Environment & Water Technologies Singapore Market Study
MARCH 2020
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The information and views set out in this study are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official opinion of the European Union. Neither the European Union institutions and bodies nor any person acting on their behalf may be held responsible for the use which may be made of the information contained therein. The contents of this publication are the sole responsibility of EU Gateway | Business Avenues and can in no way be taken to reflect the views of the European Union. The purpose of this report is to give European companies selected for participation in the EU Gateway | Business Avenues Programme an introductory understanding of the target markets countries and support them in defining their strategy towards those markets. For more information, visit www.eu-gateway.eu.
EU Business Avenues in South East Asia
Central Management Unit
Singapore Market Study
March 2020
Submitted to the European Commission on 18 March 2020
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Table of Contents
LIST OF FIGURES ...... 6
LIST OF TABLES ...... 7
LIST OF ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS ...... 9
1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ...... 11
2. WHAT ARE THE CHARACTERISTICS OF SINGAPORE? ...... 18
2.1 POLITICAL OVERVIEW ...... 18 2.2 ECONOMIC OVERVIEW ...... 19 2.3 TRADE OVERVIEW ...... 20 2.4 MARKET ACCESS ...... 22 2.5 BUSINESS AND COMPETITIVE ENVIRONMENT ...... 23
3. MARKET OVERVIEW & EU ENTRY OPPORTUNITIES IN SINGAPORE ...... 25
3.1 THE SINGAPOREAN WATER & ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGIES SECTOR ...... 25 3.1.1 Market Overview ...... 25 3.1.2 Government Policies and Incentives ...... 33 3.1.3 Lead Agencies ...... 37 3.1.4 Key Associations ...... 38 3.1.5 Entry Strategies ...... 39 3.1.6 Challenges & Entry Barriers ...... 43 3.2 FRESH WATER SUPPLY ...... 44 3.2.1 Market Overview ...... 44 3.2.2 EU Opportunities ...... 55 3.3 WASTE WATER TREATMENT ...... 69 3.3.1 Market Overview ...... 69 3.3.2 EU Opportunities ...... 76 3.4 WATER SOLUTIONS ...... 85 3.4.1 Market Overview ...... 85 3.4.2 EU Opportunities ...... 89 3.5 AIR POLLUTION CONTROL ...... 98 3.5.1 Market Overview ...... 98 3.5.2 EU Opportunities ...... 104 3.6 WASTE MANAGEMENT ...... 111 3.6.1 Market Overview ...... 111 3.6.2 EU Opportunities ...... 120
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3.7 RECYCLING ...... 125 3.7.1 Market Overview ...... 125 3.7.2 EU Opportunities ...... 128 3.8 SOIL PREVENTION ...... 138 3.8.1 Market Overview ...... 138 3.8.2 EU Opportunities ...... 141 3.9 NOISE PROTECTION ...... 147 3.9.1 Market Overview ...... 147 3.9.2 EU Opportunities ...... 150
4. REGULATIONS ...... 157
4.1 ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION REGULATIONS...... 159 4.2 WATER POLLUTION REGULATIONS ...... 161 4.3 AIR POLLUTION REGULATIONS ...... 164 4.4 HAZARDOUS/TOXIC WASTE MANAGEMENT REGULATIONS ...... 165 4.5 SOIL POLLUTION REGULATIONS ...... 167 4.6 NOISE POLLUTION REGULATIONS ...... 168
5. ANNEX ...... 170
5.1 LIST OF USEFUL CONTACTS ...... 170 5.2 STARTING A BUSINESS IN SINGAPORE ...... 173 5.3 USEFUL STATISTICS ...... 178 5.4 PUB COLLABORATORS ...... 190
6. BIBLIOGRAPHY ...... 196
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List of Figures
Figure 1: Singapore’s Water Cycle ...... 15 Figure 2: Singapore’s Waste Management Cycle ...... 17 Figure 3: Map of Singapore ...... 18 Figure 4: EU-Singapore Trade Flows, 2008-2018 ...... 21 Figure 5: An Aerial View of the Singapore River ...... 26 Figure 6: Marina Barrage ...... 27 Figure 7: Semakau Landfill ...... 29 Figure 8: Singapore’s Current & Expected Water Demand, 2017-2060 ...... 45 Figure 9: The Marina Barrage ...... 47 Figure 10: Aerial View of the Choa Chu Kang Waterworks ...... 48 Figure 11: The SingSpring Desalination Plant in Tuas ...... 49 Figure 12: Design Model of the Keppel Marina East Desalination Plant ...... 51 Figure 13: Jurong Island ...... 52 Figure 14: Changi NEWater Plant ...... 53 Figure 15: WateROAM Technology ...... 55 Figure 16: Tengeh Reservoir Solar System ...... 60 Figure 17: Choa Chu Kang Water Works ...... 66 Figure 18: NEWater Plant ...... 70 Figure 19: The Deep Tunnel Sewerage System ...... 71 Figure 20: Phase II of the Deep Tunnel Sewerage System ...... 72 Figure 21: Kranji NEWater Plant ...... 75 Figure 22: EcoSystems’ Mobile Effluent Treatment System ...... 76 Figure 23: Tuas WRP ...... 80 Figure 24: The holistic approach to water management ...... 85 Figure 25: SMART PUB ...... 86 Figure 26: Smart Plants ...... 93 Figure 27: Data analytics solutions in demand ...... 93 Figure 28: The Semakau Landfill ...... 113 Figure 29: Waste-Derived Construction Material ...... 119 Figure 30: E-Waste Recycling Takes off in Singapore ...... 131 Figure 31: REMEX’s Facility in Singapore ...... 136 Figure 32: Silty Runoff in Waterways in Singapore, October 2018 ...... 138 Figure 33: Aerial view of a polder site at Pulau Tekong, an offshore island ...... 143 Figure 34: Housing and Development Board-Bedok N5 C19 Project ...... 149 Figure 35: Noise Meters at a HDB Void Deck ...... 153 Figure 36: Semi-Enclosed Noise Barriers in Singapore ...... 154
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List of Tables
Table 1: Ease of Doing Business in Singapore ...... 23 Table 2: Air Quality Description Based on 24-Hour PSI ...... 101 Table 3: Air Pollution Levels in Singapore...... 102 Table 4: WTEs in Singapore ...... 113 Table 5: Recycling Rates in Singapore, 2018 ...... 126 Table 6: QCIF Funding for Purchase of Quieter Construction Equipment ...... 151 Table 7: QCIF Funding for Purchase of Noise Control Equipment ...... 152 Table 8: QCIF Funding for Innovative Quieter Construction Methods ...... 152 Table 9: Industrial Effluent Standards in Singapore ...... 163 Table 10: Concentration of Waste Water Discharged into Public Sewer and Trade Effluent Tariff ... 163 Table 11: Standards for Air Pollutant Emissions form Stationary Sources ...... 164 Table 12: Maximum Permitted Noise Levels for Each Specified Time Zone ...... 168 Table 13: Maximum Permitted Noise Levels over 5 Minutes in Each Time Zone ...... 168 Table 14: Noise Emission Limits for Current & New Vehicles ...... 169 Table 15: Water Demand and Management, 2016-2018 ...... 178 Table 16: Water Resource Management, 2016-2018 ...... 179 Table 17: Air Composition, 2016-2018 ...... 180 Table 18: Solid Waste Management, 2016-2018 ...... 181 Table 19: Recycling of Waste, 2019 ...... 182 Table 20: Imports of Machinery and Apparatus for Filtering or Purifying water (HS Code 842121) ...... 183 Table 21: Exports of Machinery and Apparatus for Filtering or Purifying Water (HS Code 842121) ...... 183 Table 22: Imports of Parts of Machinery and Apparatus for Filtering or Purifying Liquids or Gasses, n.e.s. (HS Code 842199) ...... 184 Table 23: Exports of Parts of Machinery and Apparatus for Filtering or Purifying Liquids or Gasses, n.e.s. (HS Code 842199) ...... 184 Table 24: Imports of Instruments and Apparatus for Measuring or Checking the Flow or Level of Liquids (excluding meters and regulators) (HS Code 902610) ...... 185 Table 25: Exports of Instruments and Apparatus for Measuring or Checking the Flow or Level of Liquids (excluding meters and regulators) (HS Code 902610) ...... 185 Table 26: Imports of Gas or Smoke Analysis Apparatus (HS Code 902710) ...... 186 Table 27: Exports of Gas or Smoke Analysis Apparatus (HS Code 902710) ...... 186 Table 28: Imports of Instruments and Apparatus for Measuring or Checking the Flow, Level, Pressure or Other Variables of Liquids or Gases e.g. flow meter, level gauges, manometers, heat meters (HS Code 9026) ...... 187 Table 29: Exports of Instruments and Apparatus for Measuring or Checking the Flow, Level, Pressure or Other Variables of Liquids or Gases e.g. flow meter, level gauges, manometers, heat meters (HS Code 9026) ...... 187 Table 30: Imports of Instruments and Apparatus for Measuring or Checking Pressure of Liquids or Gases (excluding regulators) (HS Code 902620) ...... 188
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Table 31: Exports of Instruments and Apparatus for Measuring or Checking Pressure of Liquids or Gases (excluding regulators) (HS Code 902620) ...... 188 Table 32: Imports of Instruments or Apparatus for Measuring or Checking Variables of Liquids, n.e.s. (HS Code 902680) ...... 189 Table 33: Exports of Instruments or Apparatus for Measuring or Checking Variables of Liquids, n.e.s. (HS Code 902680) ...... 189
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List of Acronyms and Abbreviations
A*STAR Agency for Science, Technology and Research ABC Active, Beautiful, Clean ACRA Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority AEC ASEAN Economic Community AFTA ASEAN Free Trade Area AQG Air Quality Guidelines ASEAN Association of South East Asian Nations BCA Building and Construction Authority CoE Centres of Excellence CPS Cyber Physical System DBOO Design, Build, Own and Operate DHI Danish Hydraulic Institute DTSS Deep Tunnel Sewerage System ECM Earth Control Measures EDB Economic Development Board EPCA Environmental Pollution Control Act EPHA Environmental Public Health Act EPM Environmental Protection and Management EPMA Environmental Protection and Management Act ETRP Environment Technology Research Programme EU European Union EWI Environment and Water Industry Development Council FTA Free Trade Agreement GDP Gross Domestic Product GNI Gross National Income HDB Housing and Development Board IWMF Integrated Waste Management Facility LTA Land Transport Authority MSE Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment NEA National Environment Agency NERI NUS Environmental Research Institute NEWRI Nanyang Environment and Water Research Institute NRF National Research Foundation NTU Nanyang Technological University NUS National University of Singapore PCD Pollution Control Department PM Particulate Matter PPP Public-private partnership PSI Pollutant Standards Index PUB Public Utilities Board PWC Public Waste Collector QCF Quieter Construction Fund SCADA Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition SDWA Singapore-Delft Water Alliance SPRING Standards, Productivity and Innovation Board
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SUTD Singapore University of Technology & Design SWaT Secure Water Treatment Testbed SWRO Seawater Reverse-Osmosis TAQMMS Telemetric Air Quality Monitoring and Management System UASB Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket UFW Unaccounted-for-water WHO World Health Organisation WRP Water Reclamation Plant WTE Waste-to-energy
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1. Executive Summary
Singapore is a modern bustling city which has embraced the conveniences of modern life and technology. Western culture is embraced and plays a big role in brand and lifestyle consumerism. The city-state, which is recognised as a leading financial and high-tech hub of the region, is a high-income, free-market economy in South East Asia. It offers an open and corruption-free environment to businesses in the market and attracts prominent companies from across the globe to invest and operate in the country. Currently home to a population of over 5 million, consisting of both locals and foreigners, Singapore recorded an estimated GDP of US$ 328 billion (EUR 296 billion) in 2018.
