Singapore Plans to Develop Eco-Park on Landfill Island

Singapore's National Environment Agency (NEA) is currently assessing the feasibility of having an eco-park on the Semakau landfill, said Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Yaacob Ibrahim on Monday.

When he opened the International Solid Waste Association world congress, Yaacob said that the project will create opportunities for research and development, as well as the application of clean technologies.

Created in 1999, Semakau Landfill is on an island 8 kilometers south of Singapore. It is currently used for the disposal of ash from Singapore's incinerators.

The proposed eco-park on Semakau Landfill, which will take up a quarter of the area there, will provide a test bed for renewable and clean energy technologies, said the NEA.

The NEA's chief executive officer (CEO) Lee Yuen Hee said the agency is currently in the process of assessing the feasibility reports submitted by two companies.

While recycling efforts have already extended the expected lifespan of Semakau Landfill to beyond 2040, Singapore said it still has some way to go. Singapore's national recycling rate has increased from 40 percent in 2000 to 54 percent in 2007.