Singapore's Last Landfill is Running Out of Space

Does a clean and green city like Singapore ever have problems with waste management?
We visit the quiet island of the Semakau Landfill to find out! 🌴🌤
📍Pulau Semakau
SUBSCRIBE TO US!
bit.ly/OGSKZbin
This video is part of our Neighbours series. We walk past them every day, not realising that even the most ordinary of people have extraordinary stories to tell. Hear them speak.
Find #OurGrandfatherStory everywhere!
Instagram: / ourgrandfatherstory
Facebook: ourgran...
Twitter: / ogs_sg
Facebook Group: groups/...
Telegram: t.me/ourgrandf...
TripAdvisor: www.tripadviso...
For media pitches, events and invites: [e-mail]
For business enquiries: [e-mail]

[@avilst1765]

The point at the end is so true about all of us having our role to play. I always point it out that even if only 1% of people took action, in Singapore with let's say round 5 mil people, that's 50,000 people taking action - nothing to sneeze at if ya ask me.

[@sandratran8335]

On a recent trip to Singapore I was astounded at the amount of single use plastics used for such a modern and developed country. Your streets are cleaner than where I’ve lived in New Zealand and Australia but we have an accepted culture of bringing your own coffee cups, shopping bags, straws, produce bags, etc. People actually feel guilty and refuse plastics. It was almost impossible to avoid plastic in Singapore ..

[@JAYJAY-ch4ik]

Sandra Tran well that is the culture here but programmes and such are in place to educate. Small steps have been takenby kfc and macdonalds to stop 1 time use straw educational institutions, government organisations have also started rejecting one time use plastics. We are a young nation and during the 50+ years of development we only have one focus which is to create a strong economy to sustain and provide good living conditions for its citizens. So 50+ years later today as a newly first world country tho we were labelled first world a decade + ago, we have social problems like this that requires education and programs to slowly ease people into it. New Zealand and Australia always had a greater exposure to the environment and nature which played a part in its programs to continue and to effectively engage people to do recycling and reduce wastage. Singapore literally is a cement jungle and we lack natural places on the vast scale like New Zealand and Australia which greatly reduces the exposure and experiences of the great nature by the young. We are by no means late based on our timeline but compared to nations such as japan, Korea etc we are definitely much behind in terms of mindset and also program and policies. We have much to work from here and improve. That said modern countries such as New Zealand itself have an appalling method of disposing of waste and plastics which is to send them in bulk to Malaysia, China, Philippines in effect, east Asia, south east Asia, and even mexico. The world is not a dumping ground. You probably should know these as facts and shouldn’t be too proud about those programs. There is a reason why we are later because there is no true recycling countries like Japan, Korea etc also recycle for the looks of it but in actuality reuse only less than 40% of those materials. Why? Because it always cost more to repurpose stuff and processes. In fact those processes are a front to be frank. Malaysia for example rejected dozens of waste containers from such countries and got returned to its origin. In all every countries that had great recycling feat should relook into how they manage those ‘recycled’ items. In the case of Singapore’s one time use plastic, if you realised why we burn them these are biodegradable grade plastics not the old non biodegradable which is why these are burnt to ashes and dumped into our land fills and have been shown that these lands are futile which had plants growing out of them from so perhaps we have the best solutions currently available instead of dumping thrash over to other poorer countries 🤪.

[@xcre8ionx]

@@JAYJAY-ch4ik well said.. slowly but surely

[@rocha115]

Agreed. I lived on campus during my exchange when they had the "reduce plastic waste campaign". Instead of asking people to bring or reuse cups, the canteens just stopped giving away plastic straws and kept giving plastic cups, covers, plus a bag to hold the drink... Come on Singapore you can do better than this. (Sea turtles with straws stuck in their nose are just one consequence of plastic waste... very touching poster design though)

[@Marco-fc5uf]

@@rocha115 Singapore has actually one of the best waste management systems. They burn around 60% of their trash and make energy from it. The rest is being recycled. This is much better that America's, Australia's or new Zealand's way to deal with waste because they just bury it in landfills.

[@SS-wo6de]

@@JAYJAY-ch4ik I think u mean fertile not 'futile'?

[@RayMak]

Singapore is clean

[@shazu0719]

Ray Mak yeah

[@quangquach3888]

This is the first time I see his comment has under 500 likes

[@lolno3130]

Hmm

[@thekraken1173]

How tf are you everywhere?

[@DarkwearGT]

u r not tho

[@dominiqueng3700]

love the diverse topics covered in OGS! 👏🏻

[@SShiJie]

I'm one of the few people who went for the Semakau Landfill Tour. Anyone else went? In the future no more tours

[@EmotiicDevil]

Aw ah aw! Semakau! All the rubbish bo bian zao!

[@michaeltham9914]

I believe there will be another landfill island after 2035 and Singapore is always well organise for future planning. But of course, we must do our part to manage our rubbish disposal. 👍

[@cassandratay8230]

Last year my school was supposed to have an excursion to Pulau Semakau for a geography excursion however was cancelled. I was pretty disappointed as I’m really into sustainability and leading a greener lifestyle. However I am making changes to my life by reducing waste as much as I can. And also composting. I found it challenging to encourage my family to do so with me as they felt it was difficult to change their way of life. I hope one day they’ll see the benefits of what I’m doing.

[@tngchinghwa]

2:58 what did he mean by landfill only last until 2035??