Singapore has come a long way in its journey towards sustainability and regards its water and environment industry as a key growth industry. The imperative of a clean and green Singapore was recognised early on by the Singaporean government, which has made impressive strides to transform the country into a global water and environment technologies centre with innovations in water, soil, air, noise, waste, and green energy sectors. Today, the country boasts one of the cleanest and greenest environments in the world with a striving water and environment ecosystem. The progress towards sustainable, clean and green environment and water has been driven by continuous government and private sector efforts to transform Singapore’s ecosystem through innovation.
Fresh Water Supply
With limited land to collect and store rainwater, Singapore faced drought, floods and water pollution in the early years of nation building. These challenges inspired Singapore to strategise and seek innovative ideas, develop capabilities and secure a sustainable supply of water. Today, the country is well on its way to being self-sufficient for its water needs by 2061. In its quest for a diversified and sustainable fresh water supply, Singapore has turned its attention to developing its local water catchment areas and reservoirs. It is looking at various challenges, such as protection of its coastal reservoirs from rising sea levels as well as comprehensive storm water management implementation. The country is also increasingly reliant on desalination of seawater
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to augment its supply of fresh water. By 2060, Singapore expects its total water demand to almost double, with the non-domestic sector accounting for about 70%. By then, fresh water from its catchment areas together with desalination are expected to meet up to 45% of Singapore’s demand for water.
Waste Water
Singapore is one of the global leaders in waste water treatment and reuse. It has developed high technological processes for the production of superior quality reused water, and it favours water reuse as a strategy for conservation. The Public Utilities Board (PUB) has been actively developing the used water infrastructure by establishing Water Reclamation Plants (WRPs) in Singapore and promoting the use of waste water for both potable and non-potable purposes. As part of PUB’s efforts to change the mind-set towards the consumption of treated waste water, it renamed its sewage treatment plants as WRPs. The last few decades have seen the rapid development of used water infrastructure to serve a growing Singapore with expansion of the used water network. Today, Singapore boasts a world-class sewerage system in which 100% of the population is served by modern sanitation. The country continues to build its infrastructure to meet the future demand for water and waste water treatment.
Lately, Singapore has focused on industrial water solutions, as industries are set to be responsible for 70% of the country’s water demand. This could represent important opportunities for innovative companies.
Water Solutions
Singapore’s water strategy focuses on the management of waste water treatment, water reclamation and water supply in an integrated manner across all points of the water cycle. It aims to “close the loop” to minimise liquid discharge and conserve precious water resources. Closing the water loop requires PUB to be responsible for not just supplying good potable water, but also for reclaiming all used water and taming storm water. In a bid to reduce reliance on manpower and increase efficiency, PUB is looking to implement smart technology to better manage its systems. The integration of smart technologies across Singapore’s water loop represents its
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vision for the future of water management – one that is driven by innovation and informed by data for better decisions. Various projects involving smart technology are ongoing or have already been implemented in Singapore.
Air Pollution Control
Singapore enjoys better quality of air compared to many major cities in Asia, thanks to its strict enforcement of regulations pertaining to air pollution. However, with increasing industrialisation and urbanisation, Singapore inevitably faces increasing air pollution. At present, the recognised domestic sources of air pollution in Singapore are motorised vehicles, power stations, refineries, waste incinerators and gas stations. Being in such close proximity to its neighbours, Singapore’s air quality is also very much affected by various factors in Indonesia and Malaysia.
Waste Management
Singapore’s growing population, flourishing economy and rapid industrialisation has contributed to an increasing output of solid waste, from 1,260 tonnes a day in 1970, to 8,700 tonnes a day in 2018. With its limited land area, dense population and the increasing output of waste, Singapore has developed an advanced solid waste management system, which has led to an influx of companies specialising in the waste management sector. The solid waste management sector in Singapore covers the entire waste lifecycle from waste handling to recycling to safe disposal and includes solutions such as waste collection services, urban cleaning services, separating waste flows, materials recovery, and converting waste to energy or biogas. Overall, Singapore’s integrated waste management system focuses on three areas: collection, recovery and treatment.
Recycling
Singapore aims to achieve an overall recycling rate of 70% by 2030. In 2019, the recycling rate of all waste collected – such as construction debris, paper, food and plastic – went up to 60% from 40% in 2000. This was achieved because almost all of the construction debris, used slag, ferrous metal and scrap types are now recycled. However, this achievement masks a sobering
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trend. The rates for paper, glass, food and plastics, the types of rubbish that are more closely associated with households, remain dismally low. The domestic recycling rate, which is recycling of waste produced in households, was only 21% in 2016. Singapore has taken the unusual step in 2014 to setting separate recycling targets for industries (81%) and households (30%).
Soil Prevention
Years of relentless construction in Singapore have caused soil compaction, which has in turn resulted in lower infiltration rate and higher surface runoff. This, coupled with the fact that Singapore experiences heavy rainfall throughout the year, has led to an increased likelihood of soil erosion and flash floods in Singapore. Singapore has become increasingly concerned about soil erosion after it was hit with a spate of flash floods in recent years. The country is now actively looking into resolving the issue of washed down and flowing silt and sediment from slopes or construction sites into drains and canals during torrential downpours, effectively reducing its drainage capacity. NEA spends millions each year dredging and cleaning up the silt in all of the canals and drains in Singapore.
Noise Pollution
Singapore is a compact city which needs to seek a balance between meeting its residents’ desire for a quiet living environment and the noise that comes from economic and community activities. Noise pollution is an ever-increasing issue in Singapore. Given that Singapore is such a small and densely populated country, land constraint sets a limit on land buffers and setback distances that can be provided to deter noise sources such as road and rail traffic as well as construction works away from residential areas. To address noise pollution, the government has implemented various initiatives to control and regulate noise levels across Singapore.
Opportunities
Export Opportunities for Advanced Environment and Water Technologies
Considering Singapore’s focus on environmental sustainability, potential opportunities exist for European companies with expertise and technological solutions in environmental, protection,
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clean-up and remediation. The Government of Singapore is interested in acquiring advanced technologies in all Environment & Water Technologies sub-sectors. Experienced European companies with turnkey solutions for infrastructure projects in water management and treatment, environmental solutions for air, noise, soil and water pollution abatement, recycling and smart monitoring equipment, and waste disposal and re-utilisation will find significant opportunities in Singapore. These opportunities lie either in the sale and implementation of turnkey systems in existing infrastructure, or in project development for the expanding Singaporean environmental and water network.
Replacement, Upgrading and Retrofitting Market Technologies
The replacement market in Singapore is also growing as there is a constant requirement for replacement parts and services for the ageing Singaporean environmental and water infrastructure. The continuous maintenance, upgrading and expansion of existing water supply systems to improve treatment efficiency, the optimisation of waste water management and treatment network, and the efforts to abate air, water and soil pollution via more optimal solutions are driving the growth of opportunities.
Sector-Specific Opportunities in the Water Sector
Opportunities in the water sector can be exploited along the entire fresh water and waste water value chain, as represented by Singapore' water cycle.
Figure 1: Singapore’s Water Cycle Source: PUB
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Singapore carries out some of the most advanced and innovative water research across the whole water cycle. Leveraging on technologies and best management practices, Singapore is actively pursuing new technologies and processes to ensure security of supply to meet the ever-growing demands of its population and industry.
This effort is spearheaded by PUB Singapore - the national water agency. It is the agency that manages Singapore’s water supply, water catchment and used water in an integrated way. Companies that PUB wishes to attract are those involved in R&D, regional headquarters, supply chain management, product development, procurement and manufacturing, and sales and marketing.
