Waste Managemen

Due to Singapore’s growing population, the amount of waste generated over the years has been increasing steadily. In 2013, a total of 7.8 million tonnes of refuse was generated, of which 4.8 million tonnes were recycled. The remaining 3 million tonnes was disposed off at our incineration plants and landfills.

About 61% of Singapore’s waste is recycled while the remaining 39% are incinerated and sent directly to landfills. The resultant ash from incineration is subsequently disposed at Singapore’s only landfill, Semakau Landfill. As both incineration plants and landfill are capital-intensive infrastructures and require large tracts of land, land-scarce Singapore cannot continue to build incineration plants and landfills to cope with the growing demand for waste disposal. Hence, the government has set a target of 70% by 2030 in the Sustainable Singapore Blueprint.

To date, there are approximately 500 Waste Management companies, employing about 12,000 workers who provide services from waste collection, sorting, recycling, waste-to-energy solutions, to project consultancy, and R&D. There are also a total of about 320 licensed General Waste Collectors (GWCs).

From: https://www.ssg.gov.sg/wsq/Industry-and-Occupational-Skills/Waste-Management-and-Recycling-Industry.html