Zero Waste Masterplan to be reviewed as Singapore recycles less, disposes more

SINGAPORE – The 2030 targets for recycling and reducing waste in Singapore will be reviewed, in the wake of lacklustre recycling rates and a record high amount of trash being produced.

Senior Minister of State for Sustainability and the Environment Janil Puthucheary on June 17 revealed that the overall recycling rate was 52 per cent in 2025, putting the Republic further away from its goal of 70 per cent by 2030.

This figure, which reflects recycling in domestic and non-domestic sectors, was 59 per cent in 2019 when the target was set.

The domestic recycling rate fell from 17 per cent to 11 per cent over the period of 2019 to 2025, while the non-domestic recycling rate fell from 73 per cent to 67 per cent.

The recycling rate is the proportion of waste generated that was successfully recovered instead of being sent to a landfill or incinerator plant.

“We have to have an honest examination of these numbers,” he said.

“The global economics of recycling have shifted significantly. Logistics disruptions, commodity price volatility and tightening import restrictions have made recycling harder to sustain commercially, not just in Singapore but worldwide. Paper prices have been significantly depressed and plastic offtake is difficult to secure.”

This is why the Government is reviewing the Zero Waste Masterplan launched in 2019, and approaching it with fresh eyes, he added.

Slated for completion by 2027, the review will include examining whether the Republic’s recycling goals should be adjusted, as well as understanding how to improve the economics of recycling by obtaining cleaner, less contaminated recyclables.

This includes studying the effectiveness of blue bins for recyclables, which have been plagued with contamination rates of about 40 per cent since 2017.

The National Environment Agency (NEA) released its 2025 waste statistics at the opening of environmental services event Catalyst at Marina Bay Sands.

In 2025, the Republic logged its highest amount of waste disposed of, at about 3.36 million tonnes, up from about 3.33 million tonnes in 2024. This is in tandem with economic and population growth, according to NEA.

This comes as Singapore’s only landfill in Pulau Semakau is expected to run out of space by around 2035, based on a 2015 projection when its capacity was more than doubled.

This expected lifespan of Semakau Landfill, including measures to ensure sufficient capacity beyond 2035, form another key component of the review, said Janil.

Even as the proportion of waste being recycled has dipped, the absolute amount of waste recycled has increased, he noted.

In 2025, each resident in Singapore generated 0.83kg of waste per day, a 21 per cent reduction from 2015.

The numbers reflect a genuine shift in how Singaporeans and businesses think about consumption, he added.

The agency will also rethink how annual waste statistics are reported to better reflect efforts to reduce, reuse and recycle waste, as well as dispose of it.

Meanwhile, the domestic recycling rate for 2025 remained at a low of 11 per cent, even though more households were recycling. The study showed that 78 per cent of households recycled, up from 72 per cent in 2023.

The agency said the recycling of paper, cardboard and plastics had declined slightly, citing “continued challenges” including rising collection and freight costs, as well as volatile global market conditions that have impacted commodity prices.

Given Singapore’s small market, most recyclables are exported overseas for further processing and recycling, making the viability of these exports susceptible to external factors, NEA added.

Horticultural waste recycling rates also declined from 85 per cent to 76 per cent due to short-term challenges faced by recyclers in finding parties to take woodchips and compost.

Acknowledging that there is room to improve the quality and volume of recyclables, the agency said it continues to partner the community and businesses to encourage recycling efforts and the reduction of waste generated.

In April, for instance, NEA welcomed a recycling initiative by residents in Tiong Bahru, who were frustrated with high contamination rates plaguing commingled blue bins. The blue bins were removed and, for nearly three months, recyclables were collected through recycling drives initiated by residents.

These efforts are focused on food, plastics, and paper and cardboard, as these make up the largest amount of waste that is not recycled, said NEA.

From 2028, the agency expects to mandate the segregation of food waste for treatment at existing commercial and industrial buildings, which will also have to report the amount of food waste that is treated. This move comes in tandem with the completion of the food waste treatment facility in Tuas Nexus.

This extends a requirement already applicable to owners and occupiers of new large commercial and industrial buildings who submitted their building plans since 2021.

The agency said it has also worked with public waste collectors since December 2025 to increase the collection of paper and cardboard from households and trade premises. This includes placing dedicated metal cages in some neighbourhoods.

“These efforts aim to improve household recycling participation and address issues such as overflowing blue recycling bins and contamination of recyclables,” the agency said.

NEA highlighted its use of segregated bins for key waste streams, with the Beverage Container Return Scheme expected to boost recycling rates when fully operational from Oct 1.

By the first year of the scheme, the agency aims to collect 60 per cent of the stock released to the market with an official mark that allows the containers to be returned. The target will increase to 80 per cent from the third year onwards.

Responding to queries, NEA said its study to determine the feasibility of holding firms responsible for the collection and treatment of their used packaging has shown that segregating recyclables can improve their value.

The agency will review the learnings and outcomes from the Beverage Container Return Scheme before deciding on the next steps to address other forms of packaging waste.  

In the coming months, the Ministry for Sustainability and the Environment, as well as NEA, will be engaging the public, as well as industry and non-governmental organisations, on ideas and proposals.

Reducing and reusing more, recovering cleaner recyclables, and rethinking how progress is measured will form the backbone of the review, said Janil.

He pointed out that 2026 is the Year of Climate Adaptation – a period that asks people to confront uncomfortable realities with ingenuity and resolve.

“Climate change, resource constraints and the need to do more with less – these are not peripheral concerns. They are central to our story and no single agency or organisation can solve them alone.

“What I’ve described, the Zero Waste Masterplan, is not simply a government blueprint refresh. It’s an invitation for all of us, to every Singaporean, to help shape how we live in the decades ahead.”

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