In tandem with its approach to managing Singapore’s water resources in an integrated manner, PUB’s R&D work focuses on the following areas:
◼ Catchment & Reservoir
◼ Drainage & Flood Management
◼ Water Treatment & Reclamation
◼ Water Supply Network
◼ Used Water Network
◼ Climate Change
Singapore’s main challenge for the water reclamation infrastructure of tomorrow is how to do more with less — less land, less manpower, less energy, lower costs. This is a multi-dimensional challenge and requires a diverse group of players to come together and develop a balanced solution. Opportunities exist for EU players across various areas, such as:
◼ Industrial water solutions
◼ Energy efficiency in waste water treatment
◼ New technologies for the future Tuas WRP
◼ Integrated solutions
◼ Space optimisation
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Sector-Specific Opportunities in the Waste Management Sector
Apart from the water sector, Singapore is also cultivating the environmental industry by attracting the giants of the sector across the world to establish their operations in the city-state. This includes companies involved in waste management, pollution control and environmental sectors. The National Environment Agency (NEA) is the leading public organisation responsible for developing and spearheading environmental initiatives and programmes in Singapore, and it offers product development, supply, infrastructure development, project engineering and other opportunities for European companies across the full waste management cycle.
Figure 2: Singapore’s Waste Management Cycle Source: NEA
In tandem with the initiatives to promote new technologies, NEA also administers the Environment Technology Research Programme (ETRP), a research grant scheme for development projects focusing on waste management. It is seeking cost-effective and holistic environmental solutions over and above basic landfill disposal, thus releasing scarce land for higher value development, minimising environmental impacts and integrating waste management efficiently with water and energy systems. The ETRP provides seed funding of S$ 15 million (EUR 10 million) to support R&D projects in the following focus areas: ◼ Waste-to-Energy Processes ◼ Waste-to-Resource Recovery ◼ Special Waste Treatment
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2. What are the characteristics of Singapore?
Figure 3: Map of Singapore Source: Wikimedia Commons
Singapore is a small, multi-cultural and cosmopolitan city-state of 5.53 million people, in the very heart of South East Asia. Its total area is recorded at 697sq km, with 10 km2 of that made up of water. Singapore experiences hot, humid and rainy conditions all year long, with north-eastern monsoon from December to March and south-western monsoon from June to September.
The country is one of the most politically stable nations among the ten member states that make up ASEAN. Different ethnic groups live harmoniously in Singapore, which recognises English, Mandarin, Malay and Tamil as its official languages. The Chinese make up the largest ethnic group, with 74.3%, followed by Malays (13.3%), Indians (9.1%) and others (3.2%).
2.1 Political Overview
As a parliamentary democratic republic, Singapore’s parliament is very much modelled after the Westminster system. The Head of State is the President who is elected directly by the people through popular vote in a presidential election, following the amendments to the Constitution of
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Singapore in 1991. The current incumbent is President Halimah Yacob who is Singapore’s 8th President. She was elected in 2017.
Since 1959, The People’s Action Party (PAP) has been the ruling party governing Singapore. Members of Parliament are chosen through a general election for a term of five years. The last general election was held in 2015 with PAP securing a landslide victory with 69.86% of the vote, winning 83 of the 89 elected seats in parliament. The three organs of state are the Executive, the Legislative and the Judiciary. The Prime Minister, Mr. Lee Hsien Loong, is the effective head of the executive branch of government since August 2004. The next general election is to be held by April 2021 at the latest, but could be called earlier according to the PM. The Supreme Court, together with subordinate courts, holds the judicial power.
2.2 Economic Overview
A leading global business hub, Singapore offers an open and trade-driven economy that was ranked seventh globally in terms of GDP per capita in 20181. Singapore registered a GDP growth of 3.14% in 2018.2 The Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) announced in January 2020 that the Singaporean economy grew by 0.7% in 2019, the worst performance in a decade, mainly due to a contraction of the manufacturing sector. Forecasts expect growth for 2020 to be between 1-2%.3 This slowdown is mainly due to a weak global growth and the exposure of the Singaporean economy to international demand.
Categorised as a high-income nation, its GNI per capita in 2018 was S$ 81,222 (EUR 54,282).4
The Singapore government has pursued an outward-looking, export-oriented economic policy that encourages two-way flows of trade and investment. This has enabled Singapore to become a global trading hub with a trading capacity almost three times its GDP.
Singapore’s major industries include electronics, financial services, oil drilling equipment, petroleum refining, pharmaceutical manufacturing, processed food and beverages, rubber
1 https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GDP.PCAP.CD?locations=SG 2 www.statista.com/statistics/378630/gross-domestic-product-gdp-growth-rate-in-singapore/ 3 www.businesstimes.com.sg/government-economy/decade-low-growth-in-2019-clouds-2020-forecasts-for-singapore-gdp 4 www.singstat.gov.sg/find-data/search-by-theme/economy/national-accounts/latest-data
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products, aerospace and ship repair, as well as its biotechnology, chemical and petrochemical industries. Singapore has also become an important financial, trade and wealth management hub for the South East Asian region and a global hub for currency and commodity trading, transhipment and oil and gas refining. More recently, it has become an important regional and international ecosystem for start-ups and fintech as a result of a pro-business environment and an educated workforce.
Singapore’s economic success is likely to be maintained in the future, but given the country's reliance on trade, there will be a risk of periodic slowdowns or recession when key export markets face economic pressure. However, healthy public finances, a strong net-creditor position, and solid economic fundamentals all contribute to Singapore's economic stability. Finally, Singapore could benefit from the current Hong Kong crisis due to its comparative stability by gaining market shares in financial services for instance.
2.3 Trade Overview
Free-trade agreements are the cornerstone of Total EU-Singapore trade in goods Singapore's economic policy. The country depends grew by 9% in 2018 to reach heavily on foreign trade, and has inked bilateral trade EUR 58.1 billion deals with the US, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, India, and Jordan. Singapore is also a member of the ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA), which plays a key role in Singapore’s intra-Asian trade. ASEAN has FTAs with China, India, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand. Singapore is a party to the Trans Pacific Partnership, currently going through the ratification process.
Singapore is the EU's 14th largest trade in goods partner and the EU's largest trading partner in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). The EU has a sizeable positive balance of trade for goods and services with Singapore (EUR 16 billion for goods in 2018). The EU and Singapore completed the negotiations for a comprehensive free trade agreement in 2014 which led to the signing of the EU-Singapore trade and investment protection agreements on 19 October 2018. The European Parliament gave its consent to the agreements
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on 13 February 2019. EU Member States endorsed the trade agreement on 8 November 2019, which then entered into force on 21 November 2019. The FTA covers tariff-free access for goods (e.g. electronics, food products and pharmaceuticals), improved market access for services, reinforces intellectual property protection, competition policy, and technical barriers to trade and government procurement. It is also the first ‘green FTA’, designed specifically to promote green growth.
Separately, the investment protection agreement will enter into force after it has been ratified by all EU Member States according to their own national procedures. When ratified, it will also bring dividends for both parties.
Trade in goods between the EU and Singapore has remained resilient and dynamic despite the instability in the global economic environment. Total EU-Singapore trade in goods increased by 9% in 2018, reaching EUR 58.1 billion5 and the EU retained its position as Singapore's third most important trading partner, behind only China and Malaysia. In 2018, total EU imports from Singapore reached EUR 21 billion, while the EU exported EUR 37.1 billion worth of goods to Singapore, resulting in a trade balance of EUR 16.1 billion in favour of the EU.
Figure 4: EU-Singapore Trade Flows, 2008-2018 Source: European Commission / Directorate-General for Trade
5 https://ec.europa.eu/trade/policy/countries-and-regions/countries/singapore/
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Singapore’s economy depends heavily on exports, particularly in consumer electronics, IT products, pharmaceuticals, petroleum products, and on a growing financial services sector. As a strong advocate of free trade, Singapore is generally a free and open economy. It has few trade barriers except for selected dutiable goods - alcohol, petroleum products, tobacco products and motor vehicles. There are some import restrictions based mainly on strict environmental, health, and public security regulations.
2.4 Market Access
There are at present over 10,000 European companies of various sectors operating in Singapore. Most of these companies are using their establishment in the city-state to serve as their regional hub to Asia. European companies looking to do business in Singapore can expect integrity, adaptability and respect for intellectual capital to be emphasised upon by a strategic-minded administration, which is attuned to the needs of companies to protect invention and innovation.
Using agents or distributors is a common Singapore’s cultural and linguistic connections and effective way to serve the Singapore across Asia, highly qualified workforce, market and, from there, the other countries and openness to top global talent makes the city-state the preferred location for the global in South East Asia. Many distributors in business community regarding their expansion Singapore deal not only with the local market in Asia but also with the broader regional market. Prospective exporters to Singapore should be aware that competition is high and that buyers expect a high-quality after-sales service. When business use warrants, many companies have found it useful and sometimes necessary to set up offices in Singapore.
On 31 December 2015, the ten ASEAN Member States established a common market, the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC), a boost to South East Asia's combined economic clout as the world's fifth largest economy. The AEC has an estimated economic value of US$ 2.95 trillion (EUR 2.7 trillion) in 2018, powered by a fast-growing market of more than 645 million people6. Being part of the AEC makes Singapore an attractive choice for firms looking
6 www.statista.com/statistics/796245/gdp-of-the-asean-countries/
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to tap the growth potential of the bloc. The AEC Blueprint 2025 was adopted in 2015 to provide strategic measures aimed at reinforcing market integration, innovation, cooperation and inclusivity.
Singapore’s strategic location in the heart of Asia enables businesses to access the region’s rapidly expanding markets. Singapore has strong business, cultural and linguistic links to many Asian markets.
2.5 Business and Competitive Environment
Change in Ease of Doing Business in 2020 2019 2018 Rank (2019- Singapore Rank Rank Rank 2020) Overall Rank 2 2 2 No change
Starting a business 4 6 6 - 2
Dealing with construction permits 5 16 10 - 11
Getting electricity 19 12 10 + 7
Registering property 21 19 19 + 2
Getting credit 37 29 20 +8
Protecting minority investors 3 4 1 - 1
Paying taxes 7 7 8 No change
Trading across borders 47 42 41 + 5
Enforcing contracts 1 2 2 - 1
Resolving insolvency 27 27 29 No change
Table 1: Ease of Doing Business in Singapore Source: World Bank
The World Bank ranked Singapore at the second spot in its Doing Business Rank for 2020, maintaining its 2019 and 2018 ranking. Singapore has historically retained one of the top spots since 2007.
