Speech by Dr Yaacob Ibrahim, Minister for the Environment and Water Resources, at the Ground Breaking Ceremony of IUT Global Pte Ltd's Bio-Methanisation and Renewable Energy Plant, Tuas Eco-Recycling Park, 15 September 2005, 10.15am
Mr Edwin Khew, CEO of IUT Global Pte Ltd
Distinguished Guests
Ladies and Gentlemen
Good Morning
I am happy to join you today for the ground breaking ceremony of IUT Global Pte Ltd's bio-methanisation and renewable energy plant. This new development will mark an important milestone in the development of the waste management and recycling industry in Singapore.
Food Waste Recycling
Singaporeans are generally very passionate about food. However, while we enjoy the food, much waste is also produced in the process of preparing it. Last year alone, about 531,000 tonnes of food waste was produced in Singapore. This is about 11% of the total waste output of Singapore. However, only a small proportion of this is recycled. Most of the food waste ends up at the incineration plants.
Although incineration reduces the volume of waste by about 90%, there is still the remaining 10% of ash that goes to the landfill. Hence, if we can divert more waste from our incineration plants, we will have less ash going to our landfill, thus extending the lifespan of the landfill. This will in turn help us to achieve our goal of "Towards Zero Landfill" under our Singapore Green Plan 2012. For food waste, our target is to achieve a recycling rate of 30% by 2012.
IUT Global's Plant
With the building of IUT Global's bio-methanisation and renewable energy plant, we will soon have a sizeable food waste recycling plant. I had been told that this plant will be using proven technology and processes from Austria to convert food waste from hotels, kitchens and food factories into biogas for electricity generation and compost.
The plant will initially have a treatment capacity of 300 tonnes per day, with a possible future expansion to a capacity of up to 800 tonnes per day. I have also learnt that IUT Global will be collaborating with local institutions to carry out selective bio-tech-based R&D to further develop the technology to treat a wider range of organic waste such as vegetable/fruit waste and animal manure, such that it can actually generate more biogas from less waste. I am sure this technology will generate much interest in the region where they may have similar problems like us.
Once the IUT Global's plant is in operation next year, waste collectors will have the option to send food waste to the facility for recycling, and thus turning it into a useful resource. According to an estimate by the National Environment Agency, IUT Global's plant has the potential to increase Singapore's food waste recycling rate from the current 6% to about 25%.
Closing Remarks
I therefore congratulate Mr Edwin Khew, his partners and staff for conceiving this project, which I hear took more than 2 years to develop to this stage. By leveraging on new trends in the industry, IUT Global can become a market leader in this field and it can also share its expertise and experience with other regional countries, especially in Asia and the Middle East to help address their concerns on food and organic waste. It is very encouraging to note that there are entrepreneurs like Edwin and his partners, who are willing to take the bold step to try out innovative environmental technologies in Singapore. Edwin will have the full support of our Ministry. This will go a long way in establishing Singapore as an environmental hub.
On this note, I would like to wish IUT Global every success with this project and we look forward to its opening by the end of 2006.
Thank you. |
