ISSUE ONE

A B I - A N N UA L N E A P U B L I C AT I O N

Professional Sharing Series

Waste as a Resource:
Potentials and Limits
Professor Rainer Stegmann reveals the
hidden truths of waste as a resource

THE CHANGE TO EURO 5

Technological evolutions improve health

An Exclusive Interview: Mr Lee Ek Tieng

THE SINGAPORE
RIVER STORY
A dialogue session with one of the key minds
behind the Singapore River clean-up
 FOREWORD
BY CEO
T
he National Environment Agency (NEA) has come a long
way since it was formed on 1 July 2002. Working together
with the community, other public sector agencies and private
corporations, we have spearheaded numerous environmental
initiatives and programmes over the years to protect the
environment and instil a strong sense of environmental ownership. These
programmes are in keeping with NEA’s mission to safeguard, nurture and cherish
our environment.

As Singapore’s national environmental agency, NEA’s responsibilities include

protecting the country’s environment from pollution, maintaining a high level
of public health and providing timely meteorological information — all of which
ensure that we continue to enjoy clean air, land and waters.

The ENVISION magazine showcases vital aspects of our environmental

practices that are often taken for granted. We hope that readers will gain a
better understanding of NEA’s efforts to protect the environment as well as its
future directions.

In this inaugural issue, I hope every reader will discover how Singapore deals with
Published by
its pollution and waste challenges, including the cleaning up of the Singapore
River. The attempts set the tone for future efforts to transform Singapore into a
city in a garden.

On behalf of NEA, I wish you an enjoyable and informative read.

Our Environment — Safeguard, Nurture and Cherish.

National Environment Agency

40 Scotts Road
Environment Building #19-00 Andrew Tan
Singapore 228231 Chief Executive Officer
Tel: 1800-2255 632 National Environment Agency
Fax: 62352611

This inaugural magazine is printed on environmentally friendly paper.

Note from the
Editorial Team NEA Contributors

With the current global population of seven billion people, a profound shift from Alvin Saw
rural sectors and peri-urban environments (the areas surrounding urban centres) Chris Tobias
to cities is underway. According to the Earth Policy Institute, by as early as Tan Seng Huat
2015, 315 million people will inhabit the world’s top 19 megacities. This massive Tay Lee San
transition to the urban context is tipped to increase as the UN projects world Koh Min Ee
population will grow from eight to nine billion by 2050. Already, this urbanisation
Teoh Soon Kay
trend sees stresses appearing in a number of areas: from land management and
Chen Yinghuan
resource use to urban planning and environmental quality with other implications
Ron Wong Chak Huat
relating to mobility, health and economic development.
Ivan Yap
Heng Zeng Rong
How can such a historically rapid change be carefully managed to ensure positive
Gwen Tan
outcomes for people, their environment and economic activity? In this context, one
case study worth noting is Singapore. This island city-state has transformed from Sharon Ong

its swamp-like humble beginnings in the 1960s with a population of two million to Nick Tan
a world-class city with a high quality of life — even with its expansive population Koh Su Ching
growth to 5.08 million as of June 2010. A high standard of environmental Tan Cheng Seng
management has become an integral part of the nation’s survival imperative. Ong Eng Kian
Liew Wen Hwee
In this issue, through the lenses of pollution and waste management, a wide
cross-section of the nation’s history will be explored to reveal the difficult
Special thanks to Mr Lee Ek Tieng,
lessons learnt from a wide range of environmental infrastructure projects.
Professor Rainer Stegmann (Director
We will also hear from civil service veteran Lee Ek Tieng, one of the key
for Residues and Resource Reclamation
minds responsible for cleaning up the heavily polluted Singapore River, and
Ce n t re, N a n ya n g Te c h n o l o g i c a l
international waste management expert Professor Rainer Stegmann, who charts
University), Professor Rajasekhar
the latest technologies cities can employ to cut waste, recover resources, and
Balasubramanian (Department of
offer new revenue streams for businesses.
Civil and Environmental Engineering,
National University of Singapore) and
A move to a more urbanised future need not result in slums with open sewers
Ria Tan for the use of her photos.
and rubbish heaps. Urban planners, engineers and civil servants throughout
the world can glean some valuable insights from the Singapore case study. It
Content of articles provided by the
demonstrates that even under challenging circumstances, with sound planning,
following NEA departments: Corporate
careful organisation and consistent execution, profound results are possible.
Communications Department,
Environment Technology Office,
Please e-mail any feedback or comments to chris_tobias@nea.gov.sg.
Industry Development and Promotion
Office, Policy Department, Pollution
Control Department, Singapore
Environment Institute and Waste &
Resource Management Department.
 ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 07

BIG
RUBBISH
Contents ISSUES
Keeping Singapore’s waste management
challenge in check
THE Sustainable WAY THE BRIEF
Sustainable waste management has played a vital Today, the disposal of rubbish represents a crucial
Singapore generates
role over the years in safeguarding the public health but often overlooked aspect of maintaining the
m o r e t h a n 1 7, 8 0 0
of Singapore’s population. It has enabled the country environmental well-being of Singapore with its
tonnes of waste every
to stay environmentally sound in relative terms in its population of over five million compacted into a land
day. That translates to
ascension as a regional economic powerhouse. area of 710.3 square kilometres.
over 6.5 million tonnes
in a year. How does an
Since independence in 1965, Singapore has had to face The country generates over 17,800 tonnes of waste
island-nation with a
the daunting reality of being a land-scarce nation in a hot (domestic and non-domestic) in one day. Widely
land area of 710 square
and humid equatorial region. These factors, together with regarded around the globe as an ideal Garden City,
kilometres pull off the
the country’s rapid urbanisation and industrialisation, it is living proof of a country that has mastered the
ENVIRONMENTAL 07 Big Rubbish Issues culminated in an aggressive response by the government balancing act of bolstering economic progress with
feat of keeping itself
clean and green? We
MANAGEMENT 11 The Reason We Breathe Easy
to its waste management issues. environmental sustainability. Achieving this involved
meticulous planning and deft execution of proper
give you the lowdown
on ever y thing you
Junkyard at Lorong Halus waste treatment methods with an emphasis on
14 Singapore River Clean-Up: Against The Odds cost-effective waste reduction, as well as the use of
need to know about
waste management in
discarded materials and recycling.
Singapore.

RESEARCH AND 18 Recovering Energy From Waste

TECHNOLOGY 22 Semakau Island: A Successful Marine Landfill And Vibrant Ecosystem

30 Towards Zero Waste

INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENT 34 Emerging Opportunities, Innovative Solutions

37 Signing Off To Less Packaging

39 3R Packaging Awards 2011

KNOWLEDGE & 42 Far From Wasted

CAPACITY BUILDING 46 A Pioneer Speaks
50 ENV Happenings
54 The Change To Euro 5
08 ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
WASTE MANAGEMENT 101
the 4 facets
Of solid waste management
recycling
The present recycling rate in Singapore stands at 58 per cent, a
significant improvement from its 40 per cent rating at the dawn of the
21st century. This increase can be attributed to major breakthroughs
in areas such as used slag, construction and demolition waste, and
ferrous metal where over 90 per cent is recycled. There are ongoing
plans to shape up the country’s supporting infrastructure and
coordination practices to address less efficient waste segments such
as plastics, food waste, horticultural waste, wood and paper.
Singapore is on track to achieve its 65 per cent recycling milestone by
2020 set by the Sustainable Singapore Blueprint. Its goal is to scale
that figure to 70 per cent by 2030.
Several initiatives have been set in motion to progressively achieve
these goals:
• Formation of the Waste Management and Recycling Association
of Singapore (WMRAS)
• S$20-million Innovation for Environmental Sustainability (IES) Fund
• Extensive educational drives (e.g. Annual Recycling Week and
National Recycling Programme)
National Recycling Programme (NRP)
This programme was introduced in 2001 to raise awareness and
encourage habitual recycling of domestic waste like paper, plastic,
used clothing and cans.
The process involves the distribution of recycling bags to homes by
private contractors which are retrieved fortnightly. Public recycling
bins, numbering over 6,000, have also been placed at various locations
islandwide. Today, recycling rates are up by 18 per cent as a result.
waste minimisation
NEA views waste minimisation as one of its core approaches to
waste management (see Towards Zero Waste). Focusing on reducing
waste at source would lead to reducing the use of new resources.
Instead of enforcing strict policies to keep waste production in
check, NEA encourages corporations to take ownership of their
environmental footprint through the practice of product stewardship.
Thus, stakeholders of the supply chain are responsible for the
afterlife management of their products and packaging. This applies
to manufacturers, distributors, retailers, consumers, waste collectors
and recycling companies.
That motivation has resulted in an official charter known as the
Singapore Packaging Agreement (see Signing Off To Less Packaging).
landfill solution
In 1999, Semakau Landfill was officially
commissioned eight kilometres off the
southern coast of Singapore. The offshore
landfill project is the first of its kind in
the world. It receives 1,500 tonnes of
incineration ash and 500 tonnes of non-
incinerable waste daily.
With a capacity of 63 million cubic metres,
Semakau Landfill will be able to serve the
country’s waste disposal needs until 2040,
creating new land area in the process.
waste-to-energy conversion
NEA is working to utilise waste as a resource to help Singapore
become more energy self-sufficient (see Recovering Energy From
Waste). Electricity is generated through the incineration of waste,
which produces sufficient steam to turn turbines. The process also
reduces original waste matter volume by 90 per cent.
There are four operational waste-to-energy plants in Singapore:
• Tuas Incineration Plant
• Tuas South Incineration Plant
• Keppel Seghers Tuas Waste-to-Energy Plant
• Senoko Waste-to-Energy Plant
Refuse is transported to the incineration plants through the
three means stated below. Burnt ash is then taken to the Tuas
Marine Transfer Station where it is loaded onto barges to be
transported to Semakau Landfill.
DIRECT COLLECTION
In Singapore, landed residential premises are issued a 120-litre bulk
bin each for the purpose of refuse collection. Shophouses and trade
premises are served by refuse bins of capacity ranging from 120-litre
to 1,100-litre depending on the amount of refuse output from the
premises. Refuse is collected daily from the kerb side in front of
each premises. These refuse bins are emptied into a collection truck
manned by one driver and two assistants with collection based on
fixed collection routes.
INDIRECT COLLECTION
During Singapore’s early years as a developing nation, the government
introduced an individual refuse chute system to all high rise residential
buildings. All homes had their own chute disposal points which fed
directly to a common bin chamber at ground level.
Since 1989, all new HDB flats have been fitted with an alternative
centralised refuse chute system. It consists of common chutes placed
at lift lobbies on each floor. These chutes converge to a single refuse
room located on the first storey where the waste is collected from a
fixed dust-screw system by trucks.
ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 09
Waste is derived from four types
of premises around Singapore:
• Domestic
• Trade
• Industrial
• Commercial
PNEUMATIC REFUSE CONVEYANCE SYSTEM (PRCS)
Here an automated system transports refuse from buildings by
air suction to a central collection station through pipes. The refuse
collected in sealed containers are then hauled away for disposal. It is
more hygienic with no open handling and storage of refuse.
THE LEGISLATION OF WASTE
Singapore’s Environmental Public Health Act drives the core of
NEA’s policies to ensure the country’s natural environment remains
sustainable.
Licensing of general waste collectors (GWCs) was introduced in 1989,
to require the use of proper vehicles and equipment for collecting
and transporting waste from the collection points to the disposal
facility. From its inception in 1989, the licences have come under
three classes:
Class A
Inorganic waste (e.g. construction debris, tree trunks, discarded
furniture, appliances and other bulky items including recyclables
that have been deposited in Central Recycling Depositories)
Class B
Organic waste (e.g. food and putrefiable waste from domestic,
trade and industrial premises and from markets and food centres)
Class C
Sludge from water treatment plants, grease from grease interceptors,
waste from mobile toilets and waste from sanitary conveniences in
ships and aircraft
A waste collection truck operated by private contractors
10 ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 11

THE FUTURE OF SOLID WASTE

MANAGEMENT IN SINGAPORE
Looking ahead, NEA has identified a few core areas of management
which will help Singapore stay on track to maintain and further
improve the effectiveness of its present practices:

EFFICIENT WASTE COLLECTION AND DISPOSAL SYSTEM

Strive for higher standards of waste removal with the objective

of protecting public health and hygiene, preventing pollution and
minimising odour nuisance.

1
NEXT-GENERATION TECHNOLOGIES

Invest in current technologies to help Singapore cope with

larger volumes of non-recyclable waste as the population and
economy grows. Potential new technologies for evaluation include
improvements to current waste-to-energy conversion systems, as
well as integration with other waste management technologies (e.g.
Mechanical Biological Treatment, Refuse-Derived Fuel, Pyrolysis/
Gasification and Incineration Bottom Ash Recycling).

WASTE REDUCTION / RESOURCE RECOVERY

Waste minimisation and recycling efforts that make economic

and environmental sense should be considered, keeping in mind
the imperatives of conserving precious landfill space, minimising 2

pollution and maximising resource recovery.

Monitoring Singapore’s air quality is an Important vocation

The Reason We
PUBLIC EDUCATION

Leverage on information technology tools such as social media to

increase environmental awareness.

QUALITY OF RECYCLING SERVICES

Improve the quality of recycling services provided to households

and public places in terms of recycling bin accessibility, design,
maintenance and collection frequency.
Breathe Easy
Although Singapore is predominantly a city-state, its air
quality ratings rank among the best in the region and
CREATING EASE THROUGH TECHNOLOGY
compare favourably with major cities around the world.
The country’s air quality is measured in terms of the
Use more efficient technologies to provide incentives for households Pollutant Standards Index (PSI), based on guidelines set
to reduce, reuse and recycle waste and disincentives to dispose by the United States Environmental Protection Agency
waste based on economic and environmental considerations (e.g. (USEPA). It has been in the “Good” range for at least 85
imposing higher fees for waste disposal). per cent of the time each year, notwithstanding external
interferences such as the haze.
3 Key to maintaining this high standard is Singapore’s
islandwide Telemetric Air Quality Monitoring and
Management System (TAQMMS), which provides an
1. & 2. Waste collection truck operated by private contractors efficient means for monitoring and assessing ambient
3. Senoko Waste-to-Energy Plant
air quality. The information collected is used to formulate
and review pollution control programmes to keep
our air within the ‘Good’ PSI benchmark. TAQMMS
was first installed by the government in 1994 to
continuously monitor ambient air quality and track major
concentrations of air pollutants [e.g. sulphur dioxide,
nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, ozone and respirable
suspended particles (PM 10 and PM 2.5)].
TAQMMS comprises 11 remote air quality monitoring
stations positioned at specific locations across
Singapore. Air quality data from these stations are
transmitted to a Central Control Station (CCS) via dial-up
telephone lines where they are verified, analysed and
disseminated to the relevant parties within NEA as well
as reported daily to the public.
12 ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 13
Closely
Monitored
Woodlands 10 Air so 2
no 2
11 Yishun Pollutants
Pollutant Pollutant
5 Measurements
9 Sulphur Dioxide Nitrogen Dioxide
6 μ (micro) = 10-6 (one millionth)
Choa Chu Kang Ang Mo Kio Pasir Ris
Bukit Panjang μm = micrometre description description
2 μg/m3 = micrograms per cubic metre A n u n d e s i r a b l e by- p ro d u c t f ro m t h e Nitric oxide accounts for most of the nitrogen
Bishan Serangoon Tampines
7 Bukit Batok 4 combustion of sulphur-containing fuels and, oxides emitted by man-made sources. It goes
Jurong West Toa Payoh Simei TAQMMS will continue to play a pivotal to a lesser extent, from petroleum refining on to be oxidised in the atmosphere to form
Bedok
role in helping NEA ensure that existing processes. nitrogen dioxide.
8 air quality standards are maintained at
Clementi 3 a “Good” PSI level. It is one of the main Prolonged exposure to high concentrations High levels of nitrogen dioxide increase the

Bukit Merah 1 reasons that we breathe easy day to day. of sulphur dioxide increases the risk of risk of respiratory infection and impair lung
contracting respiratory diseases. functions in asthmatics.

