Singapore, which is located at the tip of the Malay Peninsula in Southeast Asia, is a small nation and when their landfill filled up in 1999 it needed to find a new place to dispose of its refuse. The limited amount of open space on land meant that Singapore had to create a place to dispose of its sold waste offshore. The Semakau landfill fulfills these disposal needs in a rather pleasant way. An 865-acre space offshore was divided into cells that could be used for solid waste disposal that had been incinerated on land. By incinerating the waste, all organic matter is destroyed and therefore there is little smell associated with the landfill. When a cell has been filled it is covered with soil, then grass and trees are planted and the landfill comes a park for visitors to enjoy.
By incinerating the trash, it cuts down the volume of solid waste by 90 percent. Many argue that the incineration defeats the purpose of a ‘greener’ landfill because of carbon emissions that are released from the incinerators, but today the emissions are sucked back into combustion chambers in the incineration plants. Also, trash that cannot be recycled or burnt is buried.
In order to ensure that the offshore landfill is not harming the surrounding waters and oceans, the waters are tested monthly surrounding the walls of Semakau. Semakau is home to many different species of birds and it is a park that is enjoyed by tourists and locals alike. It is estimated that Semakau will be able to take care of Singapore’s landfill needs until at least 2045.
Christian Science Monitor. It's a landfill - and an ecopark. Singapore’s only landfill is more like a recreation area than a dumping ground.
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