Singapore and Indonesia face a shared challenge in managing waste amid rapid urban growth While both countries generate millions of tons of waste each year, their responses differ sharply.
Singapore, with limited land and high population density, has turned necessity into innovation by developing a smart, integrated waste management system admired around the world.
Indonesia, despite its vast landmass, continues to rely on outdated infrastructure and fragmented handling systems, leaving over 40% of waste unmanaged. The contrast underscores the pivotal role of technology in shaping effective, future-ready waste strategies.
What Drove Singapore to Innovate?
Singapore has only one active landfill, the Semakau Landfill, built on reclaimed sea space in 1999. At the current rate of waste generation, Singapore is expected to run out of capacity by 2035, according to the Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment.
Building new landfills is not a sustainable option for a land-scarce island, which means the country must constantly push toward innovation. Through incineration, Singapore reduces waste volume by up to 90%, while generating around 2% of the nation’s electricity from waste-to-energy plants.
This dual approach—minimizing landfill usage and extracting renewable energy—has become the backbone of Singapore’s waste strategy.
Indonesia, in contrast, relies heavily on landfills. Out of 343 landfills nationwide, most are overfilled, poorly managed, and lack the infrastructure for recycling or energy recovery. This leads to environmental hazards, from overflowing rivers with plastic waste to methane gas emissions from decomposing organic trash.
Smart Waste Management Innovation in Singapore
Singapore’s progress is driven by smart waste management technologies that combine automation, artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, and public engagement tools. Below are some of the most transformative solutions.
1. Pneumatic Waste Conveyance System (PWCS)
Instead of relying on manual waste collection, Singapore’s modern housing estates are equipped with PWCS. The Housing & Development Board explains that underground vacuum pipes carry household waste straight to sealed collection points.
This system reduces manpower needs, prevents litter spills, and promotes hygiene. The entire process is automated, cutting operational costs while maintaining cleaner neighborhoods.
2. Smart Bins and AI Recycling
Singapore has launched BINgo, a smart bin developed by A*STAR and its partners, equipped with AI, IoT, and sensor technology.
Designed to guide users in proper waste sorting, BINgo can detect whether an item is recyclable, deliver real-time feedback, and help reduce contamination in recycling streams.
Research published in the journal People-Centred Development of a Smart Waste Bin by the University of Ljubljana highlights how real-time feedback mechanisms like BINgo’s can drive meaningful behavioral change.
When users see how their disposal habits affect bin fill levels and the efficiency of city-wide waste collection, they tend to become more mindful and responsible.
More than just proper bin use, this shift can inspire lasting habits and a broader sense of environmental responsibility.
In Wyndham City, Australia, for instance, smart bins helped reduce garbage truck trips by 80 percent within just six months of implementation. Singapore is aiming for similar outcomes as it continues advancing its recycling initiatives.
3. AI and Robotics
Singapore is turning to smart technologies like AI and robotics to improve waste management. It’s also transforming e-waste handling with systems that sort, dismantle, and recover valuable materials efficiently.
This ensures faster, more efficient, and cost-effective recycling while reducing contamination. The use of robotics in waste management goes beyond e-waste.
Local firm Weston Robot has introduced autonomous machines for river cleaning, road sweeping, and grass cutting. According to CNA, one fully autonomous robot can collect up to 50 kg of trash at a time while being powered by solar panels.
4. Electric Waste Collection Trucks
Waste management companies in Singapore, such as ALBA W&H, have started using electric trucks to transport waste. This step helps reduce thousands of kilograms of CO2 emissions each year.
Currently, ALBA’s fleet consumes around 200 litres of diesel per day, which produces approximately 500 kg of CO2 emissions. By switching 15 trucks to electric, ALBA can save around 2,700 kg of CO2 annually. The company also aims to cut emissions by up to 20 percent within just one year of deploying electric trucks.
Why Indonesia Is Lagging Behind?
Indonesia generates more than 32.6 million tons of waste annually, but only about 10% is managed properly, according to Environment Minister Hanif Faisol Nurofiq. Instead of adopting circular solutions, most Indonesian cities still rely on landfills that are projected to reach maximum capacity by 2030.
Researchers from BRIN (National Research and Innovation Agency) have pointed out that without a shift toward a circular economy—prevention, reuse, recycling, and energy recovery—Indonesia risks worsening pollution, flooding, and health hazards.
The main obstacles lie in limited infrastructure for recycling and energy recovery, poor waste separation at source, weak enforcement of policies banning single-use plastics, and low public awareness and participation in proper waste disposal.
The contrast with Singapore highlights the urgent need for Indonesia to adopt smart waste management principles.
To move forward, Indonesia must invest in technology such as automated systems like PWCS and AI-enabled recycling to reduce manpower needs while improving efficiency, starting with pilot projects in major cities like Jakarta or Surabaya.
Governance and enforcement must also be strengthened, as Singapore’s success comes not only from technology but also from strict regulations. Therefore, Indonesia must enforce waste separation policies and penalize illegal dumping more consistently.
Finally, educating and engaging communities is crucial because technology alone cannot solve waste problems. Studies on smart bins show how feedback loops can change behavior, and Indonesia needs nationwide campaigns to build recycling habits, from households to schools.
Sources:
https://www.mse.gov.sg/policies/waste-management
https://www.hdb.gov.sg/about-us/our-role/smart-and-sustainable-living/hdb-greenprint/waste-management
https://archive.opengovasia.com/2022/10/10/singapore-launches-smart-bins-to-boost-recycling/
https://metrostor.us/smart-bins-in-smart-cities-what-are-they/
https://www.metalointernational.com/5-trends-shaping-the-future-of-e-waste-recycling-in-singapore/
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8840414/
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/cleaning-robot-waterway-pest-control-funds-national-environment-agency-4434801
https://www.scania.com/group/en/home/newsroom/news/2023/singapore-gets-its-first-scania-electric-waste-truck.html
https://en.antaranews.com/news/361033/only-10-percent-of-waste-in-indonesia-managed-properly-minister
https://brin.go.id/en/news/122212/sharing-strategies-for-circular-economy-based-waste-management-systems