Ambient Stations USEPA National Ambient USEPA National Ambient

1. Tanjong Katong Girls’ School
2. Bishan ITE Air Quality Standards Air Quality Standards
3. environment building 80 µg/m³ (Annual Mean)* 100 µg/m³ (Annual Mean)*
4. Temasek Polytechnic 365 µg/m³ (24-hour Mean)* 188 µg/m³ (1-hour Mean)
5. Pei Hwa Secondary School 196 µg/m³ (1-hour Mean)
6. stagmont camp
7. Nanyang technological university

The Air 8. pandan reservoir

9. siglap secondary school
Sustenance 10. Yishun ite
Cycle 11. kranji reservoir
PM 10 Low-
The following diagram
demonstrates how TAQMMS
e n h a n ce s S i n g a p o re ’s
capabilities in responding to
PM 2.5
level
Ozone Co
1The process begins
air quality issues:
when ambient air
Pollutant Pollutant Pollutant
quality is measured at 11
Respirable Suspended Low-level Ozone Carbon Monoxide
locations in Singapore.
Particles (PM 10/PM 2.5)
description description
description Low-level ozone may be produced when Ca r b o n m o n ox id e is a co l o u r l e ss a n d
PM 10 refers to particulate matter of 10 µm reactive nitrogen oxides and volatile organic o d o u r l e s s g a s p ro d u ce d by ve h i c u l a r
taqMms (1/5 the diameter of a human hair strand) compounds combine chemically through emissions, cigarette smoke and incomplete
and below. PM 2.5, on the other hand, refers actinism (a chemical reaction caused by the combustion of fuels.
to very fine particulate matter, equivalent absorption of light).
and less than 2.5 µm (1/20 the diameter of a Since carbon monoxide has a higher affinity
2 Air quality
human hair strand). Ozone can severely irritate eyes, mucous than oxygen for haemoglobin in the blood,
readings are
membranes and the respiratory system in it deprives body tissues of oxygen when
verified and
These particles are able to penetrate deep human beings. inhaled. Exposure to moderate levels of
Media nea ccs analysed.
into the respiratory tract. When present in carbon monoxide may cause nausea and
high amounts, they can cause breathing USEPA National Ambient impair vigilance. In excessive doses, it can
difficulties as well as aggravate existing Air Quality Standards cause death through asphyxiation (choking
If the air is deemed to have respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. 147 µg/m³ (8-hour Mean) due to a lack of oxygen).
d e t r i m e n t a l e f fe c t s o n 3 Compromised air quality standards are studied to
235 µg/m³ (1-hour Mean)
public health, the media will determine any potential risks posed to the public. USEPA National Ambient USEPA National Ambient
be alerted to advise people Where possible, the source of pollution is identified, Air Quality Standards Air Quality Standards
on the precautionary steps followed by a swift implementation of measures to 150 µg/m³ - PM 10 (24-hour Mean)* 10 mg/m³ (8-hour Mean)
to take. N E A will also address the problem. NEA then uses TAQMMS to 15 µg/m³ - PM 2.5 (Annual Mean)* 40 mg/m³ (1-hour Mean)
provide updates to assure monitor whether the measures put in place have 35 µg/m³ - PM 2.5 (24-hour Mean)*
the public that the situation been effective.
is being monitored.
*Annual and 24-hour standards were revoked in June 2010
14 ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 15

SINGAPORE RIVER
CLEAN-UP:
AGAINST THE ODDS
REVIVING THE SINGAPORE RIVER
THE BRIEF

The Singapore River is one of the country’s most

prominent tourist attractions nestled in the heart of
the Central Business District. Its present state is a
far cry from what it was in the 1970s when it was
deemed an irreversible environmental disaster by
a United Nations expert. Learn how the river was
transformed from a dump into an icon.

F
rom the time Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles
came ashore in 1819 to Singapore’s post-
1965 independence from Malaysia, the
Singapore River has been the hallmark
of economic prosperity and nationhood
for a country succeeding against all odds.
Today, at the heart of the Central Business District, the Trading-related activities along the Singapore River, circa 1970s
river is a depiction of how Singapore’s past, present and
future are inextricably intertwined.

After years of being a focal point for transportation and

commerce, it became a victim of its own success. Once
teeming with a variety of underwater life, pollutants
caused by human activity turned the river into a flowing
wasteland devoid of oxygen, resulting in the extinction
of many aquatic creatures by the 1970s.

Being a national icon, something had to be done to

reverse its sordid state which unchecked would have
impeded Singapore’s progress. The solution involved
a culmination of street-smart engineering and tactful
human relations spanning across a decade.

While people were the cause of its pollution, it was also

people who ultimately brought the river back to health.
This is the story of the most extensive clean-up effort
ever undertaken in the history of Singapore.
Tugboats docked along the riverbank, circa 1980s
16 ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 17

Date Description

• Ministry of the Environment • Urban Redevelopment Authority

• Ministry of National Development
• Ministry of Trade and Industry
• Ministry of Communications and Information
• Ministry of Law
• Housing and Development Board
1
The Primary Production
• Jurong Town Corporation
March 1982 Department phased out 610
• Primary Production Department
pig farms and 500 duck farms.
• Port of Singapore Authority
• Public Works Department
• Parks and Recreation Department

Lighterage activities involving

around 800 lighters from the
Singapore River were shifted
September 1983 to Pasir Panjang, where the
Port of Singapore Authority
provided mooring and
upgraded facilities.

Vegetable wholesalers
operating in Upper Circular
Road were relocated to the
January 1984
Pasir Panjang Vegetable
Wholesale Market built by
2
HDB.

Only six boat builders out of

66 remained at the Geylang
January 1985 River. They agreed to adopt
pollution control measures to
minimise pollution.

3
The charcoal trade along
December 1986 Geylang River was relocated
to Lorong Halus.
18 RESEARCH & TECHNOLOGY
Tuas South Incineration Plant
Recovering energy
from
THE BRIEF
For some countries, the idea of converting waste into usable electricity involves
waste
the simple act of burning refuse to generate enough steam to turn a turbine. Other
technologies like plasma-arc gasification and anaerobic digestion have been adopted in
developed regions, especially in Japan and Europe. We examine the entire spectrum of
waste-to-energy (WTE) conversion technologies and their potential applications.
As countries worldwide grapple with waste management issues, one
of the most commonly utilised methods of reducing refuse levels has
been incineration. Cost-effective and highly reliable, incineration shrinks
waste volume by over 90 per cent and in some countries, can be used to
generate electricity.
The incineration industry dates back more than 130 years, with the first
incineration plants designed and built in 1874 in Nottingham, Britain, by
Manlove, Alliott & Co. Ltd. Patented by Albert Fryer, the plants burnt mixed
waste but did not have the ability to generate electricity. As technology
advanced, the plants now possess the ability to produce steam for
electrical production.
From 1 billion tonnes in 2011, global Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) is
estimated to increase by 49.2 per cent to reach 1.5 billion tonnes in
2025, and 305.6 per cent or more than 3 billion tonnes in 2050. A key
consideration in Singapore’s waste management strategy is its limited
land area. Since the 1970s, waste volume reduction has been achieved
largely through WTE incineration to address the lack of landfill
space. The first WTE Plant, Ulu Pandan Incineration Plant, was
commissioned in 1979.
During the late 1990s, however, Singapore introduced
upstream measures like waste minimisation and recycling (i.e.
the 3Rs — Reduce, Reuse, Recycle), which have become an
integral part of its waste management strategy together with
WTE incineration.
In 2010, 6.517 million tonnes of waste was generated in
Singapore, of which 58 per cent of waste was recycled
while 40 per cent was incinerated and 2 per cent landfilled.
WTE incineration is an important aspect in the management
of Singapore’s solid waste. As the population increases in
tandem with a booming economy, greater quantities of waste
will be generated, calling for improved means to boost our
incineration capacity.
The Modern WTE Industry
and Technologies
WTE technologies take advantage of the high carbon
content of waste collected in cities and convert it into
usable energy, such as electricity and heat. In the United
States in 2009, of the 3814.3 billion kWh electricity
generated, only 75.8 billion kWh was derived from solid
waste. In 2008, amongst the 27 member countries of the
European Union, despite having 432 WTE plants generating
electricity and heat from MSW, only 68.9 million tonnes of
solid waste was treated in these WTE plants.
Currently, incineration and landfill gas recovery (not
applicable to Semakau Landfill as it is filled with non-
organic waste) dominate the WTE industry, though other
technologies are emerging.
Pike Research, a US-based market research and consulting
firm in the clean technology market, estimates that there
are more than 900 thermal WTE plants in operation
around the world. These plants treat an estimated 0.2
billion tonnes of MSW with an output of approximately 130
terawatt hours (TWh) of electricity.
Incineration is the leading mass burn WTE technology and
the dominant engineering system in the market. According
to the European Waste Incineration Directive, incineration
plants must be designed to ensure that the flue gases
reach a temperature of at least 850°C for two seconds
in order to ensure proper breakdown of toxic organic
substances.
Thermal WTE systems will continue to lead the market with
a 93.2 per cent share of total WTE revenues over the next
six years, compared to 6.8 per cent for biological systems.
However, advanced thermal treatment technologies such
as plasma-arc gasification, pyrolysis and the usage of
Refuse-Derived Fuel (RDF) in incinerators are emerging in
the market.
Biological technologies like Mechanical Biological
Treatment (MBT) and the fermentation of waste also
offer an attractive alternative to thermal WTE methods.
Out of the total pollution contributed by industrial sub-
sectors, nearly 40 per cent of the total organic pollution
is contributed by the food products industry alone.
The possible feedstocks for biological technologies are
industrial wastewater from food products and agro-based
industries, as well as poultry waste.
Refuse-Derived Fuel or RDF is processed from raw waste to improve the calorific value of waste. RDF is a feedstock that can be burnt
by an incinerator designed to receive it, which in turn produces power more efficiently than conventional solid waste.
RESEARCH & TECHNOLOGY 19
Alternative WTE Conversion Techniques
Category | Thermal
Gasification
Gasification technologies convert organic waste materials into a
gaseous, combustible mixture containing mainly carbon monoxide
(CO) and hydrogen (H 2) called syngas. The waste material is heated
at high temperatures (usually more than 700°C) without combustion,
with a controlled amount of oxygen and/or steam. The resulting
syngas can be combusted for steam production in boilers for
subsequent electricity generation.
Pyrolysis
Pyrolysis is a form of thermal degradation that chemically decomposes
organic materials into constituent molecules by heat in the absence of
oxygen. A mixture of pyrolytic oil and wax is produced. The products
can be reformed into engine fuels or combusted to produce steam for
electricity generation.
Category | Biochemical (Non-thermal)
Mechanical Biological Treatment (MBT)
MBT systems combine a sorting facility with a form of biological
treatment such as biodrying or anaerobic digestion. The mechanical
sorting stage enables the recovery of materials in the mixed waste
before biodrying (non-WTE method meant to reduce overall weight) or
anaerobic digestion takes place.
Anaerobic digestion facilitates the stabilisation of the biodegradable
component. Energy production occurs through the breakdown of
biomass in the absence of oxygen. In the process, microorganisms
help to churn a series of metabolic interactions. The process produces
biogas, of which 50 to 75 per cent is usable in the form of methane.
Other by-products include carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulfide.
Fermentation
Fermentation is the breakdown of organic substrates in the form
of sugar into an acid or alcohol. Like pyrolysis, it has been used
commercially only with specific waste streams such as biomass,
converting them into ethanol or hydrogen.
Many countries, especially Japan and those in Europe, have been leading
the enhancement of these technologies for many years, presenting vast
learning opportunities for developing nations. Pike Research predicts
that worldwide revenues from WTE systems will enter a period of strong
growth by 2012, more than tripling in size from US$3.7 billion in 2010 to
nearly US$13.6 billion by 2016.
20 RESEARCH & TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH & TECHNOLOGY 21

WTE Incineration Plants
The typical incineration plant for MSW is the moving grate incinerator. A mechanical
crane is usually used to grab and lift the waste, placing it at one end of the grate.
The moving grate then transports the waste through the combustion chamber,
where the waste is incinerated at high temperatures to produce heat. Its volume is
reduced by over 90 per cent, leaving behind a solid ash.
Another type, the rotary-kiln incinerator, is a heat-resisting refractory-lined
cylindrical vessel that is inclined slightly and rotated slowly about its axis. The solid
waste is fed into the upper end of the cylinder and moves gradually downwards
with the rotating action of the kiln. This rotating motion also causes a certain
amount of stirring and mixing. Hot gases are passed along the kiln and the solid
waste is converted into gases, through volatilisation, destructive distillation and
partial combustion reactions in the kiln.
In a fluidised bed incinerator, solid waste is combusted in a mixture of sand
particles suspended by a continuous flow of air. During operation, a strong airflow
is forced through a sandbed, allowing the sand particles to separate. The turbulent
airflow causes mixing and churning to occur, creating a fluidised bed. The solid
waste and any auxiliary fuel are then introduced. The sand with the pre-treated
waste and/or fuel is kept suspended on pumped air currents and takes on a fluid-
like character. The bed is thereby violently mixed and agitated, keeping small inert
particles and air in a fluid-like state. This allows all of the mass of waste, fuel and
sand to be fully circulated through the furnace.
Senoko Waste-to-Energy Plant
Mass Burn Incineration: How the Process Works in Tuas South Incineration Plant
Waste is then fed by a grab crane to the incinerator and combusted
at temperatures of about 1,000°C. Silicon carbide refractory
materials line the walls of the incinerator to protect it against
extreme heat and corrosion.
During the incineration process, with advanced combustion control
and automation systems, optimum combustion rates are achieved.
The process of waste-feeding till the completion of combustion takes
approximately five hours. When it is finished, solid waste matter is
reduced to about 10 per cent of its original volume.
Fine particulate matter in the flue gas generated during incineration
is removed by a two-zone electrostatic precipitator. Other pollutants
are abated at the Flue Gas Treatment Plant before clean flue gas
leaves the incineration plant through a 150-metre-tall chimney.
Ash is transported on vibratory conveyors to a collection pit. There,
electro-magnetic separators remove solid ferrous matter to be
recycled as scrap metal.
WTE Incineration
Plants in Singapore
The Ulu Pandan Incineration Plant (UPIP), Singapore’s first WTE plant
and the second in Asia after Japan’s, was commissioned in 1979. Its
turbines could produce 16 MW of electricity, which was quite significant
compared to the electricity consumption during that period. In 2009,
UPIP was decommissioned and had its capacity replaced by the Keppel
Seghers Tuas Waste-to-Energy Plant, the first private incineration
project under the Public-Private-Partnership (PPP) initiative. In the
same year, Senoko Incineration Plant was also divested to the private
sector and renamed the Senoko Waste-to-Energy Plant.

