On the 5th of October 2023, 34 participants from Earthlink NTU were graced with the opportunity to visit the Senoko waste-to-energy plant in northern Singapore. This tour was meant to create awareness among the students on the environmental benefits of waste-to-energy facilities in waste management in Singapore.
Upon arrival at the facility, we were greeted by a warm and friendly guide who gave us a detailed briefing on the evolution of waste management in Singapore. As Singapore is a small island nation with limited land capacity, the guide explained the gradual transition from landfill being the primary waste disposal method to the current practice of incineration and recycling. Through incineration, Singapore can harness the electricity generated in a process known as waste-to-energy, supplementing the energy production of a nation with limited natural resources.
After the briefing, the guide brought us on a tour of the facility. We were first brought to an area where garbage trucks continuously dump waste 24/7 into a designated pit. After which, waste is sorted manually. During the sortation process, the guide mentioned that specific waste that can’t be incinerated such as electronic waste, metals, glass, etc. were present, highlighting the urgent need to increase public awareness of proper waste disposal. The sorted waste is then fed into a large chamber where its moisture is reduced to improve the quality of combustion.
We caught a glimpse of how the workers utilised an industrial claw machine to transfer the dried waste into the combustion chamber. The heat generated from the combustion chamber is then channeled to another chamber where water is evaporated to steam, spinning the turbines which lead to electricity generation. Whatever ashes from the combustion chamber are then buried in landfills.
Fig 2. An example of a industrial claw machine utilised in a waste-to-energy plant. Photo by Keppel Infrastructure Trust.
The tour concluded with participants having an opportunity to engage in a meaningful discussion about waste treatment. For the participants, it was an eye-opener towards the complex processes involved in converting waste to energy. It also highlights the ingenious steps that Singapore has taken in order to maximise the usage of landfills and supplement their power generation through incinerating waste. In the 21st century, land is becoming increasingly scarce due to a combination of factors, including population growth, rapid urban development, and the mounting volume of waste being deposited in landfills. As such waste-to-energy plants are a positive step in order to mitigate the usage of land for waste.
Written by:
Nigel Chok Kin Chun