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Well-organised governance has given rise to some of the world's finest infrastructure, including sophisticated telecommunications networks, extensive public transportation, well-managed healthcare and education, and ultra-modern air and seaport facilities.
Singapore Changi Airport has received multiple awards and accolades, and is consistently ranked by numerous airport rating agencies as one of the best international airports in the world. In 2018, it handled a record 65.6 million passengers (a growth of 5.5% on 2017), 386,000 landings and take-offs, and 2.15 million tonnes of airfreight movements, making it one of the busiest airports on the globe. Changi International Airport is linked to 380 cities in 100 countries.
Singapore is one of the world’s premier hub ports, offering a breadth and range of maritime services that few can match. The Port of Singapore recorded a total of 630 million tonnes of cargo in 2018, and is currently the busiest transhipment port in the world, connecting Singapore to over 600 ports in over 120 countries. Other modern infrastructure in the country includes extensive lines of roads and railroads, which ensure efficient movement of people and goods.
The tax system is well established and Singapore has sophisticated telecommunications networks, considered to be investor-friendly, reflecting extensive public transportation, well- Singapore's overall favourable attitude towards managed healthcare and education and ultra-modern air and seaport facilities foreign investment. The government is keen to attract foreign investment and is unlikely to undertake tax or other measures that might dissuade such investment. The responsibility to handle tax issues is vested in the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore. It offers various taxation schemes for individuals residing and corporations operating in Singapore. Tax incentives are available to R&D activities of all industries and a special tax regime exists for the banking, fund management, leasing and shipping sectors.
To encourage enhancement in economic and technological development, tax incentives in the form of reduction of tax rate or exemption from applicable tax are offered to various industries including manufacturing and services, investment and financial services, shipping and trading. Singapore also offers regional and international headquarters tax incentives to corporations operating from the country to serve international and regional markets.
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3. Market Overview & EU Entry Opportunities in Singapore
3.1 The Singaporean Water & Environmental Technologies Sector
3.1.1 Market Overview
Singapore has come a long way in its journey towards sustainability and regards its water and environment industry as a key growth industry. In the 1960s, the country was like any other developing nation of that time – dirty and polluted, lacking proper sanitation and facing high unemployment. These challenges were more acute for Singapore given its constraints as a small The imperative for a clean and green Singapore was recognised early on by city-state with no natural resources. the Singaporean government, which has The imperative of a clean and green Singapore made impressive strides to transform the country into a global water and was, however, recognised early on by the environmental technologies centre. Singaporean government, which has made impressive strides to transform the country into a global water and environment technologies centre with innovations in the water, soil, air, noise, waste, and green energy sectors. Today, the country boasts one of the cleanest and greenest environments in the world with a thriving water and environment ecosystem. The progress towards sustainable, clean and green environment and water has been driven by continuous government and private sector efforts to transform Singapore’s ecosystem through innovation.
Over the years, the government has led the national effort for tree planting and, today, almost 50% of Singapore is covered by greenery, with about two million trees in its treescapes, parks and residential areas. The government continues its efforts to regenerate, protect and expand the country’s green spaces. Besides its efforts to green the country, Singapore has also shifted pollutive industries away from residential areas and made new laws against pollution. As a young nation that needed to attract industries and secure economic growth, Singapore remained committed over the years to ensuring that the environment was not compromised in the pursuit of rapid industrialisation.
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One of the largest transformations of Singapore’s environmental ecosystem that spurred further innovations involved the Singapore River, which was literally an open sewer in the 1970s. The clean-up of the river was an enormous endeavour that required the efforts of numerous agencies. It involved the relocation of thousands of street hawkers, squatters and pollutive industries, and the removal of over 250 tonnes of rubbish accumulated in the river and its banks. The clean-up took 10 years, and when it was completed in 1987, the water was finally clean enough for fish and other aquatic life to return.
Figure 5: An Aerial View of the Singapore River Source: Wikipedia
With the clean-up of the Singapore River, Singapore made bold plans to transform the riverine stretch into an attractive waterfront promenade. The successful clean-up also set in motion a process to create a reservoir in the heart of the city. By damming the mouth of the Marina channel, the Marina Barrage, completed in 2009, offers the triple benefits of water supply, flood control, and a place for recreation.
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Figure 6: Marina Barrage Source: PUB
Driven by its vision to make Singapore a “City of Gardens and Water”, the government launched the Active, Beautiful, Clean (ABC) Waters Programme in 2006 to transform utilitarian drains into attractive waterways, bring people closer to water, and improve runoff quality using green cleansing features. Its waters have become a part of ‘home’ that Singaporeans enjoy and cherish.
Singapore is also highly acclaimed internationally for its technology and solutions within the fields of water and waste water management. As a small island with limited land for water storage, Singapore needed to diversify its water resources. Since 2006, the South East Asian nation has committed almost half a billion dollars to improving water technologies and has devised a national master-plan focusing on four “national taps”: catching rainfall in reservoirs, recycling water, desalinating water, and imports.7
Apart from water import, it expanded its local catchment areas to 17 reservoirs to capture as much rainwater as possible, and invested in drought-resilient sources, namely, NEWater – high-grade reclaimed water produced from treated used water that is further purified using advanced membrane technologies and ultra-violet disinfection, making it ultra-clean and safe to drink – and
7 www.reuters.com/article/us-water-singapore-innovation/thirsty-singapore-taps-into-innovation-to-secure-its-water-future-idUSKCN1T80VU
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desalinated water. Singapore has also planned water infrastructure well ahead of demand. For example, it is now building Phase 2 of its Deep Tunnel Sewerage System (aiming for completion by 2022) that will meet Singapore’s needs for the next 100 years. The city-state is also testing smart water meters that use wireless technology and immediately detect excessive usage or leaks. It also invested in five wastewater recycling plants that now provide 40% of Singapore’s water needs - a figure the city-state hopes will rise to 55% by 2060.8
With continuous investment and innovation in the fields of water and waste water management, Singapore is recognised as a “Global Hydro-Hub”, comprised of over 180 water companies, corresponding to the entire value chain of the water industry ranging from upstream components, equipment OEMs, system integrators to downstream players and project developers taking into account design, operation and R&D as well.9
Given its dense urban development and large Singapore is diversifying its water supplies by expanding its catchment industrial base, maintaining good air quality is areas and securing drought-resilient another top priority for Singapore. To ensure good supplies through investment in high-grade water reclamation air quality, the country has implemented strict and desalination. enforcement programmes and air quality monitoring since the 1970s. Over the years, it has shifted away from the use of fuel oil to natural gas in its power plants, mandated the use of near sulphur-free diesel for vehicles, regularly tightened its emission standards, and continued innovating in air quality monitoring. As a result, Singapore today enjoys a high standard of air quality. Singapore pledged to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 16% in 2020, under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.
Singapore has also made great strides in building an effective waste management system and aims to become a “Zero Waste’ nation. In 1979, it built its first waste-to-energy plant, where waste is incinerated to generate energy. Today, about 37% of waste generated in Singapore is incinerated at four waste-to-energy plants and most of the remaining waste is recycled. Singapore aims to achieve a national recycling rate of 70% by 2030. In 2018, 7.70 million tonnes of solid waste were
8 www.reuters.com/article/us-water-singapore-innovation/thirsty-singapore-taps-into-innovation-to-secure-its-water-future-idUSKCN1T80VU 9 www.straitstimes.com/singapore/spore-at-the-front-line-of-water-innovation
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generated, about 9,000 tonnes less than in 2017. Overall, the recycling rate decreased from 61% in 2017 to 60% in 2018.10 The decrease in the amount of waste recycled in 2018 was largely due to a significant drop in the quantity of wood waste recycled. The domestic recycling rate increased from 21% in 2017 to 22% in 2018, while the non-domestic recycling rate decreased from 76% to 74% in 2018.11 The ash generated from the incineration process and non-incinerable waste is disposed at the offshore Semakau Landfill. The landfill not only meets waste disposal needs, but also supports a thriving ecosystem with rich biodiversity. It also serves as a good example of how countries can pursue environmental protection in tandem with development goals.
Figure 7: Semakau Landfill Source: NEA
The National Environment Agency (NEA) is currently developing an Integrated Waste Management Facility (IWMF) to help Singapore meet its future waste management needs and achieve long term environmental sustainability. As a state-of-the-art flagship facility, it is being developed with innovative solutions that can maximise both energy and resource recovery from solid waste. As the IWMF and the Tuas Water Reclamation Plant (TWRP) will be co-located at the same Tuas View Basin site, various synergies will be derived to benefit both NEA and the
10 https://www.nea.gov.sg/our-services/waste-management/3r-programmes-and-resources/waste-management-infrastructure/solid-waste- management-infrastructure 11 www.nea.gov.sg/our-services/waste-management/waste-statistics-and-overall-recycling
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Public Utilities Board (PUB). The construction is being conducted in phases, with the first phase targeted for completion by 2024.12 The NEA estimates the cost of the IMWF to be S$ 3 billion.13
The government has distilled its policy outcomes into three key pillars that are driving its efforts for development: a competitive economy that attracts investments and provides jobs; a sustainable environment that helps the city thrive despite limited natural resources, especially land and fresh water; and a high quality of life that benefits people. These outcomes are built on the twin foundations of integrated master planning and development, and dynamic urban governance. With these principles, Singapore has built up an enviable track record in environmental and water management and is known for its clean and green reputation.
