Waste Management

Question 1

Waste processing companies given the financial incentive to look for other methods of waste management, such as recycling and incineration. When, which country, what type of tax?

Answer 1

1995, Netherlands (specifically Amsterdam), landfill tax

Question 2

Landfill tax in Netherlands started in 1995. What year did it finish and why?

Answer 2

Tax increased year-on-year until 2012. It was revoked as it was unnecessary, as the tax had reduced amount of waste sent to landfill.

Question 3

How much heat does the AEB incineration plant in Amsterdam create annually?

Answer 3

300,000 GJ of heat

Question 4

Name of project which encourages use of incineration as opposed to landfill?

Answer 4

W2E: Waste-to-Energy

Question 5

Amount of CO2 release avoided per year due to the AEB incineration plant in Amsterdam?

Answer 5

438 kTonnes of CO2 per year

Question 6

2014: Dutch govt target set to reduce incineration by…

Answer 6

50%. Alternatively, choosing to improve rates of reduction and recycling to improve sustainability.

Question 7

Name the largest waste-to-energy plant in Northern Europe?

Answer 7

Amager-Bakke in Denmark

Question 8

Features of Amager-Bakke:

Answer 8

W2E plant
Environmental education centre (eg visits to learn about project and sustainability)
Dry ski slope
Hike, climb, zip-wire

Question 9

Amager-Bakke receives waste from how many inhabitants?

Answer 9

700,000 in Copenhagen

Question 10

How long did Amager-Bakke take to build?

Answer 10

4 years

Question 11

Capacity of Amager-Bakke?

Answer 11

Capacity to produce electricity and heat for 150,000 homes in Copenhagen

Question 12

What does Amager-Bakke release?

Answer 12

Steam

Question 13

How many trucks of waste does Amager-Bakke receive per day?

Answer 13

350

Question 14

How much did Amager-Bakke cost to build?

Answer 14

$600 million

Question 15

How much does Redditch crematorium reduce the local swimming pool’s heating bill by?

Answer 15

40%

Question 16

The Great Pacific Garbage Patch: how many tonnes of buoyant plastic is in one patch of the Pacific Ocean.

Answer 16

80,000 tonnes of plastic

Question 17

When was Semakau landfill in Singapore opened?

Answer 17

1999

Question 18

Length of journey on barge to Semakau from Singapore mainland?

Answer 18

3 hours

Question 19

Singapore has seen a 7-fold increase in the amount of solids waste disposed between which years?

Answer 19

1970-2016

Question 20

Name the world’s first offshore landfill?

Answer 20

The Semakau Landfill

Question 21

Semakau is currently predicted to fill up in which year?

Answer 21

2035

Question 22

Features of Semakau:

Answer 22

Ecosystem and habitat: 66 species of birds, mangroves, seagrass, crabs, shrimps
Visitors can take educational visits and learn about sustainability
Once full, cells and covered with soil and eventually become green spaces

Question 23

Advantage of Semakau landfill

Answer 23

Ash largely eliminates the methane gas emission associated with decay of organic matter

Question 24

A challenge involved with Semakau landfill

Answer 24

High rainfall experienced in Singapore means that leachate could overflow. As a result, there is a leachate treatment plant to avoid contamination of local waterways

To mitigate this, the landfill pits are all lined with tough plastic, and a layer of marine clay. Helps to contain ash – but could have a limited life span and eventually allow leaching into surrounding areas- long-term consequences

Question 25

Potential opportunities of Semakau landfill site after cells filled

Answer 25

Possibility of turning around 90 hectares of the island into a self-sustaining eco-park. Eg renewable and clean technologies (wind, solar, tidal power, fuel cells, desalination, renewable clean fuel and more). As a first step, in 2017, Singapore’s largest wind turbine was set up on the island, along with a linked solar generation plant to provide much of the island’s power needs