Environment Challenge for Schools

Networking Session and Workshop

Solid Waste Management in Singapore

1. Solid Waste Situation in Singapore

2. 3Rs – Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

3. Sharing of the Schools’ Projects

Presentation Content

Solid Waste Situation in Singapore1

3

2015 figures

Domestic

Non-DomesticRecycling

Collection Landfill

Waste-

to-Energy

Reuse

TradeResidential

Industries Businesses

Total Waste

Generated

21,023 t/d

Non-Incinerable

Waste

516 t/d

Ash

1,766 t/d

Incinerable

Waste

7,886 t/d

Electricity

2,702 MWh/d

Total Recycled Waste

12,739 t/d

2%

38%

61% Metals Recovered

118 t/d

Reduce

Recyclable

Waste

12,621 t/d

60% Waste

Disposed

8,284 t/d

39%

Overview of Solid Waste Management System

Solid Waste Challenges in Singapore

i. Amount of waste generated in Singapore has risen rapidly & will

continue to rise with population & economic growth

ii. Land will become increasingly more scarce

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0.00

1.00

2.00

3.00

4.00

1970 1980 1990 2000 2010

Index

Year

GDP

Population

Waste Disposal

1,200 tons/day (1970)

8,402 tons/day (2015)

Current Population: 5.6 mil

At this rate of waste growth, we’ll need to build…

7-10 years

New waste-to-energy plant

30-35 years

New offshore landfill

Semakau Landfill

…there will be less land available

But…

Challenges in Singapore

Area : 719.1 sq km

Population : 5.6 million

Hot & Humid

Climate

Key Challenge : Scarcity of Land

3Rs – Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

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2

Why Reduce, Reuse & Recycle?

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Save Natural Resources

Reduce Environmental Impact

Prolong Lifespan of our LandfillSemakau

Landfill

What can you do to practise

Reduce, Reuse and Recycle?

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Reduce and Reuse Practices

Reduce Reuse

In School

• Use refillable writing materials

• Use both sides of the paper

• Avoid printing unnecessarily

• Bring food in a reusable box

In School

• Reuse unwanted paper as rough paper

• Pass unwanted books to others

• Reuse old materials for school recycling projects.

Do not buy new materials for such projects.

At home

• Minimise food waste

• Switch to electronic bill, annual reports

and publications

At home

• Reuse plastic and glass containers to store items

• Reuse plastic bags to contain garbage

• Reuse old clothing as rags

• Donate unwanted items that are in good

condition to charity

Outside

• Bring your own bag when shopping

• Avoid using disposables (e.g.

disposable forks, spoons, plates, cups)

1 per HDB block

More frequent collection

1 per landed house

Weekly collection

Garden Waste Collection

Recycling in Condominiums

and Private Apartments

2008Mandatory provision of

recycling receptacles

Recycling

National Recycling Programme

National Recycling Programme

• Commingled recycling system

• Standard blue bin colour and label

• Acceptable and unacceptable items indicated on

the recycling bin

• Locking mechanism to lock the wheels to prevent

unauthorised movement

• Drainage holes to prevent water accumulation

i. Recycling infrastructure provided for schools under

Public Waste Contract (PWC)

• Commingled recycling bins (120L or 660L) provided at

one collection point accessible to collection truck

• Weekly collection service

ii. Collects all types of recyclables

• Paper, plastic, metal, glass

iii.Encourage ‘Twin bins’ in every classroom

• Refuse and recycling bins paired together

• Design own bins for each class as an activity

Schools Recycling Corner Programme

How to start your own recycling programme

Step 2

Empty recyclable

containers of any

content. Rinse them if

necessary

Step 3

Deposit them into recycling

box/container lined with a used

plastic bag. When the plastic bag

is full, deposit the bag into the

recycling bin. Box/Container can

be reused.

Recycling

Box/Container

Refuse bin

Step 1

Segregate between

Recyclables and Non-

recyclables

Examples of ‘Twin’ Bins

Or

Any other unused boxes /

containers to be reused and

labelled as recycling box

Recycling

Box /

Container

Refuse

bin

National Recycling Programme

Commingled Collection

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Common Recyclables

Papers Cardboard boxes, paper drink cartons, office paper, newspapers, phone books,

used envelopes, files, pamphlets/brochures, posters, magazines, junk mail, etc.

Metals Both ferrous and non-ferrous metals (e.g. steel cans, containers, metal objects,

aluminium cans and containers, tin cans, etc.)

Plastic Plastic drink bottles, detergent bottles, plastic bags, plastic wrappings, shrink wrap,

ice cream/yogurt tubs, etc.

Glass Glass bottles / containers / jars, etc.

Rinse to remove food/liquid contamination if necessary

Items that Cannot Be Disposed of in Recycling Bins

• Food waste, liquid waste

• Tissue paper (used)

• Recyclable items soiled with

food

− Pizza Boxes

• Disposable batteries

• Cookware (Pyrex)

• Shoes

• Porcelain, ceramic

• Styrofoam

• Light bulbs and lamps

• Pillows, bolsters

• Composite materials

• Pens, empty bags of chips

Material Recovery Facility (MRF)

2. Primary Picking Station

Sorting and

Recovery of

Recyclables in

Material Recovery

Facility (MRF)

5. Recovered recyclables are

sent to respective recycling

facilities

3. Magnetic Separator & Ballistic

Separator4. Secondary Picking Station

1. Incoming Recyclables

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Sharing of Schools’ Projects

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3

Lakeside Primary School

Waste Minimization Project

• Junior Health and Environment

Ambassadors

• Collection of recyclables from

students and residents

• Designed board game to learn about 3Rs in a

fun and engaging way

• Visited kindergartens to equip them with the

knowledge of 3R through the board game

designed

Lakeside Primary School

Visits to kindergarten with board games

Issue:

• 6 out of 10 students do not finish their food

• Fruit peels and vegetable parts are most commonly generated

from canteen stalls

Solution:

1. Rewards card to encourage students to finish their food and

water

2. Make pickled food out of fruit peels

- Pickled watermelon rind

- Candied fruit peel

Punggol Green Primary School

Completed product

Punggol Green Primary School

Students get cooking!

Positive response from stall owners and students Students getting reward cards for

finishing their food

Formulating recipes

Safeguard • Nurture • Cherish