4 Currently, all four operational WTE incineration facilities have a

3 combined generator-turbines unit capacity of 168 MW. In 2010, 1.17
million MWh of electricity was generated (approximately 2 per cent of
1 Singapore’s electricity consumption). The power produced was used
Keppel Seghers Tuas Waste-to-Energy Plant
2 to support plant operations, with the excess sold to the electricity grid.

Waste
Year Power With the twin benefits of reducing waste matter and electricity
Facility Capacity
Commissioned Generated generation, WTE incineration is one of the important strategies
(daily)
of Singapore’s ongoing solid waste management plans. The
Incineration involves the combustion, or controlled Ulu Pandan Incineration 1,100 government will continue to explore alternative WTE technologies
1979 16 MW
burning, of waste material. The basic reaction is the Plant (closed in 2009) tonnes which are more cost-effective, and able to maximise resource and
liberation of heat when carbon is converted into carbon energy recovery.
dioxide — C + O2 → CO2. Incineration of waste materials Tuas 1,700
1986 30 MW
also produces flue gas and ash. Incineration Plant tonnes The sustainable management of Singapore’s waste issues is not
only about the easiest and most economical method. It also involves
In Singapore, incinerable waste is first delivered to a WTE Senoko 2,100 screening the many options available that are able to convert waste
1992 36 MW
plant by licensed collection vehicles. The vehicles are Waste-to-Energy Plant tonnes into a valuable resource.
1 Reception hall 2 Refuse bunker weighed on a weighbridge before entering a reception
hall where they discharge their loads into large refuse Tuas South 3,000 Learn more about present WTE technologies and what is in store for
2000 80 MW the future in Far From Wasted, an interview with Professor Rainer
bunkers. Upon leaving, the vehicles are weighed again Incineration Plant tonnes
to determine the payload they have delivered. Stegmann.
Keppel Seghers Tuas 800
2009 22 MW
Air in the refuse bunker is kept below atmospheric Waste-to-Energy Plant tonnes
pressure to prevent odours from escaping into the
surrounding environment. High-capacit y rotar y
crushers reduce the size of bulk solid waste to improve
3 Incinerator 4 Catalytic fabric filter systems burning efficiency.
22 RESEARCH & TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH & TECHNOLOGY 23

THE BRIEF
A Successful Marine
Landfill and
Did you know that Singapore dumps
most of its rubbish eight kilometres
offshore? It will remain that way until
The Dire Need
Vibrant Ecosystem
For a country that has made the transition
2045. We tell you how it is possible for
from Third World to First in less than 50
thriving marine ecosystems to co-exist
years, challenging decisions had to be made
with a marine-based landfill. And what’s
along the way regarding the use of its land.
more, no foul-smelling pollution.
A timely eco-solution off Singapore’s southern coast
Creating landfills on Singapore’s main island
required ample justification due to the
Amount of waste disposed in Singapore since the 1970s massive opportunity costs involved. There
were early plans to convert the area known
(2001) (2010)
as Punggol 21 — now a charming waterfront
7,700 (2008) 7,600
7,200 residential estate — into a longstanding
(2009) waste landfill. However, the planning for a
7,200 population expansion and the provision of
affordable housing took precedence.
5,700

Tonnes per day

With these concerns in mind, Singapore
was placed in a dilemma that needed to be
carefully resolved. Landfills such as those
in Lorong Halus, Choa Chu Kang and Lim
2,600 Chu Kang were nearing closure. The last
mainland-based landfill in Lorong Halus was
1,200 slated for closure in 1999. From the early
1990s, the government realised that there
1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2008 2009 2010
was only one option left — offshore.
Waste disposal rates 1970 — 2010

The planning phase

An environmental consulting firm from Singapore’s plan was to amalgamate two offshore islands, Pulau Sakeng and Pulau Semakau,
the United States, M/s Camp, Dresser and using a seven-kilometre perimeter bund that would enclose 350 hectares of sea space.
McKee International Inc., was engaged
du ring the early 199 0s to develop an The blueprint also contained a proposal to construct a waste-receiving station located on
offshore waste disposal site off the island of the western part of mainland Singapore. It later became known as the Tuas Marine Transfer
Semakau. The study encompassed technical Station (TMTS).
feasibilit y assessment, landfill design,
environmental impact, operational planning The landfill would only receive non-organic waste such as incinerated ash and non-
and cost estimation. It was ascertained incinerable material translating to little ground subsidence and zero landfill gas production
that there would be repercussions on four (e.g. methane). This would allow the landfill to be developed in a shorter time in the future
major biological communities off the coast, as opposed to conventional landfills in the region.
namely neritic (coastal waters), benthic
(ecological region on the seabed), coral reef
and mangrove forest. However, if pollution
control measures could be incorporated into
the design and construction phases, the
With Singapore’s limited land, finding solutions to its ever-expanding waste disposal needs landfill’s development would have minimal
has been a perpetual challenge for decades. According to official statistics, the amount of impact on the marine ecosystems.
waste generated in Singapore has increased six-fold in the past 40 years, in tandem with
the country’s growing population, economy and affluence.

Commissioned on 1 April 1999, Semakau Landfill represents more than a solution. It is a

physical depiction of a nation’s planning prowess and savvy engineering, addressing land
shortfalls with a solutions-focused outlook.
24 RESEARCH & TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH & TECHNOLOGY 25
The seven-kilometre perimeter bund was
More on
THE CONSTRUCTION PHASE
lined with impermeable geomembrane

Enclosing the sea space between Pulau
Semakau and Pulau Sakeng using a seven-
kilometre perimeter bund proved to be
a formidable engineering feat, given the
difficulties of constructing a landfill entirely
in deep waters close to 20 metres in depth.
In terms of spatial design, perimeter bunds
are similar to icebergs. Most of the perimeter
bund structure is submerged underwater.
To overcome the construction challenges
of this marine-based project, engineers
devised prudent and unorthodox
methods to ensure minimal impac t on
the surrounding environment. Silt screens
were put in place to prevent the migration
of silt from construction sites.
T he co ns tr u c tio n of Sema kau L a ndf ill
star ted in 1995 and took four years to
complete. Reclamation works were initially
undertaken at Pulau Sakeng to enlarge
the island to five times its original size.
The purpose was to create additional land
space to cater to ancillary facilities such
as a wharf, transfer building, generator
building, leachate treatment plant, sewage
treatment facility, administration building
and workshop. By 1994, Pulau Sakeng’s
remaining residents, numbering about 150,
were relocated to the mainland following
plans to build Semakau Landfill. Government
officials made the case to the villagers,
who were fairly receptive to the country’s
intentions to use their land. They were
invited when Semakau Landfill was officially
o p en e d to th e pu b lic fo r re creatio na l
activities in July 2005.
The construction of the wharf and transfer
building involved deep sea piling and open-
sea construction. Concrete pile caps were
cast on-site accompanied by the laying of
pre-cast concrete beams, slabs and in-situ
concrete decks. Supporting roof structures
were finally lif ted and installed using
mammoth floating cranes. With a robust
unloading complex in place, barges could
be berthed safely in the transfer building for
waste transfer operations.
Pu la u S a keng a nd Pu la u Sema ka u as viewe d fro m
the south. Pulau Bukom, Pulau Hantu and mainland
Singapore are visible in the background.
A view of Pulau Sakeng in October 1996 shows the island
enlarged to house landfill facilities.
(made of high-density polyethylene) and
sand-containing geofabric, and crusted
Tipping Cells
Presently, when tipping cells are not in
with a layer of marine clay (along the inner
use, they are connected to the open sea
segment) and solid rock (facing seaward). •
via concrete pipes and an opening gap —
This construction method was carried out to
approximately 160 metres wide — at the
contain the waste within the landfill in order
southern tip of the perimeter bund. This
to keep fringe waters pollution-free.
exposure to tidal movements ensures that the
seawater in the cells remain fresh and clean.
To manage the landfill operation more
effectively, its intrinsic sea space is divided
Before a tipping cell becomes operational,
by internal sand bunds into two halves. The
concrete pipes are sealed. Seawater inside the
first half has 11 wet tipping cells while the
cell is then pumped out to create a concave
other half forms a lagoon connected to the
empty space for waste to be deposited.
sea via a gap in the perimeter bund. The
second half is slated for development in 2012.
Technical Factsheet
Length of Semakau 7 kilometres
Landfill’s perimeter bund
Total land filling capacity 63 million
cubic metres
Total land filling area 350 hectares
Total volume of 20 million Step 1: The waste is transported and discharged at
sand used cubic metres the landfill cells.

Total volume of 2.5 million

rock used cubic metres
Total area of 2 million
geomembrane laid out square metres
Total manpower at peak 1,200 workers
Total construction cost S$610 million

During the development of Semakau Landfill,

as of December 2011
Initial construction works undertaken in April 1997.
Construction of the wharf, bund, ancillary buildings and
structures in May 1998.
Semakau Landfill, completed in April 1999.
the facilities at TMTS were constructed
concurrently in an industrial estate on
the western part of mainland Singapore.
They include a transfer building, wharf,
administration building, workshop and other
ancillary facilities. The station’s core purpose
is to receive waste safely and efficiently.
Semakau Landfill and TMTS required a fleet
of sea transportation and landfill equipment
to be fully operational.
Semakau Landfill: Equipment Data
Waste Transfer 6 barges/3 tugboats/
2 excavators
Waste Handling 4 excavators/3 wheel
loaders/10 dump trucks
Land Filling 4 compactors/
5 bulldozers
Three tugboats, six barges, six excavators,
three wheel loaders, 10 dump truck s,
four compactors and five bulldozers were
delivered on schedule before 1 April 1999.
Step 2: Waste is levelled and compacted by bulldozers
and compactors.
Gaining
Nature’s
Acceptance
In an area dominated by sensitive mangrove
ecosystems, adverse consequences were
inevitable following construction efforts.
The government realised just how vital
these life-suppor ting struc tures were
to its indigenous marine life. Hence, the
replanting of 400,000 saplings — two plots
of mangroves — covering 13.6 hectares
during the post-construction phase was
initiated. These surrounding mangroves
would go on to serve as additional biological
indicators of any waste leakage from the
landfill. Beyond the natural mangrove
indicators, 63 monitoring wells were also
installed around the landfill where water
samples could be drawn for testing.
26 RESEARCH & TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH & TECHNOLOGY 27

THE
DUMPING
PROCESS 8
When a cell is filled up till it reaches
ground level, the area is capped
with a layer of topsoil about 30
ce n t i m e t re s t h i c k . G r a s s a n d
1 vegetation are then planted to
create a vibrant green landscape.
I n c i n e r a b l e w a s te i s b ro u g h t to o n e o f fo u r
incineration plants (Tuas Incineration Plant, Tuas 5
South Incineration Plant, Keppel Seghers Tuas Waste-
Upon arrival at Semakau Landfill, the
to-Energy Plant and Senoko Waste-to-Energy Plant)
barges are berthed within an enclosed
in Singapore where incineration reduces its volume
transfer building for unloading. Large
by 90 per cent.
excavators with interchangeable and
specially designed grabs are used to
unload waste directly into large 35-tonne
payload off-road dump trucks. Waste in
the stockpile area is subsequently scooped

