THE LANDSCAPE OF RECYCLING IN SINGAPORE

Abstract

The importance of recycling cannot be undermined. Not only does it reduce the amount of raw materials and energy used, recycling reduces the amount of waste sent for disposal too. In general, recycling has more positive impacts on the environment than other waste management options. As such, many governments all over the world are strongly advocating for more recycling efforts as a response to the limited capacity of the physical environment. Singapore, a country which faces land scarcity and high waste generation, is no exception. Given the rapid increment in waste generated over the years, it is predicted that Semakau Landfill, Singapore’s landfill site, will be filled by 2045, and new incineration plants will have to be built every 7 years to cope with the increasing capacity required. Despite the importance of recycling in Singapore, there has not been any recent academic study written to describe the landscape and practices of waste management and recycling. Hence, this thesis first provides a situation analysis of the current practices of waste management and recycling for various streams of materials. The evolution of these practices over the years, as well as government-supported recycling initiatives will also be studied. Subsequently, a benchmark study is conducted by studying the best practices in waste management and recycling in countries with high recycling rates, like Japan, Switzerland, Germany, and the United States. Through this, potential areas of improvement in Singapore’s current practices will be highlighted, and recommendations are provided on how the Singapore government can play a more active role in dealing with waste management and recycling. In addition, a modified optimal market area model is applied to the context of Singapore’s steel and plastic recycling plant networks. These networks are chosen as they best fit with the closed-loop recycling plant network used in the model. Using this mathematical model, the economics of recycling is better understood. Hence, insights and suggestions are provided on how to optimize profits from the network. Recommendations proposed in this thesis are classified into three categories: source reduction, collection of recyclable materials, and improvements to recycling plants. Source reduction involves the government implementing regulations targeted at reducing the amount of waste generated, while collection of recyclable materials deals with new regulations to ensure that as much recyclable materials are taken back for recycling as possible. Finally, improvements to recycling plants consist of other suggestions to enhance the efficiency and profitability of recycling plants.