Optimization of Waste Management System in Singapore

Liu Huahua

Abstract

Singapore is a highly urbanized and industrialized small island nation currently having four Waste-To-Energy (WTE) incineration plans and an offshore sanitary landfill that handles the day to day generated waste. The National Environmental Agency (NEA) has formed a close partnership with key stakeholders in the Private, Public and People (3P) sectors in adopting programs and strategies such as 1) volume reduction, 2) waste recycling, 3) reduction of landfill waste and 4) waste minimization for more efficient waste management and sustainability in both the short and long run. This project looks into the optimization of waste management optimizing the total transportation cost incurred by the Public Waste Collector (PWCs) from each of the seven regions within Singapore to the four WTE incineration plants and landfill for waste disposal. In addition, the current, short term (~5years future) and long term (~20years) plans are look into for the cost optimization taking into consideration the population growth, the recycling rate, the decommissioning of old WTE and construction of new WTE of different capacities and the re-definition of various PWC regions within Singapore. The optimization models for waste management are solved using the LINGO software. Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) was used for long term analysis taking into consideration more important factors such as environmental pollution instead of just focusing on costs. Overall, this project is beneficial in making the waste management more efficient and cost-effective in the current situation and short term while keeping a keen eye on the future so that the waste management system in Singapore remain sustainability in the long run.