3 up by wheel loaders and put into the dump

trucks. A fully loaded barge can be emptied
Waste collection vehicles are first weighed at within six hours.
2 weighbridges before proceeding to the waste
reception hall in the transfer building. Here, waste
Incineration ash — 1,750 tonnes (75 per cent)
is directly discharged into each barge on specially
per day — is transported to TMTS.
created tipping platforms. There are 20 discharge bays
to ensure fast turnaround of waste collection vehicles.
Non-incinerable waste — about 560 tonnes per
day — is transported directly to TMTS. It consists
of treated sludge and ash generated by process
plants, power stations and industrial waste
treatment facilities. Also considered non-
incinerable are construction and demolition
w a s t e , co p p e r s l a g a n d m i s ce l l a n e o u s
incombustible waste matter. They are all
screened and, if necessar y, subjected to
Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Tests before 6
being disposed off at Semakau Landfill.
4 The loaded dump trucks make
their way to a tipping cell for
Loaded barges are covered with hatches before disposal. They make an average
tugboats attach themselves for the towing of 100 trips per day.
process. The “single unit” then pushes off on
a 30-kilometre journey to Semakau Landfill,
taking an estimated three hours. Covering these
barges helps to prevent waste from being blown
off during the sea journey. Barging operations
are carried out at night to maximise the use of
marine vessels.
7
At the tipping site, bulldozers and
compactors are used to level and
compact the waste discharged.
28 RESEARCH & TECHNOLOGY
Appreciating Semakau
Semakau Landfill has drawn numerous accolades from foreign and local
media. On 16 July 2005, Dr Yaacob Ibrahim, then Minister for the Environment
and Water Resources, officially opened it for recreational activities. One
group that frequents the area is the Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research.
It conducts regular intertidal walks for the public, including students. The
Astronomical Society of Singapore, Nature Society (Singapore) and
Sport Fishing Association (Singapore) also organise visits to the landfill.
The natural habitats surrounding and on Semakau Landfill can be classified
under five broad zones:
Grass and Scrub Lands (grown on filled cells)
Mangrove Forest
Seagrass Meadow
Intertidal Reef Flat
Coral Reefs (along the western shore)
“I think people should be really pleased and have a sense of pride to see that nature
and our waste management infrastructure can, to a large extent, co-exist.”
Shawn Lum, President of the Nature Society (Singapore)
Semakau Landfill has its own renewable green energy system
powered by a wind turbine and solar panels. It generates sufficient
electricity to light up the southern tip of the landfill to facilitate night
activities for the public.
Surprisingly, the landfill is home to one of Singapore’s largest sea
bass farms. Fish reared here is shipped off to the mainland for local
consumption once they are fully grown.
Semakau Landfill is an engineering marvel borne of Singapore’s
land-stricken circumstances. Its price tag of S$610 million is a stark
reminder that there are considerable financial costs in dealing with
waste disposal. The landfill will be able to meet Singapore’s waste
disposal needs until 2045. Its existence has also freed up precious
hectares on the country’s mainland for other developments.
But innovations in landfill and waste management are only part of
the solution. For Singapore to remain environmentally sustainable
in the long run, NEA has implemented strategies to further increase
2 recycling rates and minimise waste generation (see Towards Zero
Waste). Eliminating the production of waste is an essential part of
meeting Singapore’s future needs.
RESEARCH & TECHNOLOGY 29
The ultimate goal is to strive towards a zero-waste situation where
the need to build new incineration plants and waste treatment
facilities is thoroughly reduced. After 2045, when Semakau Landfill
can no longer accommodate further waste disposal, a new solution
will need to be found. Before that happens, waste generation at
source and recycling will be at the forefront of NEA’s efforts, with
public education, industry collaborations (see Signing Off To Less
Packaging) and the implementation of viable technologies identified
as components of the arsenal employed for waste management.
While many might think the notion of coupling waste management
and natural ecosystems is something out of a utopian dream,
Semakau Landfill has proven that this approach is both realistic
and highly successful. Whatever lies ahead, it shows that human
infrastructure needs can also benefit biodiversity and create rich
ecosystems.
1. (Top) Malaysian Plovers
2. (Opposite page) Swimming Anemone
30 RESEARCH & TECHNOLOGY
A more sustainable future through waste
minimisation and recycling
Waste is a pressing issue for urban settlements worldwide. In 2007,
the combined total of municipal solid waste generated by the 30
countries from the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and
Development (OECD), and another 27 from the European Union,
amounted to more than 622 million tonnes. That figure would have
reached 950 million tonnes with the inclusion of China, India and the
Russian Federation.
Considering that these 60 countries generated nearly a billion
tonnes of waste in 2007, it is not unreasonable to expect their
waste to exceed a billion tonnes (per year) in coming years owing to
population growth and increased consumption rates.
To help address this issue in Singapore, in January 2008, an Inter-
Ministerial Committee on Sustainable Development (IMCSD)
was set up to formulate a national strategy for its sustainable
development. Co-chaired by then Minister for National Development,
Mr Mah Bow Tan, and then Minister for the Environment and Water
Resources, Dr Yaacob Ibrahim, the committee came up with a
comprehensive plan following extensive consultative exchanges
with businesses, community leaders and members of the public. It
was turned into the Sustainable Singapore Blueprint (SSB) to serve
as a touchstone for making Singapore a liveable and lively city-state.
One of the core concerns in the SSB was how population and
economic growth were straining domestic resources and threatening
environmental quality. In Singapore especially, the lack of land space
The following guidelines are at the core of the strategy:
THE BRIEF
We a re fa m i l ia r wi t h t h e 3 R s —
Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. However,
implementing them on an island that
churns out more than 6 million tonnes
of waste a year is far from elementary.
If you have not heard of the National
Recycling Programme or the recycling
of concrete waste from construction
sites, read on to get an understanding
of what ’s being done in Singapore
where the 3Rs are concerned.
presented a mounting challenge for waste disposal. As a result, the
government had to shift its focus offshore (see Semakau Island: A
Successful Marine Landfill And Vibrant Ecosystem).
According to the SSB, boosting the country’s resource efficiency
should be par t of the main strategy in achieving long-term
sustainability. The aim mapped out in the SSB is to increase
overall recycling rates to 65 per cent by 2020, and 70 per cent by
2030. Currently, Singapore’s overall recycling rate — domestic and
industrial combined — hovers around 58 per cent.
Bucking up the present figure requires more than just a one-
way government-led approach. What needs to be taken into
consideration are free-market forces which would in time enable the
natural cultivation of waste minimisation and recycling habits among
public and private stakeholders.
That said, education accompanied by infrastructure and promotional
efforts has given recycling a nudge. In residential communities, NEA
has successfully implemented the National Recycling Programme to
encourage household recycling. In the industrial sector, almost all
construction and demolition waste is recycled, increasing resource
efficiency instead of occupying scarce landfill space. The Singapore
Packaging Agreement is also an example of how government and
industry can come together to resolve waste issues at the producers’
end.
1. Minimising Waste Upstream
• Engage industries to find ways to reduce packaging
materials through the voluntary Singapore Packaging
Agreement (see Signing Off To Less Packaging)
• Provide co-funding to help companies redesign processes
to reduce waste in their production of goods
2. Facilitating
Household Recycling
• Increase recycling facilities in housing areas
• Pilot the use of separate chutes for recyclables in
more housing estates
3. TargetingMajor
Sources of Waste
• Promote the recycling of large sources of waste that now
have low recycling rates (e.g. plastic and food waste)
• Study the feasibility of mandating the recycling of such
waste in the long term
4. Expanding Our Land Resource
• Apart from reclaiming more land and building more
intensively, Singapore will also develop an underground
land-use master plan that identifies potential uses for this
space
5. Enhancing Land-Use Planning
• The Urban Redevelopment Authorit y will fur ther
refine it s urban land-use planning framework to
develop Marina Bay and Jurong Lake district into a new
generation of sustainable high-density areas
RESEARCH & TECHNOLOGY 31
National Recycling Programme:
Tackling Residential Recycling
The National Recycling Programme (NRP) was launched in April
2001 with the objective of increasing household recycling rates.
Under the programme, Public Waste Collectors (PWCs) distribute
recycling bags or bins to HDB apartments and landed estates
where the recyclables are collected on a door-to-door basis
every fortnight.
PWCs have gone a step further by installing one recycling bin
at every five HDB blocks, making it convenient for residents to
deposit their recyclables at any time of the day in close proximity
to their homes. These bins are usually collected weekly. Starting
on 1 July 2011 in the Pasir Ris-Tampines sector, a recycling bin has
been placed at every HDB block with daily collection. This would
be extended to other parts of Singapore if the feedback from
residents is positive.
In addition, there are approximately 2,500 recycling bins placed
by owners of premises in public spaces such as malls, markets,
MRT stations and bus interchanges.
After being mandated in 2008 by the government, condominiums
and private apartments are now required to provide recycling
receptacles for residents. Looking to the future, NEA will continue
it s push to propagate rec ycling in Singapore through the
following means:
• Increase the number of recycling bins and collection frequency
• Study the feasibility of installing new infrastructure (e.g.
separate chutes for refuse and recyclables) and mandating the
recycling of large waste streams with existing low recycling
rates (e.g. food waste)
32 RESEARCH & TECHNOLOGY
Growing Recycling of Construction
and Demolition Waste
Construction and Demolition (C&D) waste is derived from the building and
construction industry. It consists mainly of concrete, bricks, tiles, reinforcement
bars, drywall, wood, plastic, glass, scrap iron and other metals.  Around 99 per
cent of this is currently recycled. Instead of sending the waste to the landfill and
paying a disposal fee, the waste is converted into secondary building materials.
This helps to reduce the import of raw materials.
Effective recycling of C&D waste starts from on-site segregation. Reinforcement
bars and scrap metals have long had high recycling rates due to their residual
economic value. Nowadays, various constituents of C&D waste have attracted
recycling efforts focused on creating new value, including Recycled Concrete
Aggregate (RCA).
RCA is reclaimed from waste concrete made with natural aggregates. With the
introduction of performance-based standards like SS EN 12620: Specification for
Aggregates for Concrete, recycled and manufactured aggregates can now be
adopted for a range of structural and non-structural applications.
The main difference between RCA and natural aggregates is that RCA has a
thin layer of remaining cement paste adhering to it after processing. Because
of this, the water absorption rate is three to five times higher than natural
aggregates; otherwise the density and other physical properties are similar to
natural aggregates.
Processed RCA can ultimately be used for structural works as a partial replacement
of natural aggregates, as approved by the Building and Construction Authority
(BCA), or non-structural works such as non-load-bearing walls, footpaths, lean
concrete and sub-base material for road construction.
In 1995, to help expand the recycling of C&D waste, NEA converted part of Lim
Chu Kang Dumping Ground (LCKDG) — a sanitary landfill from 1976 to 1992 —
into Sarimbun Recycling Park (SRP). C&D waste recycling was one of the initial
activities identified as it requires a large area of land to operate. Other industries
include the recycling of horticultural and wood waste, plastic, street cleansing and
tyre waste. SRP has since been leased to several recycling companies, six out of
13 of which recycle C&D waste.
Reclaiming RCA
Stage 1: Initial crushing is done by jaw crushers.
Stage 2: Ferrous metals are removed using magnetic separators.
Stage 3: Foreign materials such as bricks, plastics and asphalt are
screened and removed.
Stage 4: Secondary crushing is carried out.
Stage 5: RCA is filtered into different size groupings for different uses.
An example would be pre-cast kerbs.
RESEARCH & TECHNOLOGY 33
Outstanding Companies
Increasingly, innovation has helped to transform waste into new
materials in the construction industry.
1
One C&D waste recycling company located in Sarimbun, M/s Hock
Chuan Hong Waste Management Pte Ltd, sees C&D waste as a resource
to produce new construction materials. It has successfully carried out
research work to use RCA to produce drain channels and road kerbs,
supplying them to various drainage and road projects.
Another civil engineering and building material company, Samwoh
Corporation Pte Ltd, launched Samwoh Eco-Green Park in 2010.
This park will provide the industry with more sources of sustainable
construction materials such as recycled paving materials from
Samwoh’s new asphalt recycling plant and eco-concrete from its
concrete batching plant. The park will also house an eco-green
building, the result of applied research and development (R&D) in
concrete technology.
The three-storey eco-green building is the first in Singapore and 2
South-east Asia to use concrete made from 100 per cent RCA for the
construction of its top level. Embedded within the building’s columns
are sensors that facilitate further research into the performance of
concrete made from RCA.
Recycled materials from C&D waste have improved in quality over
the years as a result of constant innovation and R&D. NEA hopes that
the work these companies have done will inspire more developers
to use RCA and other recycled materials for their building projects.
With limited natural resources and land for the disposal of waste, it is
imperative that Singapore change its view of waste as a disposal liability
to one of it as an actual resource (see the article, Far From Wasted).
3
The government has taken a bold step, having invested heavily in
R&D centres such as the Residues and Resource Reclamation Centre
at Nanyang Technological University in an attempt to help solve
some of the country’s outstanding waste-related issues.
By using recycled materials, reliance on imported materials is
reduced which in turn will help extend the lifespan of Singapore’s
current offshore landfill, freeing up vital land space on the mainland
for other development purposes.
1. Application of RCA: Pre-cast drains
2. Bird’s eye view of Samwoh Eco-Green Park
3. Samwoh Eco-Green Park
4. Asphalt recycling plant and trucks 4
34 INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENT INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENT 35

As economic growth burgeons across the globe, the need to inculcate
best practices in waste management has become ever more
paramount to sustain our natural environment. Singapore is seen as a
beacon for its clean and green environment, which has attracted much
interest from its regional neighbours and beyond.
As such, the Waste Management Symposium was organised to
bring the government and leading industry practitioners together to
MOU between WMRAS and
Harry Elias Partnership LLP
The first of the MOUs was signed between WMRAS and
Harry Elias Partnership LLP. Its purpose was to develop
a grant that would assist companies in defraying legal
costs related to the development and implementation
of waste management projects. A minor but significant
facet, this move will aid corporations in mitigating
future litigation and costly negative publicity.

examine regional waste management developments and resultant

opportunities. This was followed by a discourse on the latest
MOU between WMRAS and
innovations and technologies.
Singapore Business Federation
WMRAS went on to sign a second MOU with the
Jointly organised by the National Environment Agency (NEA) and Singapore Business Federation (SBF) which will see
Waste Management & Recycling Association of Singapore (WMRAS), both parties collaborating on the promotion of waste
management initiatives and programmes. SBF will
the symposium illustrated the collaborative efforts between the
utilise its broad network base to expand the industry’s
government and industry associations to develop and grow the
access to untapped markets.
capabilities of the local waste management industry. It culminated in
the launch of WasteMET Asia, an international waste management
and environmental technology conference and trade show. The event East Meets Waste — Solid Waste
also witnessed the signing of two Memorandums of Understanding Management Solutions For A
Developments at the 2011 Waste Management Symposium (MOUs) that would help beef up the export capabilities of members in Growing Asia
the participating associations. Also unveiled at the symposium was WasteMET Asia,
an inaugural exhibition and conference for the solid
waste management and environmental technology
industry. WasteMET Asia is part of the inaugural
CleanEnviro Summit Singapore organised by NEA.
CleanEnviro Summit Singapore is an international
1. Mr Jorgen Haukohl (Vice-Chairman, Working Group on Energy Recovery, International Solid platform for thought leaders, high-level officials and
Waste Association, ISWA) speaking on technical innovations in waste-to-energy technologies
practitioners to network and exchange knowledge on
2. Mr Herry Zudianto, Mayor of Yogyakarta, and Mr Andrew Tan (Chief Executive Officer, NEA)
3. MOU signing by WMRAS and Harry Elias Partnership LLP
the challenges, issues and opportunities in meeting
4. Mr Torsten Weber (Chief Executive Officer, REMONDIS International GmBH) speaking on the demand for clean environment solutions. Held in
approaches to waste management conjunction with CleanEnviro Summit Singapore and
5. Panel discussion on challenges, solutions and opportunities for Asian waste management markets WasteMET Asia will also be the World Cities Summit and
the Singapore International Water Week in July 2012.
1 2 3 4

The theme for WasteMET Asia is East Meets Waste

— Solid Waste Management Solutions For A Growing
Asia. Its purpose is to bring to light pressing issues and
opportunities in solid waste management in Asia’s fast
growing cities.

Supported by International Solid Waste Association

(ISWA), Singapore Workforce Development Agency
(WDA), Economic Development Board (EDB), Institution
of Engineers Singapore (IES), Jurong Town Corporation
( JTC) and SPRING, the inaugural Waste Management
Symposium 2011 was well-received and attended by
about 220 local and regional participants from the
waste management industry.

Waste management represents more than mere

environmental perks for a country. As private players
and governments come to learn of its economic
5
potential and job creation opportunities, working
towards a sustainable future is full of promise.
36 INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENT INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENT 37
Speakers for the Day

Mr Guah Eng Hock Mr Andrew Tan Mr Victor Tay

(Chairman, WMRAS) (Chief Executive Officer, NEA) (Chief Operating Officer, SBF)

Topic Topic Topic

Creating a Vibrant Waste Management
Industry in Singapore
Summary
Mr Guah explained the vital roles
of “A ssociatio n”, “B u rea u cra c y ” a n d
“Collaboration” within Singapore’s waste
management framework.
Developments and Opportunities in Waste
Management
Summary
Mr Tan gave a forward-looking presentation
with a global outlook that underlined the
key challenges faced in Asia, accompanied
with a progress update on Singapore’s
next leap in waste management.
Singapore Sustainability Alliance
Summary
Mr Tay presented the case for sustainable
development from a business perspective,
highlighting the Triple Helix Model that
comprises government agencies, industry
associations and research institutions.

