Trial to use repurposed waste, Newsand, in construction
Newsand will help Singapore close waste loop and extend lifespan of Semakau landfill: Masagos
First, there was Newater, and now, Singapore has created Newsand from repurposed municipal solid waste, and it may be used in construction.
The Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources will soon begin a field trial to assess the performance of possible Newsand materials generated from incineration bottom ash (IBA) - the thicker and heavier component of incinerated ash - and from slag, the by-product of the gasification of solid waste.
Like Newater, Newsand was born out of Singapore's drive to overcome constraints, and to create a precious resource from waste, Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Masagos Zulkifli said yesterday.
"Newsand will help Singapore to close our waste loop, and extend the lifespan of Semakau (the landfill on Semakau Island)," added Mr Masagos, who said possible uses for Newsand have been tested in the laboratory based on local environmental standards.
"Our scientists and engineers are being challenged to break new ground," he said.
Newsand made from slag was used to construct a temporary 105m-long footpath at Our Tampines Hub and a 3D-printed concrete bench, which was unveiled yesterday at an event that marked the conclusion of the Year Towards Zero Waste.
The bench was a collaboration between the National Environment Agency (NEA) and local technology company Pan-United Corporation.
Separately, a field test using Newsand material generated from IBA will be conducted in Tanah Merah Coast Road starting in the middle of next year.
Three companies - Inashco, Remex Minerals Singapore and Zerowaste Asia - will be conducting the field trial.
These companies will be collecting and treating around 3,000 tonnes of IBA generated from the waste-to-energy plants for use as a road base or sub-base material in road construction projects, NEA said.
The introduction of Newsand comes as Singapore is trying to reduce the amount of waste sent to the Semakau Landfill.
Senior Minister of State for the Environment and Water Resources Amy Khor had said in August that by 2030, the Republic wants to send about one-third less waste to the landfill to help it last longer than the projected 2035.
NEA chief executive Tan Meng Dui said the current use of Newsand and the upcoming field trials are a culmination of efforts over the years to turn trash into resources and close Singapore's waste loop.
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