According to recent reports, the overall trash creation rate, as well as the rate at which waste was recycled, grew in 2021 as economic activity increased. We will discuss this in detail in this blog e waste disposal Singapore.
Singapore’s overall recycling rate has increased from 52% in 2020 to 55% in 2021.
On April 18th, 2022, in Singapore – According to the National Environment Agency’s (NEA) most recent garbage and recycling statistics, approximately 6.94 million tonnes of solid waste were created in 2021, up 18% from 5.88 million tonnes in 2020. A non-domestic and domestic waste generation both increased, from 4.12 million tonnes and 1.77 million tonnes in 2020 to 5.12 million tonnes and 1.82 million tonnes in 2021.
3.83 million tonnes of garbage generated in 2021 were recycled. Overall, the recycling rate went up from 52% in 2020 to 55% in 2021. The non-domestic sector’s recycling rate increased from 68 percent in 2020 to 70 percent in 2021, while the domestic sector’s rate stayed stable at 13 percent.
In 2021, economic activity increased, resulting in a higher volume of waste produced and recycled.
Due to the impact of COVID-19, the year 2020 was an outlier, with decreased trash generation and recycling rates, notably during the Circuit Breaker period (April to May 2020), when activities were restricted. In 2021, increased economic activity, business resumption, and social activities resulted in a 10% increase in garbage disposal and a 26% increase in waste recycling.
In comparison to the period prior to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2019, garbage was generated 5% less and discarded 5% more in 2021, with waste recycled dropping 11%.
In 2021, the quantities of waste recycled are lower than pre-COVID-19 levels, owing to decreasing building activity and export market needs for recyclables, notably for waste streams including construction and demolition, wood, and non-ferrous metal. Overall recycling rates increased from 52% in 2020 to 55% in 2021. Most waste streams, including plastic and food waste, had higher recycling rates than in 2019. However, the rate of paper/cardboard recycling, which is also a primary waste stream, is lesser than it was in 2019.
With trash output increasing as economic activity increases, the need to change from a linear to a circular economy will become more urgent, as outlined in the Zero Waste Masterplan and the Singapore Green Plan. To reach our vision of a Zero Waste Nation, we will need to mobilize the entire country. In order to be more sustainable, the NEA will continue to engage businesses and consumers.
Recycling rates for plastic, horticultural, and wood waste have improved.
- Plastic garbage recycling grew from 4% in 2020 to 6% in 2021. Plastic garbage recycling increased by 60%, with more being processed locally and abroad. Despite the rise, more needs to be done to enhance the recycling rate of plastic garbage.
- Horticultural and wood waste recycling rates grew from 80% and 64% in 2020 to 83 and 76% in 2021. Instead of sending waste to Waste-to-Energy plants, waste generators sent more of it to biomass and composting facilities for recycling.
- The recycling process of paper and cardboard increased slightly from 38% in 2020 to 39% in 2021. It remains lower than the 44 percent achieved in 2019, as fewer paper/cardboard recyclables are exported, while the amount of paper/cardboard waste disposed of rises.
Increased recycling in the home
- As the work-from-home trend continued into 2021, the household sector generated more garbage. This was matched by a 14% rise in recyclables collected via the National Recycling Program (NRP), accounting for 40% of the increase in garbage recycled by the household sector. Overall, in 2021, the domestic recycling rate stayed steady at 13%.
- NEA will continue to encourage households to recycle more and recycle correctly through outreach such as the Recycle Right program. Educational and user-friendly content has been prepared to guide the public on what can and cannot be recycled in order to encourage appropriate recycling practices.
Encouraging businesses and customers to adopt sustainable behaviors
- While most waste stream recycling rates in 2021 were higher than pre-COVID-19 levels in 2019, there is always space for improvement as we strive toward our goal of becoming a Zero Waste Nation.
- NEA is trying to develop a Beverage Container Return Scheme to boost plastics recycling and cultivate recycling practices among customers, in addition to instituting a disposable carrier bag tax at supermarkets from mid-2023.
- The Packaging Partnership Programme (PPP) brings together NEA and the Singapore Manufacturing Federation to promote sustainable packaging waste management practices and assist businesses in meeting the Mandatory Packaging Reporting (MPR) requirement. The PPP fosters the exchange of sustainable packaging best practices and trends, including the use of paper and cardboard in e-commerce, through webinars and tools.
We hope that all the information provided in this blog – e waste disposal Singapore benefits our readers.