Mr Francis Goh Ms Vaneeta Bhojwani Moderator:

(Partner, Harry Elias Partnership)
Topic
Legal Support for Industry Development
Summary
Mr Goh underscored the importance of
proper legal practices in order to reduce
future litigation and damage control.
Mr Torsten Weber
(Chief Executive Officer,
REMONDIS International GmbH)
Topic
A Circular Approach to Waste
Management
Summary
Mr Weber shared REMONDIS’ vision for a
sustainable circular flow economy as well
as the roles his company’s infrastructure,
technology and exper tise can play in
helping Asia cope with its current waste
management challenges.
(Deputy Director, Industry & Promotion Office,
NEA) on behalf of Dr Mustaq Ahmed Memon
(United Nations Environment Programme)
Topic
Challenges and Opportunities in Waste
Management
Summary
Ms Vaneeta provided an overview of waste
disposal in developing countries, uncovering
the predicaments faced. She went on to
share a proposed integrated solid waste
management solution drawn up by the
United Nations.
Mr Jorgen Haukohl
(Vice-Chairman, Working Group on Energy
Recovery, International Solid Waste
Association, ISWA)
Topic
Technical Innovations in Waste-to-Energy
Technologies
Summary
M r Ha u ko h l d is cuss e d t h e Eu ro p ea n
Union’s five-step waste hierarchy in the
Waste Framework Directive that has been
put into effect to achieve sustainable
waste management:
1. Prevention
2. Reuse
3. Recycling
4. Other recovery (e.g. energy)
5. Disposal
Mr Andrew Tan The Singapore Packaging Agreement — four years on
(Chief Executive Officer, NEA)
THE BRIEF
Take a glance around your house and the National Recycling Programme
Panelists: try to recall the day you purchased to reach out to industries, malls, Have you ever wondered how much
m ate r ia l g o e s i nto p ro d u ci n g t h e
1. Mr Herry Zudianto those household appliances and food schools, households and other market
(Mayor of Yogyakarta) packaging box for your flat-screen
items. You will realise most of them segments. These efforts have led to a television or video-game console?
2. Mr Jeff Cooper
(President of ISWA) came with fancy and sturdy packaging. reduction in waste disposed but are still Quite a bit. What if the boxes came a
little thinner and lighter but still did the
3. Mr Guah Eng Hock insufficient to meet Singapore’s long-
(Chairman of WMRAS) job of protecting their contents? We
More of ten than not, companies term goals.
4. Dr Amiya Kumar Sahu tell you how the Singapore Packaging
(Founder of National Solid Waste package products for both aesthetic Agreement makes this happen.
Association of India, NSWAI) and functional purposes. The intentions Rather than relying solely on
are to draw consumer interest and addressing waste issues at the post-
Topic
protect the contents. Unfortunately, consumer level, NEA felt that a more The Birth of the Singapore
Panel Discussion on Challenges, Solutions
a n d O p p o r t u n i t i e s f o r A s i a n Wa s te packaging contributes about a third of sustainable way of managing waste Packaging Agreement
Management Markets
domestic waste in Singapore, which would be to minimise its generation at NEA studied packaging policies and
Summary consulted industry experts in developed
leaves a significant footprint on the the producers’ end. The primary aim
An interactive panel discussion between countries — Australia, Germany, Japan, the
the distinguished panelists and environment, given that domestic was to get product manufacturers to
Netherlands, New Zealand and the USA
participants was carried out to distil the waste represents 58 per cent of all cut down on the use of packaging — on the various systems of minimising
knowledge of waste management in Asian
markets. waste disposed. materials, in particular, those from packaging waste.
the Food & Beverage (F&B) industry,
Since the year 2000, NEA has worked as F&B packaging constitutes more
Mr James Chin
(Senior Manager, Waste and Resource
wi th it s 3 P (Pu b lic, Pr ivate a n d than 50 per cent of all household
Management Department, NEA) People) partners on projects such as packaging waste.
Topic
Singapore’s Waste-to-Energy Incineration
Plants
Summary
Mr Chin touched on the country’s four
incineration plants with a focus on mass-
burn incineration technology, the recovery
of ferrous metals and disposal of ash.
38 INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENT
NE A then initiated discussions with
local industry players to find a common
ground of mutual acceptance. Both parties
came to a consensus that a partnership
approach, based on the principle of product
stewardship, would be the most feasible.
The gist of the agreement was to provide
industries with the opportunity to assume
greater corporate responsibility for their
packaging in a non-prescriptive manner. It
would take into account the entire packaging
supply chain — from manufacturers and
importers to retailers and recyclers. At the
same time, it would offer a platform where
companies could share practical ideas and
work together to develop cost-effective
solutions to reduce waste.
The Singapore Packaging Agreement (SPA)
was initially signed by 32 organisations:
five industry associations (representing
more than 500 companies), 19 individual
companies, t wo non-governmental
organisations, the Waste Management &
Recycling Association of Singapore and
four public waste collectors. It was signed
on 5 June 20 07, which coincided with
World Environment Day. It came into effect
officially on 1 July 2007 and extends over a
five-year period.
Mapped after New Zealand’s Packaging
Accord with certain portions adopted from
Australia’s National Packaging Covenant,
the SPA is administered by an independent
secretariat and overseen by the Singapore
Packaging Agreement Governing Board
comprising senior officials from industry,
government and non-governmental
organisations.
The Objectives
The SPA has three core objectives:
To reduce packaging waste
arising from consumer products
To raise community awareness
on packaging waste minimisation
To introduce supply chain initiatives
that foster the sustainable use
of resources in packaging
Under the SPA, the stakeholders (signatories)
are obliged to achieve these objectives
through:
+ A framework based on the principle of
product stewardship for the lifecycle
management of packaging for consumer
goods
+ A co lla b o rative a p p ro a ch to ensu re
t h at t h e m a n a g e m e nt of co n s u m e r
packaging throughout its lifecycle and
the implementation of collection systems
p ro d u ce su s t a i na b l e e nv i ro n m e nt a l
benefits in a cost-effective manner
+ E n s u r i n g t h a t p a c k a g e d g o o d s a re
designed and created in a way that
minimises adverse environmental impacts
+ Regular consultation and discussion of
issues affecting the recovery, utilisation
and disposal of consumer packaging
+ A n e f fe c t i v e p u b l i c e d u c a t i o n a n d
communications programme
The Targets
The SPA, in essence, has been put into
effect by NEA to encourage producers to
assume greater responsibility for packaging
products and minimising waste at their end.
It is also meant to help Singapore accelerate
its progress to achieve its 2012 national
recycling targets. The packaging recycling
targets set for 2012 are:
Glass 50%
Ferrous metals
Non-ferrous metals
Paper 55%
Plastic 23%
Signatories will work together to develop
effective packaging waste recovery and
recycling programmes in order to meet
these targets.
Voluntary Commitments
As a signatory of the SPA, an organisation
voluntarily commits to do the following:
+ Work together with other signatories to
meet national packaging recycling targets
+ Contribute data on packaging materials
consumed and packaging waste reduced
and/or recycled, where available
INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENT 39
+ Follow the Singapore Environmental Code
of Practice for the Packaging of Consumer
Goods to ensure that environmental
considerations are taken into account in
packaging decisions
+ Develop and implement programmes to
raise consumer awareness and educate
consumers on the need to reduce waste
from packaging
+ Promote SPA within its organisation
“
+ Develop sustainable markets for reused/
recycled packaging materials
PACKAGING
We are glad to see companies
Capability Building and Knowledge
Sharing Activities Under SPA
reducing waste at source,
and we encourage more
AWARDS
Under the SPA programme, signatories are
organised under different sector groups
companies to embrace the
according to their nature of business or
the main type of packaging material used c ra d l e -to - c ra d l e d e s i g n
for their products. Regular sector group
concept in their product
meetings are arranged for them to share Honouring the signatories (Singapore Packaging
ideas on ways to reduce waste as well as development processes.
Agreement) who have made a difference
discuss difficulties commonly encountered
Through better packaging
in their sector or industry.
designs and the use of Following its initiation in 2007, the Singapore Packaging Agreement (SPA) has
Signatories receive e-newsletters which
update them on the latest developments,
rec ycled a nd rec ycla ble ignited a growing commitment among corporations to progressively reduce their
e m e rg i n g i s s u e s a n d e v e n t s re l a t e d materials for their product packaging footprint. Since then, a steady and growing number of corporations
to p a c k a g i n g w a s te. To f u r t h e r b u i l d have made pertinent contributions, steering away from the status quo to find
t h e sig nato r i e s’ k n ow l e d g e b as e a n d
packaging, we will be able to
niche solutions — both environmentally and economically sound.
capabilities, technical sharing sessions reduce the amount of waste
are also arranged during regular CEOs’
l u n c h e o n s o rg a n is e d fo r p a r t i c p at i n g
g o i n g t o o u r w a s t e -t o - Some 7,100 tonnes of packaging waste was reduced in the first four years of
co m p a n i e s , w h e re si g n a to r i e s g et to energy plants and prolong the SPA, translating to savings of more than S$14.9 million in production costs
network and learn about best practices.
the lifespan of Semakau for the signatories.
95%
Landfill. Consumers
90% Progress So Far 3R in a Nutshell Assessment Criteria
ca n a lso play t hei r pa r t To honour signatories who have made Prerequisites for the eligibilit y of the
NEA is pleased to announce that the SPA
has been signed by 127 organisations to
in reducing waste by notable efforts and achievements in reducing Awards:
packaging waste, the Singapore Packaging
date. In the first four years of the SPA, the purchasing products without Agreement Governing Board created the
• Only signatories of SPA are eligible for the
3R Packaging Awards
signatories cumulatively reduced about
7,100 tonnes of packaging waste. Besides
unnecessary packaging and inaugural 3R Packaging Awards in 2008.
”
There are four Award categories: • Initiatives assessed must be implemented
saving the companies more than S$14.9 recycling their waste. in the Agreement year preceding the year
million in production costs, the reduction
Distinction Award of the awards
has helped to cu t was te at sou rce as
Mr Andrew Tan
well. This was achieved through various • Initiatives assessed for the packaging of
Chief Executive Officer, NEA
initiatives, such as reducing the size and Merit Award products have to be primarily for local
thickness of materials used for logistical consumption
processes and product packaging. Platinum Award*
Eligible signatories are assessed on the
Gold Award* following:
In addition, by cutting back the generation
of waste, companies have enjoyed cost • Avoidance of packaging waste
*Platinum Awards are presented to signatories
savings in the collection, transportation and who have received Distinction Awards for two
• Recycling or reuse of packaging waste
treatment processes. It is encouraging to see consecutive years. Gold Awards are given to
this programme taking root and bearing fruit signatories who have received Merit Awards (or • Consumer education
higher) for two consecutive years.
across industries.
• Use of recyclable/recycled packaging
material
• Reduction of other waste material
40 INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENT INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENT 41
Award Recipients case study milo packaging
Year Distinction Award Merit Award

2011 Asia Pacific Breweries (Singapore) Pte Ltd Boncafé International Pte Ltd A B
City Developments Limited Pte Ltd (City Square Mall) Dell Global B.V.
CROWN Beverage Cans Singapore Pte Ltd F&N Foods Pte Ltd
Nestlé Singapore (Pte) Ltd Ha Li Fa Pte Ltd
Sunfresh Singapore Pte Ltd Hock Lian Huat Foodstuff Industry Pte Ltd
Tetra Pak Jurong Pte Ltd Kentucky Fried Chicken Management Pte Ltd
McDonald’s Restaurants Pte Ltd
Starlite Printers (Far East) Pte Ltd
Thong Siek Food Industry Pte Ltd A: 0.25 mm thickness with six beads
Toshiba Asia Pacific Pte Ltd B: 0.22 mm thickness with nine beads

Toshiba TEC Singapore Pte Ltd

Wanin Industries Pte Ltd
Winrigo (S) Pte Ltd & Prima Food Pte Ltd
Wyeth Nutritionals (Singapore) Pte Ltd In 2007, Nestlé Singapore (Pte) Ltd reduced With the momentum gained, Nestlé started p ro d u c ti o n l i n e to i m p rove o p eratio n
the thickness of its local 1.5 kg MILO tin can, to delve into the corrugated carton boxes efficiency, bringing down laminate losses
2010 IKANO Pte Ltd Ha Li Fa Pte Ltd
shedding off 100 g of material per can in used to pack its local MILO 900 g and 1 during production from an initial 6 per
Nestlé Singapore (Pte) Ltd Hock Lian Huat Foodstuff Industry Pte Ltd
the process. kg soft packs, researching various means cent to between 1 and 2 per cent. The
Sunfresh Singapore Pte Ltd Kentucky Fried Chicken Management Pte Ltd
to reduce their dimensions. Once again, it i m p ro v e m e n t t o t h e p ro d u c t i o n l i n e
Tetra Pak Jurong Pte Ltd McDonald’s Restaurants Pte Ltd
Motivated by its success, Nestlé discovered successfully clipped off their proportions resulted in 20 tonnes of laminate wastage
Universal Integrated Corporation Consumer Products Pte Ltd People Bee Hoon Factory Pte Ltd
that the thickness of its 1.25 kg and 1.65 from 480 mm x 370 mm x 190 mm to 470 avoided per year.
Starbucks Coffee Singapore Pte Ltd
kg MILO tins could also be further reduced mm x 350 mm x 190 mm, reducing annual
Starlite Printers (Far East) Pte Ltd
from 0.25 mm (six beads) to 0.22 mm (nine paper use by more than 20 tonnes. Nestlé utilises 100 per cent recyclable
Thong Siek Food Industry Pte Ltd
beads) without compromising compression natural wood fibre to produce paper cartons
Wyeth Nutritionals (Singapore) Pte Ltd
strength. The move has since saved the Another packaging material used to for all its MILO products. In addition, natural
2009 F&N Coca-Cola (Singapore) Pte Ltd Asia Pacific Breweries (Singapore) Pte Ltd manufacturer 15 tonnes of tin material produce MILO soft packs is flexible plastic starch is used for binders and adhesives.
Nestlé Singapore (Pte) Ltd Boncafé International Pte Ltd every year. laminate. After approximately two months Not only are its cartons recyclable, they are
Tetra Pak Jurong Pte Ltd Hock Lian Huat Foodstuff Industry Pte Ltd of intensive work, Nestlé modified the non-toxic as well.
Kentucky Fried Chicken Management Pte Ltd
Microwave Packaging (Singapore) Pte Ltd
Singapore Food Industries Ltd
Sunfresh Singapore Pte Ltd
Wyeth Nutritionals (Singapore) Pte Ltd case study tetra pak packaging
YHS (Singapore) Pte Ltd
2008 Asia Pacific Breweries (Singapore) Pte Ltd Chinatown Food Corporation Pte Ltd
Boncafé International Pte Ltd F&N Coca-Cola (Singapore) Pte Ltd
Kentucky Fried Chicken Management Pte Ltd McDonald’s Restaurants Pte Ltd
Tetra Pak Jurong Pte Ltd Nestlé Singapore (Pte) Ltd
Subway Singapore Development Pte Ltd
Sunfresh Singapore Pte Ltd

