Lianhe Zaobao, 我国拟建第二座金属回收厂 缓解实马高岛垃圾埋置压力

(Summarised translation)

Singapore’s only landfill, located on Pulau Semakau, has just nine years of remaining operational lifespan, as pressure from waste disposal continues to grow. To reduce the amount of waste sent to landfill, the National Environment Agency plans to build a second metal recovery facility, which is expected to begin operations within the next two to three years.

In response to queries from Lianhe Zaobao, the National Environment Agency (NEA) confirmed that it is preparing to build another metal recovery facility, and that the tender process has begun. Specific details such as the plant’s scale, land area, and recovery capacity will be determined by the successful bidder based on NEA’s requirements, though the agency did not disclose those requirements.

According to NEA, the new facility is expected to begin operations in 2028 or 2029. It will recover ferrous metals such as iron and steel, as well as non-ferrous metals such as copper, aluminum, zinc and lead from incineration bottom ash, thereby reducing the volume of waste sent to the Semakau landfill.

Expert: New Facility Should Allow for Technological Expansion

Dr Teo Tee Hui, Senior Lecturer in Engineering Product Development at the Singapore University of Technology and Design, said the second metal recovery facility should not only process incineration bottom ash, but also be capable of handling residual materials such as industrial metal waste, electronic waste, and construction and demolition debris, in order to address existing recycling gaps.

He suggested that the new facility should be designed with room for technological expansion, allowing it to gradually develop capabilities to recover high-value materials such as rare earth and precious metals in the future. It should also incorporate robotic disassembly and artificial intelligence-based sorting technologies to further improve overall recycling efficiency.