Singapore's growing population and booming economy have contributed to a about 7-fold increase in the amount of solid waste disposed from 1,260 tonnes a day in 1970 to a peak of 8,402 tonnes a day in 2015.
Solid waste management in Singapore begins at homes and businesses. Prior to the collection of solid waste, recyclables are sorted and retrieved for processing to prolong the lifespans of recyclable materials. The solid waste that remains is then collected and sent to the various waste-to-energy plants for incineration. Incineration reduces the volume of solid waste by about 90% and produces steam that runs turbine-generators to generate electricity.
The incinerated ash and other non-incinerable wastes are then transported to the Tuas Marine Transfer Station (TMTS) for the barging operation to Semakau Landfill where they are disposed of.