This problem can be explained and understood most clearly by identifying it as a tragedy of the commons. As such, the “Solutions” section will be categorised based on the 4 proposed solutions for tragedy of the commons.
Tragedy of the commons is a term coined by Garrett Hardin, describing what can happen in groups when individuals act in their own self-interests and behave contrary to the common good of the group, by depleting the common pool resource beyond its carrying capacity. A common pool resource is a natural or man-made resource system whose size or characteristics makes it costly to exclude potential users from obtaining benefits from its use.
Semakau Landfill is a common pool resource; it is a man-made resource system and the resource that users benefit from this common pool resource is land space for their waste. In this case, the definitions here are a little tricky as we don’t directly use the land. Instead, we use waste collection services, and all our waste collected ends up using up space in the landfill. Thus, the use of land space as a resource is indirect. To use waste collection services, residents pay a fixed monthly fee of $8.25 for flats and $27.47 for landed residential, no matter how much waste is generated.
From the fictional example above of Household A and Household B, Household A could be successful in reducing their general waste disposed of to a mere 15 kilograms per month, while Household B disposes 30 kilograms of waste per month. Despite this, Household A not only have to pay the same refuse collection fee as Household B, Household A also incur costs in terms of time and energy wasted on reducing and sorting their trash. Thus, there is no incentive for any one individual or household to reduce the amount of waste produced.