Year Platinum Award Gold Award

2011 Nestlé Singapore (Pte) Ltd Ha Li Fa Pte Ltd

Sunfresh Singapore Pte Ltd Hock Lian Huat Foodstuff Industry Pte Ltd
Tetra Pak Jurong Pte Ltd Kentucky Fried Chicken Management Pte Ltd
McDonald’s Restaurants Pte Ltd
Starlite Printers (Far East) Pte Ltd
Tetra Pak Jurong Pte Ltd manufactures the line before extruders were removed. line while making polymer width changes.
Thong Siek Food Industry Pte Ltd
packaging materials for beverage cartons. As a result, excess polymer drooled away The result: 144 tonnes of polyethylene
Wyeth Nutritionals (Singapore) Pte Ltd
They are made of protective layers that creating wastage. polymer is saved annually.
2010 Nestlé Singapore (Pte) Ltd Asia Pacific Breweries (Singapore) Pte Ltd consist of paperboard, plastic (polyethylene
Tetra Pak Jurong Pte Ltd Boncafé International Pte Ltd polymer) and aluminium foil materials. Since July 2007, Tetra Pak has introduced Switching to a flying setup would also help
Coca-Cola Singapore Beverages Pte Ltd In its previous setup, changing the width improvements to achieve a flying setup, reduce about 119 tonnes of paper waste
Hock Lian Huat Foodstuff Industry Pte Ltd of the polymer coating involved stopping where it is no longer necessary to stop the per year.
Kentucky Fried Chicken Management Pte Ltd
Sunfresh Singapore Pte Ltd
Wyeth Nutritionals (Singapore) Pte Ltd
42 KNOWLEDGE & CAPACITY BUILDING
Far From
Wasted
Professor Rainer Stegmann reveals the
hidden truths of waste as a resource
The retired professor from Hamburg University of Technology in
Hamburg, Germany, co-owns two patents with his colleagues as head
of the Institute for Waste Resource Management. He is currently
a visiting professor at the Nanyang Technological University in
Singapore and director of its Residues and Resource Reclamation
Centre (R3C).
ENVISION caught up with Professor Stegmann at a recent Professional
Sharing Series (PSS) session after he shared about the potentials and
limits of waste as a resource.
In a follow-up interview, he elaborated on new technologies that look
set to redefine the world’s waste management landscape. He also
touched on the importance of socio-political factors and how relying on
technology alone is insufficient to solve the planet’s waste conundrum.
Much of your work seems to focus on redesigning
existing waste systems, versus redesigning the
systems that produce waste to begin with (e.g.
packaging, material engineering, product design,
etc.). By comparison, how do you relate to Dr Michael
Braungart’s Cradle-to-Cradle approach to materials
management?
As an engineer, I think the ideas from Dr Braungart
are interesting. Sometimes for me they seem like a bit
of a fantasy, but they’re inspiring, and some are very
realistic to do. With this approach you cannot solve
the problems though. It’s only part of the solution.
At the end of the day you have so many things that
are difficult to recycle... you have residues, you have
entropy in the whole system, and while this Cradle-
to-Cradle approach is useful, it’s a bit like the notion
of Zero Waste — it’s something we can aim for but will
never likely fully achieve. It’s the end game in the far
off future.
We understand you hold two patents with your
ex-colleagues at the Institute for Waste Resources
Management, Hamburg University of Technology.
Can you tell us more about them?
The first one was created to address the issue of lining
landfills, both bottom and top, to collect leachate. As
you know, plastic liners might become brittle and fail
over time. We decided to make liners out of glass
instead. It lasts longer but was never implemented in
any landfill. We still got it patented though.
The second patent involves aerating landfills. Gas
production is used in most landfills to generate
electricity. However, the quantity becomes low as the
landfills age and utilisation then is not good enough.
What we do is somewhat aerobic in nature where we
put air into the landfill, speeding up the decomposition
process of certain inert portions underground. This
biologically stabilises the land in a shorter period of
time, enabling us to release the landfill for aftercare
purposes more quickly.
Do you think your patent will work for Singapore’s
Semakau Landfill?
We are working on making a test at Semakau Landfill.
It’s not a matter of whether it’s feasible because it is
already implemented in five landfills in Germany. At
Semakau we may face an elevated water table in some
areas which we are still investigating. There’s definitely
an intention to make a test.
At the end of the day, it will work well for landfills that
are used to build houses and industrial settlements,
given that all the f la m ma ble gases have been
extracted from the ground. There is usually still around
10 per cent of gas production taking place at a landfill
after gas extraction has come to an end. These gases
may accumulate in pockets. It only takes 5 per cent of
methane in air to form an explosive mixture so it needs
to be reduced to avoid potential accidents. Lastly, you
want settling to take place on a landfill before you
attempt to build anything.
As Director of the Residues and Resource
Reclamation Centre (R3C) at the Nanyang
Technological University (NTU), what are
some of the ongoing projects that are
showing massive potential?
That would be our work on decentralised
systems where we take a cluster of houses
and separate different waste streams in
each house. They could be organic kitchen
material, grey water such as that from
washing machines, sinks and showers,
yellow water from the toilet like urine which
comprises high phosphorous and nitrogen
content, and treating faeces in an anaerobic
digester (where oxygen is removed) to
produce biogas.
The concept makes sense in new areas
where sewer systems are costly to build.
You could have a cluster of let’s say 10
blocks, treat the waste water onsite, and
reuse it. However, it is more complicated if
everything is already mixed together. For
example, recovering phosphorous is much
more difficult in diluted water.
I believe our work can be expor ted to
industrial and developing nations, especially
in remotes areas which lack water and
Africa is a good example. There are many
d eve l o p i n g co u nt r i e s i n Af r i c a w h i c h
lack toilets and fertilisers. Hotels, camps,
education centres stand to benefit too.
Ideally, these plans should be initiated in
tandem with the construction of a new
housing estate. We develop tools that can
be tailor-made to suit any development.
Any plans to implement this in Singapore?
We are in talk s with the Housing
Development Board (HDB) to explore ways
to collaborate in the future. This is a five-
year project, of which we have already
worked on for a year and a half. Part of our
efforts involves working with the School of
Art, Design and Media at NTU to create a
design that would gain acceptance by the
general public. It is my belief that the role of
design is equally important to the technical
functionality aspect.
What needs to be done to enable Singapore
to t ake t hat lea p in waste resou rces
management?
Legislation is important. On top of that,
implementing separate collection would be
a good start. There is no need to copy from
elsewhere because Singapore is different,
being in a tropical climate and all. You can
always customise something that works just
for Singapore.
KNOWLEDGE & CAPACITY BUILDING
Paper is one of the easiest and
straightforward platforms. You don’t need
to collect 100 per cent. Even 40 or 50 per
cent at the beginning is good enough. It
takes a while for companies to get into the
game and develop the relevant markets but
I think Singapore is capable of achieving it.
The country is excellent when it comes to
promotion and advertising.
What cutting-edge waste management
t e c h n o l o g i e s d o yo u t h i n k co u l d b e
readily integrated into the urban context
of Singapore, especially in areas like
industrial parks and HDB estates?
You need thermal treatment to reduce
the volume of waste. Separate collection
of valuable recyclable items like e-waste
and cars needs to be done — and it doesn’t
even have to take up large amounts of
space. The process can even be done on
ships. There are many possibilities. For
the residual waste you have to incinerate
of course, but the process should increase
energy recover y. Also explore Refuse-
Derived Fuel (RDF) from parts of waste to
create new fuels. The so-called “pre-oven
concept” where you burn RDF alongside
other power generating infrastructure is
interesting. So, for example, wood waste
by-products at a paper mill can be used to
power the mill itself.
S h o u l d S i n g a p o re d o a b e t te r j o b of
banning certain substances at source
versus looking at recovery or recycling
instead (e.g. chromium in cars)?
Regulation definitely needs to go first, but
both should be done in parallel to ensure
that a safer, higher qualit y material is
available for recycling as the end result.
Economically, it results in a higher value
product as well — for example, scrap metal
from automobiles sold in the European
Union has to meet restricted amounts of
harmful substances.
Do you think there is promise for vacuum
technology for waste water collection in
Singapore?
Sure. For water reclamation, if you’re using
a decentralised system, the pipes can be
smaller and you don’t have to rely on gravity
as a vacuum is involved. There are systems
also in place to separate different kinds of
materials found in waste water. With the
current systems in metropolitan Singapore,
widespread use of this technology might not
make sense since the sewer infrastructure is
in place already. In other installations such
as military complexes or hotels and such, it
is another good tool that can be used.
43
Do you foresee this segment of the market
growing with venture capitalists investing
in much needed innovation projects?
The world is changing. Things we would
not have thought about have already been
made reality. For example, the lack of rare
earth elements used in cellphones and
other electronic devices. Most of them are
mined in China. Strategically, to be more
independent, we are thinking of recovery.
But the idea is not to see it from a monetary
perspective alone but as a necessity.
Paper demand in China and India is going
to be so big that you would have a problem
supporting it sustainably. Even if you are a
paper manufacturer who grows trees, you
still need soil, fertilisers and acreage. You
can save 50 per cent of that raw material
with used paper, and 10 0 per cent of
waste paper can be used to produce new
paper, depending on the quality. Also,
achieving hygienic quality enables you to
churn out cardboards. Taking metals out
using magnets is already done but can
be improved upon. Additionally, separate
collecting systems are flexible and can be
brought to different markets.
With the exponential adoption of new
technologies such as mobile touch-screen
devices, critical rare minerals are under
increasing demand and are often found
i n co u n t r i e s w h e re t h e i r e x t r a c t i o n
poses unique environmental and social
challenges. Are there ways to successfully
disassemble these products at end-of-life
to cut back the need for virgin materials,
as well as eliminate yet another source of
e-waste? Could you describe one of these
industrial processes?
There are processes existing, but they are
still very much in development and need
improvement. One ver y basic process
involves removal of the plate from the
computer with the accumulation of rare
minerals to separate them and then burning
the leftover carcasses. But there are more
sophisticated processes such as metal
extraction using extraction and separation
technologies. There’s a lot of research going
on in these areas and a lot of companies are
further developing this area.
So this could be another industry
opportunity for businesses in Singapore?
Absolutely!
44 KNOWLEDGE & CAPACITY BUILDING KNOWLEDGE & CAPACITY BUILDING 45

With the prices of many commodities
such as waste paper, plastic flakes and
While incineration has its benefits,
there are also some risks, for example,
environmental dioxin contamination from
plastics. What are the steps needed to
adequately mitigate dioxin risk from the
waste-to-energy incineration of plastics?
The reasons for dioxin production have now
been identified. One factor is the feedstock,
but what’s more important is the operation
of the plant. A n interesting discover y
recently is that dioxin is not necessarily in
the waste that is being burned, but produced
in the process with the hot gases that come
out. The dioxin emerges in the cooling of
the gases. What they do now to avoid a
de novo synthesis of dioxins is to cool the
gases quickly in a temperature window
Some countries have challenged that the
legislation, EU Waste from Electrical and
Electronic Equipment Directive, only gives
European countries the impetus to export
their electronic waste (e-waste) problems
t o d e ve l o p i n g co u n t r i e s , w h e re t h e
infrastructure and legislation do not exist
to adequately handle the re-processing. Do
you think the criticism is justified, and, if so,
what do you think could be done to tighten
the legislation to avoid this export loophole?
In the waste business, there is always a
high potential for crime. Many countries
experience dif ficulties with mafia and
organised crime because with waste, money
can be made with little effort, especially with
hazardous waste. You see that with e-waste

