Zero Waste Masterplan to Achieve a Sustainable, Resource-Efficient and Climate-Resilient Singapore.

This Singapore’s Zero Waste Masterplan to Achieve a Sustainable, Resource-Efficient and Climate-Resilient Singapore is a plan at the national level. The Masterplan has set a waste reduction targets for Singapore: to reduce the waste sent to Semakau Landfill each day by 30 per cent by 2030, which will help to extend Semakau Landfill’s lifespan beyond 2035; By 2030, achieve a 70% overall recycling rate: 81% non-domestic recycling rate, 30% domestic recycling rate.
The amount of waste disposed of in Singapore has increased seven-fold over the last 40 years. At this rate, Semakau Landfill, Singapore’s only landfill, will run out of space by 2035. There is limited land for building new incineration plants or landfills in Singapore. Furthermore, the incineration of waste, while efficient and avoids the problems of land and marine contamination, generates carbon emissions, which contribute to climate change.
The Masterplan seeks to strengthen three resilience: 1. Climate resilience by addressing existential threats of climate change especially rising sea levels; 2. Resource resilience through ensuring safe and secure supply of critical resources like food and water; 3. Economic resilience by ensuring the future Singapore economy remains competitive by overcoming carbon and resource constraints. This includes adopting a circular economy approach to waste and resource management practices, and shifting towards more sustainable production and consumption. Three priority waste streams are identified: 1. Food waste, 2. E-waste, 3. Packaging waste, including plastics. Measures proposed include: Mandatory packaging reporting in 2020; Extended Producer Responsibility for e-waste by 2021; Mandatory food waste segregation for treatment from 2924; Extended Producer Responsibility for packaging, including plastics, no later than 2025.