Given its continuous efforts to improve water and the environment, Singapore remains a progressive user of environmental and water technologies in Asia, and it is known to have struck a balance between economic development, environmental protection and adoption of innovation. Singapore is also equipped with necessary funds, technology, and administrative capacity to maintain a favourable market environment for water and environment companies.
Today, the environmental and water technology industry is identified as a strategic growth area. The country is moving towards a water, energy and waste nexus to increase water production while reducing energy consumption and waste generation.
The promotion of the environmental and water technologies industry is high on the government’s list of priorities. Singapore wants to develop itself as a global environmental and water technology hub that can add value to the economy through the generation of new businesses, products, services, capabilities and jobs. It is well positioned for this role, given its commendable track record in environmental management, good knowledge and technology infrastructure, strong protection for intellectual property rights and commitment to R&D.
Since 2007, more than S$ 700 million (EUR 467.8 million) has been committed by the government to fund research & development (R&D), manpower development and groom
12 https://www.nea.gov.sg/our-services/waste-management/3r-programmes-and-resources/waste-management-infrastructure/integrated-waste- management-facility 13 https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/government-economy/spore-to-kick-off-tenders-for-s95b-in-water-and-waste-projects
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Singapore-based enterprises to support the vibrant and growing industry sector. For instance, CleanTech Park, a S$ 52 million (EUR 34.8 million) project created through a partnership between the Economic Development Board and JTC Corp, should be completed by 2030. With 50-plus hectares, it will be the main eco-business destination as well as the centre for all clean technology research and development in Singapore. The government estimates that more than 20,000 people will be employed on site.14 Industrial water solutions have been placed high on the list of priorities, as industry accounts for 19% of water usage worldwide with only 4-8% of its wastewater being recycled or reused according to estimates.15 Currently, more than half of Singapore's water supply is channelled to the non-domestic sector. By 2060, water demand in the sector is projected to grow to 70%.16
To tackle this issue, PUB and the National Research Foundation (NRF) announced in June 2019 the launch of a new fund of S$ 26 million (EUR 17.4 million) to support firms in water-guzzling industries, such as petrochemical and semiconductor, that aim to reduce their water usage to implement water management solutions (e.g. on-site recycling systems and water reclamation plants). The S$ 26 million (EUR 17.4 million) will come from three existing funding schemes: PUB’s Industrial Water Solutions Demonstration Fund (IWSDF) and Water Efficiency Fund, as well as NRF’s Living Lab Fund. The Water Efficiency Fund helps customers with water efficiency projects, from water audits to recycling. The IWSDF supports new water solutions in industrial projects, while the Living Lab Fund aims to accelerate the commercialisation of new technologies.
Through this new initiative, PUB hopes to increase industrial water savings by three million gallons per day (mgd) every year, which is equivalent to the water demand of over 25,000 households. To date, the national water agency has helped to implement 22 water-efficiency projects, with over 5 mgd saved. One of them was with international infant milk company Wyeth Nutritionals, a subsidiary of Nestlé. The company's manufacturing plant in Tuas became the first of its facilities worldwide to recycle water using a patented reverse osmosis system.17 With PUB's
14 www.siew.sg/newsroom/articles/detail/2011/05/27/top-10-highlights-of-cleantech-in-singapore 15 www.eco-business.com/news/global-thirst-a-spotlight-on-water-in-industry/ 16 www.straitstimes.com/singapore/26-million-pub-fund-for-water-intensive-companies-to-adopt-on-site-water-solutions 17 www.siww.com.sg/docs/default-source/Resources/Kit/wyeth.pdf
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help, at least 13 other industrial water saving projects are expected to be completed by 2021, bringing water savings to 8 mgd. There are 34 additional projects in the pipeline, which could increase water savings by another 10 mgd. Throughout 2019, PUB has published water efficiency benchmarks and best practices guides for businesses including malls, hotels, wafer fabrication companies, biomedical manufacturing and semiconductor firms.18 In parallel, PUB and ST Engineering (a global technology, defence and engineering group) announced a partnership in June 2019 to develop and leverage digital technologies to enhance PUB’s intelligent water management system and operations.19
A PUB report of 2018 states that Singapore’s water sector has experienced continued growth in the past years with technology as a key driver, adding S$ 300 million (EUR 200.5 million) in annual value-add and 400 jobs since 2016, demonstrating a robust water ecosystem and anchoring Singapore as a leading global hydrohub. With over 200 water companies and more than 25 research institutes, the sector continues to attract investments, generating S$ 2.5 billion (EUR 1.7 billion) in annual value-add and 14,400 jobs to date. With cumulative funding of S$ 670 million from the National Research Foundation (NRF) since 2006, the industry is well on track to meet its targets of S$ 2.85 billion (EUR 1.9 billion) in value add, and 15,000 jobs by 2020.20
The sector is now well positioned as a living lab to test-bed innovative and sustainable solutions in an urban setting. Together with global players, like GE Water, Black & Veatch, Evoqua, CH2M Hill, Xylem, PWN Technologies, Veolia, and others, SMEs in the sector play a vital and unique role, channelling new innovations and pushing the
boundaries of technology and solutions. With support More than S$ 700 million from SPRING Singapore and other government (EUR 431.6 million) has been committed by the government to fund R&D, agencies, many local companies are steadily growing manpower development and groom into key players in global value chains, and many Singapore-based enterprises in water and environment technologies industry. others are already considered industry pioneers. Companies operating in Singapore have developed
18 www.straitstimes.com/singapore/26-million-pub-fund-for-water-intensive-companies-to-adopt-on-site-water-solutions 19 www.stengg.com/en/newsroom/news-releases/pub-and-st-engineering-collaborate-to-develop-smarter-more-efficient-water-infrastructure-systems/ 20 www.pub.gov.sg/Documents/SGWA_Alumni_Issue4_Aug2018_Media_Factsheet.pdf
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both horizontally and vertically integrated services and technical expertise in areas of water technology, waste and waste water treatment, clean air, soil remediation, waste-to-energy conversion, consulting and engineering services.
As a sign of the attractivity and dynamism of Singapore, US Water technology provider Xylem announced in January 2020 that it is expanding its regional headquarters in Singapore with the launch of a new multi-disciplinary centre for water, wastewater and energy technologies, supported by its ongoing partnership with PUB. This centre will comprise a new technology hub focusing on developing technologies for water distribution and wastewater treatment. This also demonstrates PUB’s capacity to develop partnerships with global water companies such as Xylem and ST Engineering. 21
With strong government, industry and infrastructure support, Singapore is becoming a prime location for European companies in a growing water and environment technologies market (see section 5.3 Useful Statistics for additional data on water and environmental technologies import/export). Singapore’s main challenge now is to build on this success by encouraging more environmental and water technology innovation to stimulate an innovative and sustainable economic growth.
3.1.2 Government Policies and Incentives
Singapore was the first ASEAN country to create a ministry dedicated to environmental protection. The government has taken a proactive stance towards environmental protection to ensure that the country has a clean and green living environment.
The government has encouraged the integration of environmental factors in all developmental processes. Its strategy in the environmental field lies on the cooperation between several ministries and government agencies, as well as on its international positioning, the development of innovative technologies (capability development), and the promotion of an industrial cluster.
21 www.businesstimes.com.sg/energy-commodities/us-water-tech-firm-xylem-expands-hq-in-singapore
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More than 78,000 professionals and 1,700 companies operate in the cleaning and waste management sectors in Singapore.22 In a response to a growing demand for environmental services and manpower constraint, the government in December 2017 launched the Environmental Services Industry Transformation Map (ES ITM), which aims to achieve a Zero Waste vision and a clean and liveable Singapore. The ES ITM is expected to provide many opportunities for technology collaboration and adaptation across the cleaning and waste management sectors. The ES ITM has outlined 33 initiatives across 12 strategies to transform the environmental services industry. These strategies are grouped under 4 broad categories:
◼ Driving innovation and wider technology adoption
◼ Upskilling the workforce to take on better jobs
◼ Improving productivity through better procurement practices
◼ Capturing value overseas
Driving Innovation and Wider Technology Adoption
NEA will be engaging with its partners to identify key challenges and capability development opportunities for technology solutions. To encourage greater use of technology and automation to increase overall productivity, funding schemes that facilitate the development and deployment of innovative and smart technologies in water and environment sectors will be available to domestic and international companies.23 For instance, the S$ 30 million (EUR 20 million) productivity solutions grant (PSG) was launched in September 2018 and will run until 31 January 2020 for the environmental services (ES) industry. It is aimed at encouraging companies to adopt and scale up commercially available and proven ES technologies (i.e. ready-to-go solutions) to increase operational efficiency and productivity. It is applicable to SMEs, multinational corporations, as well as building/facility owners looking to adopt equipment/digital solutions that mechanise waste management and cleaning tasks, as well as robotic, automation and
22 www.spring.gov.sg/developing-industries/cleantech/pages/cleantech-services.aspx 23 www.spring.gov.sg/developing-industries/cleantech/pages/cleantech-services.aspx /docs/default-source/default-document-library/annex-f---factsheet-on-funding-schemes.pdf
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autonomous systems which will potentially have a greater impact on the level of productivity in the environmental services industry24.
NEA will also continue to engage the industry to prototype, pilot and profile environmental solutions through the INCUBATE (Innovating and Curating Better Automation and Technologies for Environmental Services) initiative,25 which embodies the partnership between the technology providers and service providers, premise owners and the government to collectively innovate and curate better technologies, solutions and innovations for the environmental services industry. Additionally, NEA will be working with the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) on the Smart Facility Management initiative, which aims to transform the environmental services industry through the use of Internet of Things, robotics, data analytics and other emerging technologies, to ensure a well-maintained built-in environment. Furthermore, together with Workforce Singapore (WSG), NEA will continue the engagements with the industry through job redesign clinics to raise awareness on scalable and ready solutions in order to promote wider adoption of innovative technologies. It will additionally explore alternative technology procurement models (such as leasing) with equipment suppliers and service buyers, instead of buying of cleaning and waste management equipment. Finally, it will explore opportunities to encourage service buyers to procure technology equipment instead of relying on their service providers.
