Environmental Conservation is one of the top agendas of the Singapore Government. Innovation efforts are made for finding alternative methods to carry out necessary processes while being environmentally friendly at the same time.
NEWSand is one such innovation that has been produced from municipal solid waste. It could potentially be used as a construction material as well.
The Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources (MEWR) will be conducting a field trial to assess the real-life performance of NEWSand materials created from incineration bottom ash (IBA) and slag.
IBA is a thicker and heavier part of incinerated ash and slag is the by-product of the gasification of solid waste.
Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Masagos Zulkifli said that NEWSand is a product of Singapore’s aim to develop a vital resource from waste.
He added that NEWSand will aid Singapore in closing its waste loop and increasing the lifespan of Semakau Island, which is the landfill of Singapore.
NEWSand has been tested in the laboratory for its possible uses, based on local environmental standards.
“These standards are more comprehensive than those of other countries, given our unique circumstances as one of the few countries in the world to harvest urban stormwater on a large scale for consumption,” said Mr Masagos, at a lunch event which signified the end of the Year Towards Zero Waste, which began in January this year.
