Singapore is a small island of 272 square miles. Domestic and industrial waste of Singapore during the year 2007 was approximately 7,000 tons a day. All these waste is incinerated but how to dispose tons of incineration ash produced every day ? In addition, what to do with tons of non incinerable waste produced everyday ?
Singapore has created an island named Semakau at sea in an area of 350 hectares, to safely dispose waste in an environment friendly way. The Semakau landfill has a capacity of 63 million cubic metres. This landfill is the world’s first offshore landfill constructed fully from the sea space.
Some of the interesting features of Semakau offshore landfill are:
- this creative concept of offshore landfill is from National Environment Agency (NEA) of Singapore, in consultation with Nature Society of Singapore, Sport Fishing Association (Singapore) and Wild Singapore.
- the design and operational work at this landfill ensures that the site is clean, free of smell and scenic.
- located 8 km south of Singapore and can be reached in 20 minutes by a ferry from Pasir Panjang Ferry Terminal or in 35 minutes from West Coast Pier.
- construction was started in 1995 and landfill operation started on April 01,1999.
- silt screens were used during construction to avoid damage to corals during the reclamation works.
- surrounding sea is kept free from pollution by a 7 km perimeter bund lined with impermeable membrane to contain waste within the landfill area and any leachate produced is processed at a leachate treatment plant.
- mangroves planted in an area of 13.6 hectares around the perimeter bund are growing well which proves that there has been no seepage through the liners.
- further,the integrity of the impermeable liners is checked by testing water samples regularly in the area.
- presently, about 1,400 tons of incineration ash and 600 tons of non-incinerable waste are disposed everyday.
- the western coast of Semakau is now green with plants and beautiful landscaping with pristine water and fresh air.
- it is estimated that the landfill can last till 2040 to meet the requirements of Singapore.
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