Upskilling the Workforce to Take on Better Jobs
Working with the Future Economy Council’s Built Environment Cluster Sub-committee, NEA will continue to work with partners to facilitate and encourage care for the environment, “self-service”, and a waste minimisation mindset. To facilitate job redesign and promote greater adoption of technology, NEA will continue working with Workforce Singapore (WSG), the industry and solution providers to facilitate and drive adoption of scalable and ready job redesign solutions. Companies looking to redesign job roles will be able to tap into funds from WSG’s WorkPro Job Redesign Grant to adopt solutions that will make the jobs of older workers easier, safer and smarter.26
24 https://www.nea.gov.sg/industry-transformation-map/productivity-solutions-grant-(psg) 25 More information on INCUBATE initiative: http://www.nea.gov.sg/docs/default-source/default-document-library/annex-b---factsheet-on- incubate-for-environmental-services-industry.pdf 26 More info on WSG’s WorkPro Job Redesign grant: www.wsg.gov.sg/programmes-and-initiatives/wsg-workpro-employers.html
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Improving Productivity through Better Procurement Practices
NEA will continue working with the Ministry of Finance, government agencies and industry stakeholders to develop a Guide on Specifications for an Outcome-based Cleaning Contract which will serve as a reference for service buyers when drafting outcome-based contracts.27 Cleaning contracts typically have a duration of two years; this tends to discourage investment into machinery and technology as it is too short a period to enable service providers to realise a return on their investment. Based on the industry feedback that service buyers tend to award contracts based on price and not on quality or productivity, NEA has issued recommended guidelines on minimum contract duration and enhanced contract specification to encourage technology adoption and outcome-based cleaning contracting.28
Capturing Value Overseas
NEA will continue to help profile the environmental industry’s capabilities through engagement with overseas counterparts, as well as international projects. In addition, it will support environmental companies and associations in their various overseas business trips to source for technology or to promote their capabilities in international platforms and events. Moreover, it will work with SPRING Singapore and IE Singapore to enhance enterprise capabilities and drive the adoption of internationally-benchmarked standards, to help more companies capture overseas market opportunities. Finally, it will be working with companies that have developed solutions translatable to other cities and are gearing for overseas expansion to identify the right markets to enter.
As a result of these initiatives, the Singapore government is expected to play a pivotal and facilitating role in expanding and meeting the environmental sustainability needs by providing market growth avenues, spotting technology opportunities and encouraging companies to develop and exploit those opportunities. The country’s good ties with other nations in the region, and globally, through formal bilateral linkages and joint programmes to promote interests and
27 More info on Guide on Specifications for Outcome-based Cleaning Contract can be found here: https://www.nea.gov.sg/docs/default- source/default-document-library/sme-centre-@-smcci_nea-workshop-14-august-2019---sharing-on-raising-standards-for-cleaning-industry.pdf 28 www.nea.gov.sg/docs/default-source/default-document-library/guide1bd7a53cb55740848fb846e7013fe097.pdf
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awareness on environmental technology, along with the vast amount of areas and opportunities in the industry, offer enormous growth potential for the water and environmental industry in Singapore.
3.1.3 Lead Agencies
Water and environment sectors in Singapore are under the purview of the Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment (MSE) (previously known as the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources), which is tasked to ensure a clean, sustainable environment and water supply for Singapore. MSE comprises seven divisions, of which the Water Policy Division is responsible for formulating policies to provide a reliable and high-quality water supply, manage flood risk and drainage planning, and manage water demand in Singapore. The Environmental Policy Division reviews, formulates and implements strategies for the protection and enhancement of Singapore’s environment.29
Together with its two statutory boards, the National Environment Agency (NEA) and Public Utilities Board (PUB), MSE manages Singapore’s limited resources and addresses Singapore’s environmental sustainability challenges through innovation, partnerships and cooperation across the 3P sectors – private, public and people:
◼ The NEA is the government agency responsible for maintaining high standards of public health, improving and sustaining a clean environment, providing timely and reliable weather information, and promoting resource efficiency and conservation in collaboration with its partners and the community. The key programmes that underpin NEA’s mission include: pollution control, solid waste management, energy efficiency, radiation protection & nuclear safety, prevention and control of vector-borne diseases, public hygiene and cleanliness, management of hawker centres, meteorological services, 3P (People, Public and Private) Partnerships, and environmental training.
◼ The PUB is the national water agency managing Singapore’s water supply, water catchment and used water in an integrated way. The PUB regulates and oversees Singapore’s entire water
29 The other five divisions are: (a) the Corporate Development Division; (b) the Energy and Climate Policy Division; (c) the International Policy Division; (d) the Communications & 3P Partnerships Network Division; and (e) the Futures and Planning Division.
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supply system which comprises the water catchment systems, imported water, NEWater, desalinated water, drainage systems, water reclamation plants and sewage systems.
3.1.4 Key Associations
Singapore Water Association (SWA) aims to play the key role in efforts to promote Singapore as a one-stop centre for all water- related services and as a water technology hub. Formed in 2004, the association presently has a membership of 254 members. Members comprise companies, institutions and individuals, ranging from system integrators, consultancy & engineering services, testing & analytical services, equipment suppliers, water treatment chemicals and membrane manufacturers to legal firms and academic institutions, which are active in the water industry, are registered in Singapore, or have a strong presence in Singapore. SWA provides a forum for industry collaboration and an arena for networking as well as promotion of new business opportunities and technologies. It also publishes a bimonthly newsletter aimed at informing on developments within the water industry in Singapore.
Waste Management & Recycling Association of Singapore (WMRAS) was set up in 2011 to promote the interests of its approximately 130 members, which include general waste collectors and recycling companies. The WMRAS also seeks to upgrade and professionalise the industry as well as work with the government and community to promote recycling. The association seeks to achieve its objectives through the organisation of trade exhibitions, professional sharing and business networking/ matching sessions, and overseas business trips. In 2015, WMRAs, a member of the International Solid Waste Association, established the Asia Pacific Waste and Environmental Alliance to promote closer collaboration between its member-companies and their counterparts in the region.
Singapore Environment Council (SEC) is an independently managed, non-profit and non-governmental organisation, which aims to influence thinking on sustainability issues and coordinate environmental efforts in Singapore. SEC engages all sectors of the
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community by formulating and executing a range of holistic programmes, such as Singapore Environmental Achievement Awards, School Green Awards, Singapore Green Labelling Scheme, and others. SEC also forms partnerships with the public and private sectors to develop awareness, knowledge, skills and tools in order to protect and improve Singapore’s environment for a sustainable future.
Environmental Management Association of Singapore (EMAS) was established in 1986 by service providers contract, waste management and pest control industries. EMAS aims to provide a cohesive platform for companies in the environmental industry to raise the professionalism of the industry and to address the common concerns of environmental and hygienic services. Since its inception, EMAs has organised various activities such as seminars, mission trips, trainings, and others, to promote and expand the interest of its members and the industry. EMAS also disseminates information and industry updates which are useful for both business and professional development. Its key objectives are to promote and expand the trade and manufacture of environmental services, address environmental industry concerns, promote technical knowledge and skills and create strategic alliances amongst its members, government agencies and overseas organisations.
3.1.5 Entry Strategies
Being a regional hub with modern infrastructure and educated labour force, many of the companies in the water and environmental sector find it appealing to set up a direct presence in Singapore. Its geographical advantage and role as an active trade partner also makes Singapore an ideal launch-pad for regional growth. Prior to establishing a direct presence in the country, European water and environmental sector companies may test the Singapore market through:
◼ Partnerships
◼ Joint Ventures
◼ Tendering Opportunities
◼ Test-bedding and R&D Collaboration
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◼ Collaborations with Singapore Government Agencies or Research Centres of Excellence
◼ Tradeshows
Partnerships
International companies are being attracted by the huge potential of the South East Asian market, and Singapore is increasingly playing the role of a gateway and springboard to the region. This trend spurs local water and environment sector players in Singapore to seek collaborations with foreign companies in order to provide customers with a wider range of choices and brands.
To enter the market, European companies may find it useful to have local partners that can provide access to the domestic market, reduce labour costs, and provide immediate on-site assistance to customers, as well as liaise with customers. European water and environmental technologies companies can access SiTF’s database of members to find potential business partners or vendors.
Joint Ventures
Foreign companies operating in Singapore are not required to take on joint venture partners except in the few restricted industries (financial services, professional services and media). Despite this, European water and environmental technology companies may find it advantageous to enter joint ventures as this can expand distribution capacity. Local service providers can assist with providing after-sales repair and maintenance services. This may also be a popular option for European companies seeking to gauge their solutions’ potential in the wider South East Asian market.
Tendering Opportunities
European water and environmental technology companies can sell their products, solutions and services in Singapore through direct submission of tenders to local government agencies. Foreign companies are usually allowed to bid for tenders, if this is not the case it will be clearly stated. All government tenders can be found on the Singapore government official procurement website (www.gebiz.com.sg). Government procurement needs vary and range from simple low-value purchases to complex multi-million-dollar construction contracts and technology projects.
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Test-bedding and R&D Collaboration
Singapore positions itself as a ‘Living Lab’, by allowing A number of foreign companies, local and foreign companies to test bed their technologies both established players and using the country’s state-of-the-art national infrastructure, start-ups, have successfully entered the market by such as its water reclamation and waste-to-energy plants. collaborating with Singapore This is to facilitate the development, testing and government agencies or research commercialisation of innovative solutions. Centres of Excellence.
The number of research & development (R&D) projects undertaken by Singapore has increased steadily over the years. This approach benefits the country as it allows it to harness the best technologies and solutions introduced by the companies. Companies also benefit from using Singapore as a reference market to develop and sharpen their solutions before scaling up to markets in Asia and the rest of the world.