What you need to know

rare minerals on the rise, do you think
there is increased impetus for Singapore
businesses to examine their waste stream
for new sources of revenue?
Selling recyclable material is like any other
business: the prices of these commodities
fluctuate with world events and crisis. In
recent years, companies have stockpiled
recyclables to stay on top of the global
price fluctuations and been able to make
gains as the markets shift. Of course to do
this, companies will need a bit of capital
behind them.
Mass burning will be the most feasible
method of waste-to-energy conversion in
the foreseeable future for Singapore. Any
chance that the country might be able to
delve into Refuse-Derived Fuel (RDF) or
anaerobic digestion?
Sure! Singapore has the chance. Heat not
used in incinerators is a huge amount of lost
energy, so that is something to think about.
If you have an old, redundant incinerator, it
is possible to convert it into an RDF plant for
any kind of material. The other idea is to go
to plants where you need the energy, with
perhaps 70 to 80 per cent conversion. Start
with a smaller plant, get experience, and
then move on further. For mass burning,
the next generation of plants will feature
technologies with higher electrical and
thermal energy recovery.
The bottom ash can also be utilised for
other purposes such as road construction.
But there is room for improvement and
more investigation needs to be done to
extract better materials. The aim is not
to use 100 per cent but selected par ts
which are the easiest to recover, through
processes such as sifting. Land raising is
another possible application.
between 250°C to 350°C and in doing so
the production of new dioxin is significantly
decreased. Carbon filters can also be put
into the system to take dioxin out of the gas
stream even further. The technology is there
and often the stringent targets for dioxin are
actually exceeded.
Is the major challenge of dealing with
waste really a technological issue at this
point, or is it more of a social issue in
terms of changing behaviour patterns,
consumption, disposal, etc.?
The people factor is very important. First of
all you have to educate people, especially
in schools as the kids can educate and
influence their parents. Parents will always
want to behave well in front of their kids.
Also, we live in a world of advertising, and
we need to have good advertising that
makes these issues visible to people, and
brings them home with the right messages.
People are not stupid and you have to
have good explanations why something
is happening. In Germany, when we first
introduced separate collection, we had
people going door to door to explain the
new system. We refined the approach
area by area as we moved on, and we had
good results with the bags of recyclables
collected. These sorts of things can be done
and mentalities need to be changed.
What are some successful tactics used in
Europe to educate the general public on
things like recycling and waste separation,
and to overcome apathy or bad habits?
Advertising. Singapore is very good with
advertising. You’ve had good campaigns on
crime and other issues. Slogans and mascots
like the ones used for the Youth Olympics
are methods that can be used for recycling
campaigns as well.
some organisations who are paid to handle
the problem merely dump it somewhere
else. This is criminal. The legislation is there,
but the enforcement is the issue. It’s so
difficult with all the ships and volumes of
containers; it is impossible to control. There
are so many ways to smuggle a container of
e-waste and people will try to use loopholes
in the system. But these activities comprise
only a small amount of waste; by far the
majority is recovered.
Is it true that Automatic Sorting by Sensor
Array Detection waste systems for sorting
refu se a re p ro b le matic a nd p ro ne to
breakdowns? If so, what must be done to
maintain a high standard of operational
performance?
Many of these systems are still in full-
scale tests, and there is a lot of room for
improvement. The system works very well
especially when it comes to separating
Tetra-Paks, which are quite valuable for
their aluminium lining. With some of the
other materials such as plastics, mechanical
pre-sorting before running them through
the machines may improve performance.
The Singapore Environment Institute (SEI) — a division
of NE A — has been providing platforms for the
sharing of knowledge, expertise and best practices
in the environment sector since its inauguration in
2003. One of its multiple disciplines includes the
Professional Sharing Series (PSS).
Launched in February 2004, PSS aims to promote
dynamic exchanges of insights between NEA and
industry players. SEI periodically invites experts and
professionals in their respective fields to speak on an
array of topics ranging from emerging environmental
technologies, core management approaches, and
sustainable environmental practices, to creating
environmental awareness.
If you are interested in attending a PSS session or
finding out more about other training programmes
offered by SEI, visit http://www.nea.gov.sg/cms/sei/.
• Worldwide refuse production is on the
rise, taxing not only basic resources for
industries, but also destroying natural
habitats and biodiversity.
• The focus should shift towards better
utilisation and recycling of materials
versus viewing them as waste.
• Businesses and industries are realising
that tapping waste streams can be
profitable as commodity prices increase.
They can include everyday items such as
paper, plastic and metal.
• Acco rd i ng to Prof Ste g ma n n, the
hierarchy to follow with waste is firstly
to reduce, followed by recycle, recover,
and finally, dispose.
• In European markets, policies have
shifted such that producers bear greater
responsibility for waste generated.
• Prof Stegmann advocates that the
best solution to managing waste is
to minimise its creation in the first
place. This can be done through better
product and packaging design.
• A technology making its recent debut
is Subsurface Vacuum containers that
can be isolated for different materials.
Pu b lic sq ua res o r living q ua r ters
might have these installed for various
recyclable and residual waste materials.
• S e p a r a t i n g m a t e r i a l t y p e s i s
essential to ensure viable recycling.
Contamination of materials needs
to be avoided so that the value of
recycled waste is not diminished.
• I n G e r m a n y, r e s i d e n t i a l r e f u s e
separation is achieved through
separate collection bins for paper, glass
and metal. Hazardous substances and
e-waste can be dropped off for special
recovery at waste community centres,
usually sited near shopping centres.
• Automatic Sorting by Sensor Array
Detection machines are currently in
large-scale industrial trials.
• Biomass from raw food commodities
can be processed using Sugar
Biochemical Platforms to generate
new fuels, chemicals and materials.
• Anaerobic digesters can be used on
a variet y of substrates from food
production to produce high quality gas
and compost from leftovers.
• In the urban context of Singapore,
decentralising waste management
might seem counter-intuitive with the
country’s advanced infrastructure.
• Overseas case studies as well as
research at R3C, NTU, are exploring the
possibility of managing both solid and
liquid waste within individual sites.
• Zero waste may be a target we cannot
reach in the near future but we should
aim for it anyway with the many tools
at our disposal.
46 KNOWLEDGE & CAPACITY BUILDING
Part of the
Environmental
PIONEER Series
THE BRIEF
Si n g a p o re ’s ea r l y
environmental
pioneer, Lee Ek Tieng,
accomplished the dual
tasks of cleaning up the
Singapore River and
securing our fresh city
air with immaculate
precision. But his career
was not just defined
by the river. Find out
what he thinks of the
state of Singapore’s
environment and
the future of the civil
service.
A dialogue session with one of the key
minds behind the Singapore River clean-up
Successfully spearheading the Singapore
River and Kallang Basin clean-up, Mr Lee
Ek Tieng earned the Distinguished Service
Order in 2000 for his sterling contributions
to the country. Previously, he was conferred
the Meritorious Service Award (1984) for his
work in pollution control and environmental
health and the Clean Rivers Commemorative
Gold Medal from the Prime Minister (1987)
for completing the national project to clean
up the Singapore River and its environment.
The former top civil servant was head of the
Anti-Pollution Unit in the Prime Minister’s
Office, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry
of Environment and Head of the Civil Service.
Recently, he retired from the Government
Investment Corporation.
In an exclusive interview, he shares his
experiences and views on Singapore’s
environmental transformation, and
addresses how the nation’s leadership
position can be maintained.
As a winner of multiple public service awards, what
would you describe as the defining moments of your life?
People often think of the cleaning of the Singapore
River as a big achievement, but starting as early as 1971
with the Anti-Pollution Unit, Mr Lee Kuan Yew foresaw
the need for air pollution control. We engaged the
services of an Australian consultant, Graham Cleary,
who worked with the World Health Organisation (WHO)
to put together preventive measures. In those days, air
pollution was attributed to black smoke from motor
vehicles, factory boilers, refineries and saw mills. We
laid the groundwork for early prevention and control of
pollution from small factories to bigger manufacturing
companies like oil refineries and petrochemical
factories. Today, if you compare Singapore with cities
in China and Hong Kong, I can say we have managed
to control the air pollution levels very well. We have
made it mandatory for all cars to comply with European
emissions standards. This means no lead, and low
oxides of nitrogen and diesel fume emissions. We have
also made it a point to check emissions of trucks and
taxis on a regular basis.
When you were handed the responsibility of the
Singapore River and Kallang Basin clean-up, what
were your initial thoughts? Did it seem an impossible
feat at that time?
Mr Lee wanted a cleaned-up environment in 10
years. It came as a surprise, but our chaps felt that
from a technical point of view it could be done.
What concerned us more was the social and political
dimension. How are you going to clear squatters and
bumboats? How are you going to clear street hawkers
and motor vehicle repair workshops? Technically,
there were solutions, but we were unsure
whether the government had the political
will to get it done.
We understand that relocating settlements
was one of the most challenging obstacles
you had to face during the early crackdown
on pollution sources. How did you balance
the very human reality people faced during
this time with larger national priorities?
It was a straight for ward solution. The
way th e g over n m ent a p p ro a ch e d th e
whole thing was to set down policies and
objectives, but it didn’t evict anyone from
their squatter huts or from the streets. It
always gave an alternative. For instance, it
built hawker centres to house food hawkers.
You must think of the era in the 1960s and
1970s — people were happy to move out
of slums and into new HDB flats which had
proper infrastructure, sanitation, garbage
collection and water.
The secret of success was providing people
with that alternative. For example, one of the
things we did in the early days was to register
all street hawkers. Everyone else who came
after that was considered illegal. Once
they were licensed, they were eligible to
move into hawker centres. The engineering
challenge was just to build the infrastructure
fast enough to keep up with policy demands.
There were people who resisted change,
especially those who had really good
KNOWLEDGE & CAPACITY BUILDING
business at street corners. They felt moving
even a few hundred yards could be bad for
business. As civil servants, we didn’t get
too involved in the political dimension. The
politicians, such as the respective Members
of Parliament, were all quite positive and
helpful in assisting us. That left us to get on
with our work.
How do you think that has changed today?
Many Singaporeans now have computers
and express their views openly. Back in
those days, there were no such things.
People were grateful for new homes and
infrastructure and to get on with life and
move up socially.
W h e n i t c a m e t o c h a n g i n g p e o p l e ’s
behaviour in relation to pollution, what do
you think were the most effective means
to curb negative behaviour?
T h e re we re t wo a s p e c t s . F i r s t l y, we
provided the infrastructure. With factories,
we told them that the waste water must be
sent to the sewer. With domestic premises,
we p rov i d e d s a n i t a t i o n a n d g a r b a g e
removal. We had campaigns to educate
people on keeping Singapore clean and
green, and on health education. Secondly,
we provided alternatives to bad behaviour:
fines and court for those who choose not
to comply. In the last 30 to 40 years, our
lit tering problem has improved vastly.
There will always be a small minorit y
47
that doesn’t abide by the laws but it is a
continuous education process.
From a technical point of view, what do
you think were the key technologies or
infrastructural improvements that enabled
this clean-up?
You are asking a theoretical question.
We had to deal with what we had back
then within Singapore. We awarded local
co nt ra c to rs co nt ra c t s t h ro u g h p ro p er
tender systems for construction works,
and the system proved successful. We
seldom appointed consultants and experts.
We knew what the objectives were, the
solution, and the desired outcomes. We just
did basic engineering work.
So you feel it’s often better to rely on local
expertise and simple solutions?
External advisors don’t always understand
the local context and environment. We did
have some experts who helped us identify
sources of pollution and some possibilities of
what could be done. For example, we hired
an Australian air pollution consultant to take
a basic inventory of air pollution sources
in Jurong industrial estate, after which we
followed up and implemented the solutions.
Landed properties in those days were also
designated with specific washing areas that
linked directly to the sewer. You don’t need
high technology.
48 KNOWLEDGE & CAPACITY BUILDING
What were the engineering constraints
you faced with the project, and what sort
of techniques did you use to meet them?
We made do with what we had. For example,
when laying sewers, we always used local
labour and locally available timber sections
for shoring deep sewer trenches. In advanced
countries, steel sheet piles were used. But
they were and still are very expensive. We
also used bakau piles for foundations instead
of concrete piles. This timber originates from
mangrove swamps in Indonesia and lasts a
long time in moist conditions in the ground.
When investigating environmental
solutions, were there international case
studies or other cities you looked at to
model the improvements for Singapore?
When I was working towards air pollution
co nt ro l s o l u t i o n s , I w a s s e nt to N ew
Zealand and Australia for training. For
waste water treatment, I went to Chicago,
California, the U K , and Germany. This
w a s b a ck a ro u n d 19 6 9, a n d we we re
also looking into advanced waste water
treatment technology. In the US, they were
experimenting with ion exchange and
1 reverse osmosis processes. We are using
them today.
What were the major barriers to adopting
such technologies at that time?
Don’t forget technology cost s money.
Reverse osmosis, when we first setup our
experimental plant in Jurong in 1974, worked
out to cost about S$7 to S$8 per 1,000
gallons of water. It was uneconomical. But
since then the membranes have improved.
Less pressure is needed to push water
through it now, so less energy is required,
which in turn brings down the overall costs
of producing clean water through recycling.
As Chairman of the Public Utilities
Board from 1978 to 2000, how do you
feel Singapore has progressed over the
decades in its bid to secure vital resources
like clean water and clean air?
When you think about it purely as essential
commodities for life, water and air quality
had gradual and progressive improvements.
Technology improved, recycling costs came
down, but conventional water treatment is
still expensive.
What’s big now is recycling. We don’t need
more big dams. The great thing about
2
membrane technology is that the land
footprint for a NEWater plant is very small.
To build a conventional water treatment
1. Tugboats docked along the riverbank, circa 1980s
plant that handles millions of litres of
2. Bumboats docked along the banks of the Singapore River
water a day occupies a much larger track
Singapore River today with Fullerton Hotel in the background
of l a n d . T h u s , m e m b r a n e te c h n o l o g y
makes much more sense in the context of
land-scarce Singapore.
Numerous technical innovations have
become available in recent years
in monitoring and environmental
m a n a g e m e n t . N E A i s e x p l o r i n g n ew
systems that leverage on technology
to help streamline and consolidate the
nationwide approach to environmental
management. Do you have any thoughts
on how new technology might be used?
Let me put it this way: These systems do
not solve all the problems. No matter how
sophisticated the alarms, you still have to
deal with the original problem. In the US,
with Hurricane Irene recently, the forecast
could only be so good as to advise people to
move out of the area. They could not prevent
any flooding. In the case of Singapore, it
is well and good to have this monitoring
system for public relations purposes, say to
warn people ahead of a storm and identify
potential flooding areas.
The solution to a storm is still in dealing
with the storm water. In a practical sense,
you need to look at how reliable technology
is — systems can still fail. Technology can
be useful but not replace the need for
improving infrastructure.
If it’s not technology for technology sake,
what can we fall back on?
B u i l d b e t t e r i n f r a s t r u c t u r e . To b e a
developed city, the ability to maintain the
KNOWLEDGE & CAPACITY BUILDING
system is the most important thing. With
sanitation, sewers more than 30 or 50 years
old are relined by PUB rather than dug up.
Before this technology was developed, it
was costly to dig up and replace sewers.
Now you can extend the life of sewerage
infrastructure by another 50 years with
minimal disruption.
The Singapore government has been fairly
proactive in terms of educating the public
on the environment. Do you have any
thoughts on these programmes, or how
they could be further refined or expanded?
Education is a continuous process. It doesn’t
take effect overnight. Just like making
NEWater drinkable, you have to do it in
stages. Our littering problem has improved,
and the smoking problem as well. Hardly
anyone smokes in enclosed air-conditioned
b u i l d i n gs a ny m o re. El i m i nati n g t h e s e
problems completely is idealistic but we
have to constantly work at it.
What do you think are the threats to
Singapore’s environmental sustainability
in the long run? Do you think threats like
climate change will affect the geography,
environment and infrastructure?
You have touched a very political topic.
I’m agnostic about climate change. The
assumptions are now that climate change
is man-made. There are other schools
of thought that explore natural cycles in
climate. I’m not saying that human activities
don’t contribute to it with the abundant
use of fossil fuels, but compared to energy
49
given off by a solar flare, or materials
given off by volcanic eruption — it puts
the issue in perspective. There are many
natural phenomena beyond our control.
Can we do anything about it? Not really.
We are a small countr y. There may be
data to show that there is, say, a sea-level
rise... but this might be caused by natural
geophysical phenomena. We could probably
do something about it, but take for example
the Maldives when the tsunami struck —
parts were inundated with water, but the
people came back and continued their lives.
In general, are there lessons you could
share from your experience in changing
public perceptions and behaviours relating
to environment and natural resources like
water? How could civil servants today
co nt i n u e to a d v a n ce t h e ca u s e s yo u
started back in the early days?
I come from a civil engineering background
and many people today might not agree with
my views. Being a Permanent Secretary and
an engineer, I had the responsibility to get
things done. I mobilised people, delegated,
and chose the right people whom I could rely
on, and empowered them to do the job. The
most important thing in management I’ve
learned is to delegate and people must learn
to accept responsibility. If you are given a
job and you accept the responsibility, then
I don’t have to second guess what you’re
doing or why you’re doing it.
 50 KNOWLEDGE & CAPACITY BUILDING KNOWLEDGE & CAPACITY BUILDING 51
24-25 May 2011

Recent environmental Energy Efficiency

news and events National Partnership
in Singapore (EENP) Awards
To recognise companies in the manufacturing sector for their
efforts in implementing programmes to reduce energy wastage
and improve energy efficiency, the Energy Efficiency National
Partnership (EENP) Awards Ceremony was held in conjunction with
the National Energy Efficiency Conference (NEEC) 2011. The EENP
Awards aims to foster a culture of sustained energy efficiency
improvement and encourage companies to adopt a more proactive
approach towards energy management by profiling positive
examples for emulation. The recipients of the EENP Awards, which
were presented by the Minister for the Environment and Water
Resources, Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, were:
22 April 2011
Excellence
Youth for the in Energy
Management
1. Pfizer Asia Pacific Pte Ltd
2. Glaxo Wellcome Manufacturing Pte Ltd
Environment Day Category

Youth for the Environment Day made its debut on 22 April 2011 —
1. Ascendas Land (S) Pte Ltd
Earth Day. Launched by National Environment Agency (NEA) and
2. City Developments Limited
supported by the Ministry of Education (MOE), the annual event Best Practices
3. Eastman Chemicals Singapore Pte Ltd
encourages youths to take ownership of the environment by Category
4. MSD International GmbH
safeguarding, nurturing and cherishing it for future generations. It will
5. Pfizer Asia Pacific Pte Ltd
be part of MOE’s National Education calendar for local schools.

