🌆CASE STUDY - Semakau Landfill

Question 1

Where is Semakau Landfill?

Answer 1

Singapore

Question 2

What is the population of Singapore?

Answer 2

5.6 milion

Question 3

Why are such large amounts of waste produced?

Answer 3

Due to the urban nature of the entire country

Question 4

How has waste output increased?

Answer 4

From 1260 tonnes per day in 1970 to 8559 tonnes per day in 2016, a 6 fold increase

Question 5

How much of its waste does Singapore recycle?

Answer 5

More than half

Question 6

What waste disposal method has Singapore adopted?

Answer 6

Waste-to-energy as it incinerates rubbish to generate electricity

Question 7

How much does incineration reduce the volume of waste by?

Answer 7

90%

Question 8

Where is the 10% of non-combustible waste and ash sent?

Answer 8

To the Semakau Landfill

Question 9

Why is Semakau unique?

Answer 9

It is Singapore’s only landfill

Question 10

How are environmental impacts reduced at the incineration plants?

Answer 10

They are fitted with electrostatic precipitators, lime injectors and fabric filters to treat and clean flue gas from the combustion process

Question 11

What is heat from incineration used for?

Answer 11

Generating steam in boilers, which drive turbines and produce electricity

Question 12

How much electricity was generated by incineration plants in 2005?

Answer 12

938,000MWh

Question 13

What capacity does the landfill have?

Answer 13

63 million m3

Question 14

How was the landfill created?

Answer 14

The island was dug out with a 7km perimeter embankment

Question 15

What was the embankment lined with?

Answer 15

An impermeable membrane to prevent leachate entering the sea

Question 16

What happens to leachate generated at the plant?

Answer 16

Treated and the effluent is discharged into the sea

Question 17

What happened in July 2005?

Answer 17

The landfill was opened for recreational activities and now receives thousands of visitors

Question 18

What was planted around the island?

Answer 18

13.6 hectares of mangroves to replace those uprooted during the construction of the landfill

Question 19

What is located around the perimeter bund of the island?

Answer 19

A network of monitoring wells to indicate pollution should there be a leak in the impermeable membrane

Question 20

How do the mangroves aid the island?

Answer 20

They act as secondary indicators of pollution should there be a leak

Question 21

What happens when the landfill cell is filled to ground level?

Answer 21

It is covered with earth and grass to allow a new ecosystem to thrive

Question 22

Why is it crucial that Singapore has an efficient system of waste collection and disposal?

Answer 22

Very limited land area
Dense population

Question 23

How is wasted collected?
How often is it collected?

Answer 23

Bin trucks
Once a fortnight

Question 24

Where does the waste collected go?

Answer 24

Goes to recycling and incineration plants
Semakau, offshore landfill

Question 25

How much of the waste produced in 2012 was recycled?

Answer 25

60%

Question 26

How much of the waste produced was transported to Semakau?

Answer 26

3%

Question 27

How long is Semakau estimated to last before becoming full? What happens after this?

Answer 27

1999- 2045 Singapore will once again have the dilemma of where to put their waste

Question 28

How much of Singapore’s energy does waste burning generate?

Answer 28

2-3%

Question 29

What could be done with the ash from incineration in the future? Advantages of this?

Answer 29

Used for pavements (currently being tested) Sends less to landfill

Question 30

What is the other use of Semakau? Activities that happen here?

Answer 30

Eco Park Bird watching and stargazing

Question 31

How does Semakau enhance biodiversity?

Answer 31

Home to more than 700 plants, animals and endangered species

Question 32

What percentage of toxic gases and metals are removed with the pollution filters in the incineration plant?

Answer 32

99%

Question 33

What heat and power complex is in Copenhagen?

Answer 33

Amager Bakke

Question 34

Where is the Amager Bakke complex?

Answer 34

Copenhagen

Question 35

How much did the Amager Bakke complex cost?

Answer 35

$611m

Question 36

How many homes does the Amager Bakke complex cost?

Answer 36

150,000

Question 37

How many tonnes of waste can the Amager Bakke complex treat?

Answer 37

400,000t

Question 38

Why is the Amager Bakke complex unique?

Answer 38

Ski slope on roof to offer recreation

Question 39

Redditch crematorium

Answer 39

. Uses heat from burning to heat a swimming pool . Reduces gas bill by 40%

Question 40

What was the Samaku landfill originally home to and who took it over?

Answer 40

Subsistence fishermen and it was taken over by the Singapore government

Question 41

How much did the Singapore Semakau Landfill Site cost (phase 1 and 2)?

Answer 41

Phase 1 - 1999 - $610 million Phase 2 - 2015 - $36 million

Question 42

How big is the Semakau Landfill?

Answer 42

3.5sqkm

Question 43

What was set up in 2017 on the island?

Answer 43

Singapore’s largest wind turbine and a solar generation plant

Question 44

What could 90 hectares of the island be turned into?

Answer 44

A self-sustaining eco-park

Question 45

How many public recycling bags are there in Singapore and how often are they collected?

Answer 45

6000 public bins - every 2 weeks