A number of foreign companies, both established players and start-ups, have successfully entered the market by collaborating closely with various Singapore government agencies, or research Centres of Excellence (CoE) to research, develop, test-bed and demonstrate commercial viability of their solutions.
The key government agencies that are active in water and environment sector in Singapore are the Public Utilities Board and the National Environmental Agency. Several leading agencies for industrial collaboration offer grants and facilities to accommodate research and development activities in these sectors to both local and international collaborators, including the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), the Economic Development Board (EDB), and the National Research Foundation (NRF).
In addition, to develop future-oriented solutions in meeting environment and water needs, Singapore has set up publicly-funded research Centres of Excellence at the Nanyang Technological University (NTU) and the National University of Singapore (NUS), which also offer opportunities for collaboration.
◼ The Nanyang Environment & Water Research Institute at NTU comprises 4 CoE, which spearhead research in membranes, modelling and waste. The institute is gaining traction as the most comprehensive and integrated environment and water research institute in the world.
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◼ NUS Environmental Research Institute is the NUS’ point-of-contact for industry and institutions for environmental and water research. The institute brings together researchers and expertise from across NUS.
◼ NUSDeltares is a platform which brings together best-in-class researchers from the NUS and leading Dutch applied research institute Deltares to address challenges in Urban Water Management, Climate Adaptation and High Density Living from catchment to coast.
Tradeshows
Specialised tradeshows and exhibitions can also serve as a springboard for interested international companies to build prospective business relationships. There are several annual tradeshows in Singapore, which companies can consider as a gateway for developing business- to-business collaborations.
Singapore International Water Week 2020: Leveraging Singapore’s position as a global business hub and marketplace for green solutions, the biennial Singapore International Water Week brings together international policymakers, industry leaders, experts and practitioners (24,000+ participants from more than 110 countries) to address challenges, showcase technologies, discover opportunities, and celebrate achievements. S$ 23 billion (EUR 15.4 billion) worth of business announcements were made (projects awarded, tenders, investments and R&D collaborations) during the event in 2018, making it an ideal platform to bring self-tested advanced water treatment technologies and solutions to the market. The SIWW 2019, strongly focused on industrial water solutions as companies are realising the risks that water poses to their business sustainability (experts estimated that only 4-8% of industry wastewater is recycled and reused whilst it accounts for 19% of worldwide water consumption)30. The Water Week in Singapore will next take place on 5-9 July 2020.
CleanEnviro Summit Singapore (CESS) 2020 will be the fifth biennial event organised by the National Environment Agency
30 www.eco-business.com/news/global-thirst-a-spotlight-on-water-in-industry/
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and held in conjunction with the World Cities Summit and the Singapore International Water Week. It is the global platform for industry and government leaders to identify, develop and share practical, replicable and scalable solutions to address environmental challenges in the context of the waste-water-energy nexus in tomorrow’s cities. CESS 2020 will deep-dive into five streams, namely, waste management, cleaning, pest management, sustainable energy, and pollution control. In-depth discussions and the sharing of best practices will be facilitated through business forums and high-level plenaries, while the Innovation Pitch will showcase the latest innovations in environmental technology and solutions.
3.1.6 Challenges & Entry Barriers
Singapore is a prime destination for European Environment & Water Technologies companies seeking opportunities in the South East Asia region: the country has a world-class environmental infrastructure, educated labour force, and a supportive government. Singapore is also part of the ASEAN Economic Community, a regional economic block which is in the process of integration to create a unified market and production base via a free flow of goods and services, foreign direct investment, skilled labour, and capital. Singapore being a global hub for technology and trade can also market its products and services to the 630 million people in the ASEAN region. Furthermore, Singapore is a relatively open market economy, and it is less challenging to set up business and operate in the country than in other markets within the region.
Additionally, European companies could benefit from the EU-Singapore FTA that came into force in November 2019 to gain access to Singapore’s thriving environment and water industries. The fact that the FTA is the first one to focus on green growth is also an opportunity to harness support from governments.
However, European companies should keep in mind that some challenges are present as well. The key obstacle would be the higher cost of operating a business in the country, in comparison to other ASEAN markets. Other issues range from the relatively small size of the market with a dominance of multinational corporations to Singapore’s tight labour market, as the government has moderated the growth of the foreign workforce.
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3.2 Fresh Water Supply
3.2.1 Market Overview
Water Demand & Supply
With limited land to collect and store rainwater, Singapore faced drought, floods and water pollution in the early years of nation building. These challenges inspired Singapore to define strategies and seek innovative ideas to develop capabilities and secure a sustainable supply of water. Today, Singapore Singapore is on its way to has a robust and diversified supply of water known as the being self-sufficient for ‘Four National Taps’: Water from Local Catchment, Imported its water needs by 2061. Water, highly-purified reclaimed water known as NEWater and Desalinated Water.
The country is well on its way to being self-sufficient for its water needs by 2061, which is when the current 99-year bilateral water agreement with Malaysia expires.31 The Agreement permits Singapore to draw a maximum of 1.136 billion litres of raw water a day from the Johor River. However, concerns over the water levels at Johor’s Linggiu Reservoir, which are at a historic low, the increasing levels of pollutants in its water as well as occasional bilateral spats with Malaysia, which sometimes end in threats to turn off the tap, have encouraged Singapore to develop an innovative integrated water management approach.
As a sign of rising tensions, Malaysia announced in September 2019 that it will submit a revised price for raw water sales to Singapore, as Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad's government described the raw water prices as “manifestly ridiculous”. In response, Singapore’s Prime Minister has agreed to submit the dispute to arbitration, should negotiations fail.32
31 www.pub.gov.sg/watersupply 32 https://asia.nikkei.com/Editor-s-Picks/Interview/Malaysia-to-propose-new-water-tariff-to-Singapore
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Water demand in Singapore currently stands at about 1,955 million litres a day that is enough to fill 782 Olympic-sized swimming pools, with 45% of the demand originating from homes at 148 litres/capita/day, while the non-domestic sector takes up the remaining 55%.33
In its quest for a diversified and sustainable fresh water supply, Singapore has turned its attention to developing its local water catchment areas and reservoirs. It is looking at various challenges, such as protection of its coastal reservoirs from rising sea levels as well as comprehensive storm water management implementation. The country is also increasingly reliant on desalination of seawater to augment its supply of fresh water.
Figure 8: Singapore’s Current & Expected Water Demand, 2017-2060 Source: PUB
By 2060, Singapore expects its total water demand to almost double, with the non-domestic sector accounting for about 70%.34 By then, fresh water from its catchment areas together with desalination are expected to meet up to 85% of Singapore’s demand for water (the remaining 15% is expected to be met from water reclamation – see Section 3.3).35
Singapore’s Budget 2020 introduced a new Housing and Development Board (HDB) Green Towns Programme, a 10-year plan to make HDB towns more sustainable and livable by 2030.36 It will focus on reducing energy consumption, recycling rainwater, and cooling HDB towns. In 2019, HDB started piloting the Urban Water Harvesting System (UWHS) at two new housing
33 www.straitstimes.com/forum/letters-on-the-web/domestic-sectors-water-price-rise-should-be-lower-than-non-domestic 34 www.straitstimes.com/business/economy/pub-launches-3-requests-for-proposals-for-solutions-to-boost-water-treatment 35 www.pub.gov.sg/watersupply/singaporewaterstory 36 https://www.hdb.gov.sg/cs/infoweb/press-releases/joint-mnd-hdb-press-release-rejuvenating-and-greening-hdb-towns
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estates to collect rainwater for non-potable uses like washing common areas.37 The UWHS collects rainwater and stores it in an underground harvesting tank. The harvested rainwater is treated before being recycled for washing of common areas and irrigation. In this way, the use of potable water (drinking water) for washing of common areas and irrigation can be reduced by more than 50%. Under the Green Towns Programme, the pilot will be scaled up to more precincts.
Local Catchment Water
Water from local catchment has been one of the key pillars of Singapore’s sustainable water supply. However, unpredictable weather patterns – unusually higher temperatures and lower rainfall – in recent years have reduced the main source of water to Singapore’s 17 fresh water reservoirs.38 Since 2011, Singapore has worked towards increasing its water catchment area from half to two-thirds of its land surface, which has been achieved with the completion of the Marina, Punggol and Serangoon Reservoirs. This makes Singapore one of the few countries in the world to harvest urban storm water on a large scale for potable consumption. PUB actively tracks the raw water quality in its reservoirs through sampling and online sensors.39 The Marina Reservoir alone, the island’s most urbanised catchment, can meet about 10% of Singapore’s water needs.40 The Marina Barrage is a dam built across the Marina Channel to create a freshwater reservoir. It is Singapore's first urban freshwater reservoir – at 10,000 ha, or one-sixth of Singapore land size – to provide desalinated water to meet the country's growing demand.
37 https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/rainwater-to-be-harvested-at-two-new-housing-estates 38 www.straitstimes.com/singapore/environment/singapores-water-supply-where-does-it-come-from 39 www.pub.gov.sg/watersupply/fournationaltaps/localcatchmentwater 40 www.seisakukikaku.metro.tokyo.jp/gaimubu/anmc21/anmc21org/english/bestpractice/Singapore9.html
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Figure 9: The Marina Barrage Source: PUB
The barrage was designed using a system comprising gates and pumps. It has nine steel crest gates spanning the 350-metre-wide Marina Channel, and seven drainage pumps capable of displacing a combined total of 280 cubic metres of water per second.
