World's first offshore landfill and more innovative solutions at CleanEnviro Summit Singapore
GlobeNet 13 Jun 12;
GLOBE-Net, June 13, 2012 - Singapore, the tiny Asian nation that has been at the forefront of ecological change for decades, is about to show the world how to deal with a growing environmental problem - the escalation of municipal solid wastes.
Supported by key international organisations like The World Bank and UNEP, CleanEnviro Summit 2012 will be taking place from July 1 to 4 at the Marina Bay Sands in Singapore.
Under the theme of Innovative Clean Enviro-Solutions for Asia's Growing Cities, the event will highlight such solutions as it draws attention to the role of governance, leadership and technology to meet future environmental challenges, especially in the exploitation of energy, water and waste nexus for a more efficient design of future cities.
Set against the backdrop of a population explosion, rapid industrialisation and urbanization, Asian cities are recognising the urgency of addressing environmental concerns. This need is particularly acute in the area of waste management, which has largely been neglected in favour of the more popular areas of water and carbon emission control.
Indeed, if OECD and World Bank estimates of increased municipal solid waste generation hold true, the waste management systems of most countries in the region will be taxed beyond their limits. (See GLOBE-Net article "Rising Costs of Wastes")
This year's CleanEnviro Summit thus shifts the spotlight to waste-to-resource management in order to achieve a sustainable, affordable and integrated system, for a resource-efficient society and a clean, liveable environment.
It will feature cornerstone events such as the Clean Environment Regulators Roundtable, a platform for high-level policy makers and regulators to share environmental regulatory experience, challenges faced in dealing with environmental pollution and waste management issues, with the express objective of implementing practical change when they return to their respective cities.
The Summit will feature site visits to give participants a better appreciation of Singapore's comprehensive strategies in waste management and resource recovery (Singapore has set a target to achieve a 70% recycling rate by 2030), and learn about the country's initiatives to encourage environmental innovations, technology adoption and the practice of 3Rs (Reduce, Reuse & Recycle).
The site visits will showcase recycling facilities, waste-to-energy plants as well as the world's first off-shore landfill.
Singapore's only landfill made out of sea space, Semakau Landfill (pictured right) is internationally acclaimed for its unique co-existence with a thriving biodiversity of more than 300 species of plants and animals calling it home.
It was dubbed by the New Scientist Magazine as the 'Garbage of Eden', a 'paradise' for incinerated waste ash and non-incinerable waste which are transferred to the landfill from the incineration plants on the mainland. Come July, Semakau Landfill will be open as one of three fascinating site visits delegates to the CleanEnviro Summit can explore in Singapore.
The Clean Land & Cities - Integrated Solid Waste Management Tour will visit Veolia's recycling plant which incorporates a material sorting facility for an integrated approach to municipal waste recycling, and the state-of-the-art Tuas South Incineration Plant (TSIP.)
TSIP is Singapore's fourth and largest refuse incineration plant. Built at a cost of $900 million, it can incinerate 3,000 tonnes of refuse every day through its six incinerators, nearly twice the amount of refuse currently being incinerated at Tuas Incineration Plant.
TSIP is the first incineration plant in Southeast Asia to use high-quality SiC tiles as refractory materials in the furnace, which are expected to have a longer life span. Another innovation is the use of an advance Digital Control System, designed to increase the operational efficiency of the plant and reduce manpower. The plant's four high capacity rotary bulky waste crushers will help improve efficiency as well.
The Trash to Treasure - Recycling Technology Showcase will give participants a glimpse into cutting-edge recycling technology at Cimelia's facility, followed by a visit to the Keppel Seghers's Waste-to-Energy (WTE) plant. Keppel Seghers is the only private operator in Singapore to operate two municipal incineration plants with WTE capability, and treating up to almost half of the total volume of municipal waste sent for incineration in Singapore.
Another highlight of the Summit is the Clean Environment Leaders Plenary Sessions. These high-level dialogues will explore how policies and strategies, as part of a comprehensive and integrated approach to urban planning, would promote the clean environment outcomes and stimulate green growth by engaging the various stakeholders in planning, implementing effective legislative frameworks, and application of technological solutions.
Prominent speakers such as Dr. Vivian Balakrishnan, Minister for the Environment and Water Resources of Singapore, Dr. Arab Hoballah, Chief of the Sustainable Consumption and Production Branch in the Division of Technology, Industry and Economics of UNEP, Ms. Pamela Cox, Vice President, East Asia and Pacific of The World Bank and Mr. Jerome Le Conte, Chief Executive Officer of Veolia Environmental Services will be leading discussions on the pressing challenges facing the world today.
CESS_issus _6(0606)_01And if you're looking for the current and latest innovative equipment and technologies in waste management, recycling and resource recovery solutions, go no further than the WasteMET Asia Trade Exhibition, another component of the Summit. This extensive showcase of solid waste management and environmental technology will feature government bodies, trade associations, consultants, plants and equipment companies, cleaning companies, and more.
In the face of global urbanization and climate challenges, the Summit will facilitate dialogue on the latest environmental policy thinking, market trends and technological innovations. It is held in conjunction with the World City Summit and the Singapore International Water Week at the Sands Expo and Convention Center, Marina Bay Sands, Singapore.