[@maxemillus8152]

The space in each landfill cells will eventually run out if we continue to generate huge amount of waste. Take his ricebowl analogy into context, eventually the ricebowl is going to be full if we keep adding rice.

[@_graiderz2462]

@@maxemillus8152 So we should have someone eat the rice?

[@adidia2163]

@@_graiderz2462 make another bowl to the north until semaku conected to bukom island, you'll get +50years or south west conect it to senang island +100years just don't go south

[@stthecat3935]

Can’t we just build a landfill in Changi? I mean look at the space near Changi Bay, it’s very suitable for a landfill!

[@ckzf1842]

The REALITY is that If the Singapore government wished to REDUCE ( or recycle) use of plastics in this tiny , overpopulated nation - it EASILY could “ force” all its compliant population to do so ( as Singapore isn’t a true democracy , by any measure ) .

[@stthecat3935]

Singapore: *semakau landfill runs out of space* Everyone: *WE’RE ALL GOING TO DIE*

[@zv2534]

100 years is more then enough to say the best of the best .

[@mounirsomai7511]

Yay new video!!

[@mukanyembaharrison3198]

How can I connect with you? I would like to learn about waste management. Am a female in waste management in Zambia Africa. I would like to go in recycling.

[@MrBoliao98]

Actually we need find other place to go and do this again, quite worthwhile leh, like we fill up semakau probably better than we use sand to reclaim land. Got anywhere else need do reclamation?

[@alifimam7676]

Good singapore

[@rainreinaa]

Make an island and change the exclusive economy zone? Umm... idk if it's a good idea for neighbour... but maybe it's negotiable.

[@irfan9387]

Hii

[@sbs205]

Damn i find it difficult to understand this guy’s Singlish.

[@arshababu07]

That's why there are captions buddy

[@vincentw8986]

Does anyone know plasma tech for waste management/burning?

[@30weizongng5]

Nas daily intro

[@jericnabayravlog4644]

Sweden waste of energy plant import

[@rg832]

Your neighbour's is sending polution every day and small country like singapore cant avoid the damage.

[@sirahainana]

Lol when neighbouring countries send pollution. It is their pollution. Singapore making damage to neighbouring countries by reclaiming land mega project. And destroying marine life.

[@pontianchainsawmassacare9157]

I like this guy

[@kayyehsiew1353]

Please develop Pulau Semakau into fruit plantation to contribute to 30-30 food security vision.

[@endrywinarko8503]

garbagge was problem every country now day, depent how we handle that things......

[@neutraluser4019]

Can we use this rubbish incerination method for land reclaimation replacing sand that is bought from neighbouring countries? Also can other countries uses this method to increase their coastal land or seawall like dike to solve increasing water level?

[@vincentw8986]

If this is the way and technology for waste management in Singapore.then it is far behind of many countries. Waste management is one of TOP concern for many countries.

[@cassandratay8230]

I am so passionate about the environment and would love do take on a job in the future to contribute

[@irfan9387]

Hii

[@ahan300]

2035? Can. Right now fertility rate also low. If we can fixed other factors too such as gov reducing number of PR granted, more citizens do recycle, reduce consumption...i bet semakau will last forever.

[@sirahainana]

Even fertility is low, population will double. Just ageing population will become more. In fact Singapore have already running out their land. That's why they keep need sand to reclaiming project surrounding an island.

[@itsmehadi5434]

Why not throw the ashes in Singapore land and build HDB on it??

[@darkmode7455]

I better use those organic as my compost plant

[@jericnabayravlog4644]

Thanks singapore

[@jericnabayravlog4644]

Philippine soon

[@josesalcido6940]

What type of plant is this called and how much does it cost?

[@biggiesweat3504]

Au au semakau Singapore boh be zao

[@kabarsekitarkita7428]

The answer is no. Cause Indonesia had banned all sand market to singapore.

[@sirahainana]

It is the right choice. No need to give Singapore sand it will destroy environment. Keep banning.

[@AGiS.13]

Great

[@MI_BETM]

Nice i have Learn alot from this

[@OJorEm]

No it can't

[@sweetkismis7383]

Please make a video on how to reduce, recycle and reuse.

[@TrevorPhillips2024]

sweet kismis buy and use less single use plastic, recycle plastics and aluminum, reuse anything you can

[@TrevorPhillips2024]

And compost organic waste

[@hyouzanren1846]

They successfully use waste to make island instead use land to dump? Talk about creativity out of the box!

[@bennytantoro7191]

Lol. It is not dump becoming island. But island becoming dump.

[@badpast1958]

How is recycling our problem the goverment wont pay us lol how is the next generation our problem

[@rreeves0710]

SO they burn it, and dump it in the ocean. Just checked, they "treat" it but it DOES go into the ocean. This is some shady propaganda.

[@jerrydonks]

rreeves0710 they literally said in the video that it is a landfill that is distinctively separated from the ocean. From 1:20 onwards.

[@rreeves0710]

@@jerrydonks Yup. That is what they said, but it isn't true. Do some googling. It gets treated then vented to the ocean in the real world.

[@rreeves0710]

They say it is "treated or neutralized" or "safe" but it still goes into the ocean. I have been to singapore. I have seen the pipes.

[@guineapiggies9040]

rreeves0710 do you know what “treated” means?

[@hysepl8140]

rreeves0710 ，did you visited Semakau island ? Need to said something it’s true not just base on your feeling , thank you .