Rubbish island brings positives - 29th September 2023

On the tiny island of Singapore, with its population of 6 million people, 7.4 million tonnes of rubbish were produced last year. Unfortunately, just 57 percent of that was recycled.

There's only one landfill site for rubbish for Singapore, which is situated on Pulau Semakau, another small island. However, if the production of garbage remains the same, the site will run out of room by 2035. In 2019, the government started a campaign to reduce rubbish which is sent to Semakau by 30 percent before 2030. By the same date, it also plans to increase the amount of rubbish to be recycled by 70 percent.

Desmond Lee works as a manager for the National Environment Agency (NEA).

Desmond Lee: "Because this is the only landfill in Singapore, that is due to the small area in Singapore, the small size of Singapore, and the competing land needs, it's difficult to find another place to, another location to replace this landfill. So, the, so it's imperative that we continue to use Semakau Landfill as long as possible to and if possible to extend its life beyond 2035."

The waste which is not recyclable is generally burnt, after which the ashes are transported to Semakau. Environmental action groups have complained. They say air pollution's a serious worry and they're anxious that the sea is being polluted by chemicals.

However, the NEA has a different opinion. It argues that the air is cleaned up during the process and that chemicals cannot escape into the water because of a protective barrier.

When sections of Semakau are filled with waste, mangrove forests are planted. Over time, the island has attracted so many birds and animals that it's now known as 'the Garbage of Eden'.