In conjunction with this year’s event, more than 130 primary and Best Practices 3

secondary schools, junior colleges and ITEs organised environment- Category 1. Eagle Services Asia Pte Ltd
related activities to promote energy efficiency, recycling, nature (Honourable 2. Glaxo Wellcome Manufacturing Pte Ltd
appreciation and litter-free surroundings. More schools are expected Mention)
In recognition of its efforts, the Ministry of Manpower was presented
to join in next year. with the “Best Public Sector Agency in Energy Management”
Outstanding
commendation. It recognises an outstanding public sector agency that
Energy Managers Mr Yeo Yee Pang, Engineering Manager,
There were 11 recipients (across five categories) who received the 1 has demonstrated exemplary performance and commitment to energy
of the Year Glaxo Wellcome Manufacturing Pte Ltd
EcoFriend award from NEA for their contributions to the environment. management efforts and has been proactive in implementing energy
Category
They were selected from a pool of over 300 nominees. efficiency improvements.

April 2011 May 2011

10 May 2011 24-25 May 2011

MOU Signed With UK Inaugural National NEA, in partnership with the Economic Development Board and Energy
Market Authority, organised the inaugural National Energy Efficiency

Met Office Energy Efficiency Conference to bring together energy efficiency experts and industry
energy professionals to share best practices and case studies. The
The stage has been set for NEA to further boost its climate change
research capabilities through an official MOU signed with the UK Conference (NEEC) conference was held on 24 and 25 May 2011.

Met Office. NEA’s Meteorological Service Singapore (MSS) will

work with the UK Met Office Hadley Centre, a leading centre for & Energy Efficiency It comprised three plenary sessions focusing on industrial energy
efficiency policies and programmes, energy management systems
climate prediction, to expand its current programme on climate
science and lay the groundwork for the establishment of a centre National Partnership and high impact energy efficiency retrofits. Separate tracks on energy
efficiency opportunities in industrial systems, high-performance
for climate research.
(EENP) Awards facilities, energy management information solutions and energy
efficiency benchmarking were held to cater to specific target groups.
This collaboration will enable MSS to produce reliable projections of
Singapore’s rainfall, temperature, wind and sea levels for different Ceremony 2011 More information on the conference and presentation slides can be
time scales up to year 2100. These projections will augment NEA’s found at www.neec2011.sg.
2
Vulnerability Studies to determine the impact of climate change
on Singapore’s urban weather, water resources and coastal areas.
 52 KNOWLEDGE & CAPACITY BUILDING
15 June 2011
ASEAN Dengue Day
15 June 2011 was officially designated by the Association of South-
east Asian Nations (ASEAN) as ASEAN Dengue Day — an annual
campaign day to advocate dengue prevention and control.
The theme for the inaugural ASEAN Dengue Day was “Dengue
is everybody’s concern, causing socio-economic burden, but it is
preventable.”
A ceremony to observe ASEAN Dengue Day was held at the Biopolis,
with Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, Minister for the Environment and Water
Resources, and Dr Shin Young-soo, the World Health Organization
(WHO) Regional Director for the Western Pacific, gracing the occasion.
To mark the significance of the day, the Environmental Health Institute
(EHI) was officially inaugurated as a WHO Collaborating Centre for the
Reference and Research of Arbovirus and their Associated Vectors.
In his address, the Minister noted that the designation by the WHO
demonstrates its appreciation of EHI as a value partner and takes the
partnership to a higher level, and urged EHI to forge closer links with
other institutions so that working together, the region as a whole
would be better prepared to tackle arboviral disease.
Dr Shin reiterated that dengue cannot be fought merely at the level of
a health response as it is also an environmental problem, and this
requires everyone, from households to national governments to work
together to eliminate mosquitoes.
Apart from the inauguration ceremony, NEA also organised a series
of community road shows to create public awareness and reinforce
the key message of personal responsibility. NEA and the Ministry of
Health also co-organised a dengue symposium titled Tackling The
Dengue Challenge.
June 2011
KNOWLEDGE & CAPACITY BUILDING 53
1 July 2011
3R programme to improve
waste management
and recycling rate in the
hotel industry
To improve waste management in the hotel industry, the Singapore
Hotel Association (SHA) and National Environment Agency (NEA)
5 July 2011
jointly launched the “3R (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) Programme for
Waste Management
Hotels”, in conjunction with the Singapore Green Hotel Award 2011.
Symposium 2011
This initiative aims to help hotels achieve better waste management
and increase waste recycling rates. This is part of ongoing outreach On 5 July 2011, 220 delegates congregated at Marina Mandarin
efforts to encourage different industry sectors to play their part to Singapore for the annual Waste Management Symposium.
They comprised environmental experts, representatives of
recycle and contribute towards the recycling rate target of 70%
regulatory institutions and private industry professionals.
by 2030. Currently, it is estimated that hotels in Singapore produce
about 60,000 tonnes of solid waste a year and less than 10% of the
The event, jointly organised by the Waste Management &
waste is being recycled.
Recycling Association of Singapore (WMRAS) and NEA, provided
insights into the opportunities and trends for the waste
The 3R programme, a voluntary commitment by hotels, will require management market in Singapore as well as the region.
the hotel partners to set up a system to reduce solid waste, which
Two Memorandums of Understanding were signed during the
entails the formation of a committee. The green committee will
Symposium. The first was between WMRAS and Harry Elias
conduct waste audits, set waste reduction and recycling goals,
Partnership LLP, and the second was between WMRAS and the
and review existing practices. The NEA will provide training to the
Singapore Business Federation.
committee so that they are equipped with relevant knowledge and
skills to develop their 3R plans. WasteMET Asia, an inaugural conference and exhibition for
Asia’s solid waste management and environmental technology
industries, was announced at the Symposium. It is a partner
At the event, Senior Minister of State for Ministry of the Environment
event to the CleanEnviro Summit Singapore, an international
Ms Grace Fu presented the Singapore Green Hotel Award to
event organised by NEA and slated to take place in July 2012,
Mr Thomas Schmitt-Glaeser, Resident Manager and Mr Edwin,
alongside the World Cities Summit and Singapore International
Engineering Manager of Shangri-La Hotel, Singapore. Water Week.
July 2011 2012 — Our Milestone Year
CELEBRATING 10 YEARS OF NEA
To commemorate NEA’s 10-year journey in keeping Singapore clean and green, NEA will embark on a year-
long celebration to pay tribute to the collective efforts rendered by our staff, partners and the community
that has helped provide a quality living environment for all to enjoy. The year-long celebration in 2012 will
include an array of engaging activities including Staff Appreciation Day, Youth Environment Day (YED) and an
NEA 10th Anniversary Exhibition which showcases NEA’s commitment to the environment. NEA will also be
doing its part in giving back to the society through various fundraising events such as a Charity Dinner and
Charity Run. Stay tuned for more announcements on upcoming happenings!
Photograph courtesy of Shangri-La Hotel, Singapore
54 KNOWLEDGE & CAPACITY BUILDING KNOWLEDGE & CAPACITY BUILDING 55

The
REGULATORY UPDATES ON
ENVIRONMENTAL Euro 5 Technology

AND POLICY MATTERS Did you know ?

Change to
Cleaner
Euro 5 diesel vehicles emit 80 per cent air out

less particulates than

Euro 4 diesel vehicles.

Euro 5
Exhaust in

Arguments for the Implementation Soot and ash are

The Switch from Euro 4 to Euro 5 Emissions Standards
We are all too familiar with the haze that envelops Singapore from time to time. For some,
the ashy smog goes only so far as to cause some breathing discomfort. For others, it can be
detrimental to health.
The culprit? Minute particulate matter, some of it with an aerodynamic diameter of less than 2.5
μm (PM 2.5) — 1/20 the size of a human hair strand.
Health Hazards
According to the American Heart Association (AHA), short-term exposure to particulate matter
from air pollution contributes to acute cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Over the long
Formed in 2008, the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Sustainable trapped on the
channel walls
Development (IMCSD) developed a national framework alongside key
strategies for Singapore’s sustainable development. One of the targets Diesel Particulate Filter Exhaust Flow
for clean air was to reduce PM 2.5 levels in ambient air to 12 μg/m3
by 2020. Singapore’s annual average of 17 µg/m³ still exceeds the US
There are a few technologies that have been implemented in Euro
Environmental Protection Agency’s (USEPA) standard of 15 µg/m³ — 14
5-practising countries to help vehicles comply with new emissions
years since it was adopted by the US.
standards. One of the prototypes widely used at the moment is
A 2006 study commissioned by NEA estimated that for every µg/m³
the Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF). Here are some interesting facts
about it:
increase in PM 2.5, the economic cost on the health of Singaporeans is
about US$19 million per year.
1. DPFs reduce PM emissions by more than 90 per cent
On 1 October 2006, Euro 4 emissions standards were implemented
for diesel vehicles to reduce PM 2.5 levels in order to meet the USEPA
2. DPFs need to be regenerated periodically to burn off trapped PM
to ensure that the engine continues to function as specified
standard of 15 µg/m³. However, emissions standards need to be further
tightened for the government to achieve its target of 12 µg/m³ by 2020,
as mapped out in the Sustainable Singapore Blueprint. Studies have
3. Regeneration results in ash accumulation which over time
proven that Euro 5 diesel vehicles emit 80 per cent less particulates
creates a resultant back pressure that affects engine
performance. When that happens, they need to be cleaned or
than Euro 4 diesel vehicles.
changed completely

Measurements:
μ (micro) = 10-6 (one millionth)
μm = micrometre
μg/m3 = micrograms per cubic metre
ppm = parts per million
term, prolonged exposure can reduce life expectancy by a few years. PM 2.5, in particular,
leads to an increased risk of myocardial infarction (heart attack), cerebrovascular accident
(stroke), arrhythmia (inconsistent heart rate), and heart failure exacerbation within hours to
days of exposure in susceptible individuals. It can also cause decreased lung function, and the
development of chronic bronchitis.
Although the annual haze hazard from forest-burning is a contributor, much of Singapore’s
PM 2.5 air pollution comes from local sources. They include diesel vehicle emissions, industrial
activities, wind-blown dust and sea salts.
The Implementation Plan
Key Considerations
Availability of diesel vehicle models that conform
Exhaust Gas Recirculation
to Euro 5
Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) is another Euro 5 technology that
has been adopted in most Euro 5-compliant heavy vehicles.
The local motor industry needs time to negotiate with their overseas
principals on the allocation of vehicles at the required emissions
standards, clear existing stock of commercial vehicles, and train
EGR functions by re-circulating part of the engine’s exhaust gas
to some of the excess oxygen in the pre-combustion mixture.
maintenance personnel. European vehicles would be able to comply by
EGR lowers combustion chamber temperatures which in turn
early 2012 while Japanese models, in 2014.
reduces the amount of nitrogen oxide (NOx) produced. NOx is a
smog-causing pollutant responsible for acid rain and is itself a
Availability of NSFD
Euro 5 diesel vehicles require higher quality diesel. NSFD is necessary
greenhouse gas that contributes to global warming.

In a bid to improve existing air quality standards in Singapore, NEA has drawn up a set of for the fuel injectors and after-treatment devices to function properly.
blueprints which will progressively see the country switch from Euro 4 to Euro 5 emission Oil companies, as a group, have all agreed to supply NSFD by 2014. Selective Catalytic Reduction
standards. The following implementation plan to convert diesel vehicles to Euro 5 has since Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) can be said to be a step ahead
Each PM 2.5 Human hair
particle is less
been approved: Development in International Practice of EGR with its ability to deliver near-zero emissions of NOx.
than 1/20 of a
Key automotive manufacturing countries and regions — which include
hair’s thickness. • Emission standards for diesel vehicles will be revised to Euro 5 from 1 January 2014 the EU, US and Japan — are currently on Euro 5 or Euro 5-equivalent In SCR technology, automotive-grade urea, also known as Diesel
standards for vehicles. South Korea is following the EU schedule Exhaust Fluid (DEF) is injected into a high temperature exhaust
• Near Sulphur-free Diesel (NSFD) — diesel fuel with sulphur content less than 10 ppm — will to implement Euro 5. Hong Kong will adopt Euro 5 once there is a stack where it interacts with exhaust gases to break NOx into two
be mandated from 1 July 2013 to pave the way for the implementation of Euro 5 sufficient supply of Euro 5-compliant vehicle models. benign components: water vapour and nitrogen.
Innovative Clean
Enviro-Solutions for
Asia’s Growing Cities
1 – 4 July 2012 | Sands Expo and Convention Center | Marina Bay Sands | Singapore

The inaugural CleanEnviro Summit Singapore (CESS) is a global

platform for leaders, senior government officials and policy
makers, regulators and industry captains to identify, develop
and share practical solutions to address environmental
challenges for tomorrow’s cities. Organised by Singapore’s
National Environment Agency (NEA), CESS will facilitate the
sharing of insights on the latest environmental market trends
through its plenary sessions and business forums.

A myriad of activities that visitors can expect include the Clean

Environment Leaders Summit, Clean Environment Regulators
Roundtable and WasteMET Asia exhibition and conference
that showcase the latest innovations in waste management,
environmental technology and recycling solutions for Asia.

Online registration will open in February 2012.

Who Should Attend Enquiries

· Ministers, Governors and Mayors For more information, visit www.cleanenvirosummit.sg
· Policy makers and Regulators and www.wastemetasia.sg.
· Heads and Senior Officials from International Organisations
· CEOs, Business Strategists and Industry Leaders Enquiries: james.boey@singex.com.sg
· Technical Experts and Practitioners
· Academia

Organised by: Knowledge Partner: Partner event: Co-located events:

Strategic partners: Managed by: For more on Singapore:

Supported by: