singapore Airlines flight leaves several people badly injured. One man died

  • majulah
  • May 22, 2024
dotlah-pm-lee-lawrence-wong-9656d4cd-1fa4-40ed-905d-e19e639b8476_728802dd
View Post
  • Lah!
  • People
  • Politics

End of Lee Era for Singapore as PM Steps Down

  • dotlah.com
  • May 16, 2024
DPM Lawrence Wong will be Singapore's fourth prime minister on May 15. ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI
View Post
  • Lah!
  • People
  • Politics

7 things to know about Singapore’s next prime minister Lawrence Wong

  • dotlah.com
  • May 15, 2024
When asked about his leadership style, DPM Lawrence Wong said he will be open and consultative, but he will not shirk from doing what is necessary for Singapore's future. ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI
View Post
  • Features
  • Lah!
  • People
  • Politics

‘We are prepared to relook everything’: Lawrence Wong on a changing society and his hopes for S’pore

  • dotlah.com
  • May 15, 2024


Trending
  • NASA Launch 1
    • People
    • Technology
    Most Americans Support NASA – But Don’t Think It Should Prioritize Sending People To Space
    • August 6, 2023
  • 2
    • Cities
    • People
    In 2100, These 10 Countries Will Emerge As The Largest
    • January 12, 2020
  • Technology 3
    • People
    • Technology
    How AI In Healthcare Could Bridge A Significant Capacity Gap
    • January 28, 2024
  • 4
    • People
    • World Events
    Coronavirus Fears: Should We Take A Deep Breath?
    • February 7, 2020
  • 5
    • Lah!
    SGX Prices Its Debut US$250 Million 1.234% Notes
    • September 3, 2021
  • 6
    • Lah!
    • Technology
    Shell Launches Singapore’s First Electric Vehicle Charger At Service Stations
    • September 25, 2019
  • 7
    • Lah!
    • Technology
    ST Engineering Appointed MRO Licensee For Honeywell Components In LEAP-Series Engines
    • January 13, 2021
  • Greener spaces would allow children to be more connected with nature. Image credit - Fas Khan / Unsplash 8
    • Cities
    Cities that connect people and nature are a post-pandemic priority, conference hears
    • July 7, 2021
  • 9
    • Cities
    • People
    Megacity Slums Are Incubators Of Disease – But Coronavirus Response Isn’t Helping The Billion People Who Live In Them
    • May 21, 2020
  • The-Infinity_of_Numbers___by_Johimja__e1abe88e-12df-4a5c-b256-763b9a131ce6 10
    • Science
    • Technology
    Exploring Dedekind Numbers – Infinite Patterns in Mathematics
    • July 13, 2023
  • 11
    • Technology
    Miniature Robots Controlled By Magnetic Fields
    • June 16, 2021
  • 12
    • Lah!
    • Technology
    First Global Hydrographic Innovation And Technology Laboratory Established In Singapore
    • October 27, 2021
Trending
  • 1
    Meralco PowerGen’s PacificLight starts up 100 MW fast-response plant in Singapore
    • June 20, 2025
  • 2
    A Father’s Day Gift for Every Pop and Papa
    • June 14, 2025
  • 3
    Apple services deliver powerful features and intelligent updates to users this autumn
    • June 12, 2025
  • 4
    Apple supercharges its tools and technologies for developers to foster creativity, innovation, and design
    • June 11, 2025
  • 5
    It’s time to stop debating whether AI is genuinely intelligent and focus on making it work for society
    • June 8, 2025
  • 6
    PBBM asks Singapore to invest more in PH renewable energy projects
    • June 6, 2025
  • 7
    Singapore PM Wong arrives in Malacañang
    • June 4, 2025
  • 8
    Renewable energy, carbon credits are priority areas of cooperation for Singapore, Philippines: Lawrence Wong
    • June 4, 2025
  • 9
    Singapore businesses eye more investments in PH, says PM Wong
    • June 4, 2025
  • 10
    The Summer Adventures : Hiking and Nature Walks Essentials
    • June 3, 2025
Social Links
dotlah! dotlah!
  • Cities
  • Technology
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Society
  • Science
  • About
Connecting Dots Across Asia's Tech and Urban Landscape

Input your search keywords and press Enter.