Optimising land planning for waste management in Singapore
At a glance
GHD was engaged by the National Environment Agency of Singapore (NEA) to undertake a WM sector land/space needs study to advise on future land use planning given evolving waste infrastructure and technologies, as well as best practice. This included a comprehensive review of current and projected land needs, recent trends, and sectoral developments.
The challenge
Singapore faces land constraints as a small, densely populated city-state. The Waste Management (WM) sector is particularly land-intensive, requiring space for collection, sorting, processing, and storage activities. These operational demands, coupled with evolving waste streams and higher service expectations, make it increasingly challenging to allocate and optimise land for the sector.
GHD was engaged by the National Environment Agency of Singapore (NEA) to undertake a WM sector land/space needs study to advise on future land use planning given evolving waste infrastructure and technologies, as well as best practice. This included a comprehensive review of current and projected land needs, recent trends, and sectoral developments.
Our response
GHD adopted a holistic and forward-looking approach to assess the land and space needs of the WM sector, recognising that space constraints are and will likely remain a persistent challenge in land-scarce Singapore.
Our scope of services included reviewing the sector profile and land/space needs, recent trends and impacts, benchmarking of international best practices/advanced technologies, projecting land needs of the sector, and providing recommendations to address key challenges and a land resource support roadmap. Focus group discussions and industry workshop consultations were carried out to gather relevant information and insights from operators.
The impact
The study adopted a robust evidence base approach to provide an overview of the WM sector profile, and baseline land-take of the WM sector. A long-term land demand projection model was developed to better anticipate future land needs, which may be adapted to examine various scenarios and configurations, and resultant potential land-savings. The study examined the underlying challenges and constraints facing the WM sector and supported the development of land resource support initiatives to drive higher land productivity within the WM sector. Through a detailed analysis of the sector’s land/space needs and incorporating international benchmarking, the study equipped NEA to guide the sector’s transition towards more sustainable, innovative, and space-efficient waste management solutions.