There is a distinction between protected and unprotected catchments, however evolutions in water treatment technologies have made it possible for water from unprotected catchments to be collected and treated for potable use. Developments are limited to residential developments and non-pollutive industries near unprotected catchments. In addition, stringent pollution control is required and industries that involve toxic and hazardous substances are not allowed within both protected and unprotected catchments.41
41 www.pub.gov.sg/Documents/Development_of_local_catchments.pdf
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Water Treatment Plants
Raw water from various sources is conveyed by pipelines to the waterworks (8 Public Utilities Board water treatment plants) where it is chemically treated, filtered and disinfected.42 Most treatment plants use chemical coagulation and rapid gravity filtration to remove suspended particulate matter in the raw water. At Chestnut Avenue and Choa Chu Kang Waterworks, the suspended particles are also removed by membrane filtration. The filtered water is disinfected with chlorine before going through a series of water quality tests and piped to customers.
Figure 10: Aerial View of the Choa Chu Kang Waterworks Source: Dutch Water Sector
The quality of treated drinking water is strictly regulated by the Environmental Public Health Regulations and exceeds standards set by the World Health Organisation. Samples of water from all water sources, at various stages of treatment at all waterworks, treated water from all service reservoirs, as well as selected points of distribution networks are collected for laboratory testing on a periodic basis.43
Additionally, the 3-year upgrade of one of Singapore's oldest water treatment plants was completed in 2019, at a total cost of S$ 162 million (EUR 108.3 million). The Choa Chu Kang
42 www.pub.gov.sg/watersupply/singaporewaterstory 43 www.pub.gov.sg/watersupply/watertreatment
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Waterworks is now more energy- and cost- efficient and was officially re-opened by the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Masagos Zulkifli in August 2019.44
Desalinated Water
As Singapore is surrounded by sea, the country has turned to desalination to support its water demand. Desalinated water from its three existing desalination plants currently meets 30% of Singapore’s water demand with a combined capacity of 130 mgd. Three more desalination plants will be ready by 2020 and desalinated water is expected to still meet up to 30% of Singapore’s growing water needs by 2060.45
Figure 11: The SingSpring Desalination Plant in Tuas Source: PUB Singapore opened its first desalination plant in 2005. The SingSpring Desalination Plant, one of Asia’s largest seawater reverse-osmosis (SWRO) desalination plants, produces 136 million litres of water a day to meet about 10% of the country’s water needs. The SingSpring plant was PUB’s first public-private partnership (PPP) project, where SingSpring Ltd was appointed to design, build, own and operate (DBOO) the plant and supply water to PUB over a 20-year period.46
44 www.straitstimes.com/singapore/environment/upgrade-for-one-of-spore-oldest-water-treatment-plants-making-it-worlds 45 https://www.pub.gov.sg/watersupply/fournationaltaps/desalinatedwater 46 www.pub.gov.sg/watersupply/fournationaltaps/desalinatedwater
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Singapore’s second and largest SWRO desalination plant, the Tuaspring Desalination Plant, was opened in September 2013. With a capacity of 318 million litres of desalinated water per day, the Tuaspring Desalination Plant marked another major step in Singapore’s journey towards water sustainability. Hyflux Ltd., a Singapore-based leading desalination solutions-provider, built the plant using the same DBOO model. The plant uses Hyflux’s proprietary Kristal® ultrafiltration membrane technology for the desalination pre-treatment process, and holds the distinction of having one of the largest ultrafiltration pre-treatment membrane installations in the world.
In November 2015, PUB announced that HSL Constructor Pte Ltd., a regional player in the marine civil engineering sector, won the tender to design and build Singapore’s third desalination plant at Tuas, with its competitive bid of S$ 217 million (EUR 145 million).47 The plant, which is the first one to be owned and operated by PUB, was opened in 2018. Tuas Desalination Plant is the first in Singapore to use advanced pre-treatment technology, a combination of dissolved air-flotation and ultrafiltration. The desalination plant is also fitted with solar panels, with more than half of the total roof area covered by solar panels.
In January 2017, Keppel Infrastructure Holdings Pte Ltd. won the bid to build Singapore’s fourth desalination plant under the DBOO model. Located at Marina East, the plant is expected to be operational in 2020. Planned with a capacity of 136 million litres of fresh water per day, the plant will help meet future water demand in the city area and strengthen Singapore’s drought resilience.
The plant will be the first in Singapore with the ability to treat two different sources of water: seawater from the Singapore Straits and freshwater from the Marina Reservoir, by using reverse osmosis and other advanced membrane technology.48 Keppel Seghers Pte Ltd. will undertake the turnkey construction and commissioning of the project while Keppel Infrastructure Services Pte Ltd. will operate the plant for 25 years.
47 www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/hsl-constructor-to-build-singapore-s-third-desalination-plant-in-8230638 48 www.iesingapore.gov.sg/Media-Centre/News/2016/12/Keppel-to-build-S-pore-s-fourth-desalination-plant-in-Marina-East
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Figure 12: Design Model of the Keppel Marina East Desalination Plant Source: Keppel
Finally, the PUB awarded the Tuas Power – Singapore Technologies Marine Consortium (TP-STM) the contract for its fifth desalination plant on Jurong Island in September 2017.49
The Jurong plant is expected to start operations in 2020 and add 30 million gallons of water per day to the national supply. The company will supply desalinated water over a 25-year period. The seawater reverse-osmosis desalination plant will be co-located with Tuas Power’s existing Tembusu Multi-Utilities Complex to derive synergies in resources, such as seawater intake and outfall structures, and energy from the in-plant generation facilities.50
Groundwater
In Singapore’s case, the amount of total groundwater reserves is unknown, and the resource remains untapped. In March 2014, PUB formed a team of international experts to advise it on ground water studies. It also carried out exploratory studies to see if Singapore’s groundwater could be extracted for use on a regular basis, or to serve as “water banks” for drought periods on Jurong Island.51 The PUB is now working on ground water models, and the data collected from its new efforts will help validate these models.
49 http://sbr.com.sg/building-engineering/more-news/tp-stm-win-bid-singapores-fifth-desalination-plant 50 www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/tuas-power-st-marine-5th-desalination-plant-jurong-island-9255100 51 www.straitstimes.com/singapore/environment/pub-to-widen-monitoring-of-groundwater
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Jurong Island (which sits on the Jurong rock formation) is a 32 km2 man-made island along the south west coast of the Republic of Singapore, formed from the amalgamation of seven offshore islands since the 1980s through a series of land reclamation projects. Jurong Island is still expanding and currently accommodates around 100 companies for the petroleum, petrochemical and chemical industry. The water demand for these industries is currently largely dependent on the import of fresh water from mainland Singapore; however, in time Jurong Island wants to meet its own industrial water demand. The studies and projects initiated by PUB will help ascertain if groundwater at Jurong Island has the required quality and which quantities can be extracted in a sustainable way, without causing an undesired rise of the saltwater interface and subsidence of the developed area.
Figure 13: Jurong Island Source: TODAY
While monitoring groundwater levels across the Jurong Formation with its 18 monitoring wells, the PUB announced in May 2016 its plans to install additional 30-40 wells and sensors in the Old Alluvium formation in eastern Singapore, as well as on Jurong Island, to test groundwater systems.52
Local Players
Keppel Corporation is a leading provider of environmental solutions and services ranging from consultancy, design and engineering, technology and construction to operations and maintenance for large-scale environmental projects. In 2016, the company won the competitive
52 www.straitstimes.com/singapore/environment/pub-to-widen-monitoring-of-groundwater
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bid by PUB to design, build, own and operate Singapore’s fourth desalination plant, which is expected to be operational in 2020.
UES Holdings Pte Ltd. is one of Singapore’s leading environmental engineering companies. With decades of specialised knowledge and a vast project track record, it is one of the key water companies in Singapore, a recognised plant developer and turnkey engineering company. Headquartered in Singapore, it has presence across Asia. Over the years, the company has amassed a steadily-growing portfolio of water-related projects in Singapore and abroad, including the construction of Liquids Module 1 of CWPR, upgrading works at Chestnut Avenue Waterworks, and the DBOO contract for second Changi NEWater plant.
Figure 14: Changi NEWater Plant Source: waterwastewaterasia.com
UES is capable of undertaking projects on an EPC, DBO and DBOO basis, with a complete range of services from design, engineering, procurement, construction, installation, testing and commissioning to operation and maintenance.
Ceraflo Pte Ltd. is a Singapore-based company which manufactures low-cost high-quality ceramic membranes for water and waste water filtration. It develops, designs and manufactures its own ceramic membranes to market individually or together with other components of the water treatment systems. The ceramic membrane filtration system is applicable for the treatment of
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water and waste water in consumer, industrial and municipal markets. It is the first Asian company outside Japan to manufacture such ceramic membrane multi-channel plates in large quantities.
Memstar Technology Ltd. is a manufacturer and supplier of polyvinylidene fluoride hollow fibre membrane, membrane products and integrated membrane systems service. Its product offering includes pressurised and submerged membrane modules, skids and integrated membrane systems, which are used in water and waste water treatment, water reclamation, seawater desalination, food, pharmaceutical, chemical, power generation, petroleum, bio-separation and other separation processes. In 2016, it has invested S$ 25 million (EUR 16.7 million) in its new international headquarters, membrane Research & Development (R&D) centre and highly automated manufacturing facility at Kian Teck Drive, Singapore, to meet the increase in demand for membrane-based water solutions. With the completion of the new plant, which is supported by the Singapore Economic Development Board, Memstar will double the production capacity of its patented 3rd generation Thermally Induced Phase Separation membranes to 10 million metres per annum.53 It will also act as a test bed for lab innovations, enabling faster commercialisation of products.
WateRoam is a Singapore start-up that designs potable water filtration systems for use in disaster relief operations and rural communities without access to clean drinking water. Established in 2014, the ACE Start-ups grant recipient has designed and developed a portable water filter bag, called ROAMfilter Lite, that filters dirty water, such as river water, through a membrane turning it into drinkable water.
53 www.edb.gov.sg/en/our-industries/case-studies/memstar.html
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Figure 15: WateROAM Technology Source: SPRING Singapore
In 2015, the company developed a larger version of the same device, called ROAMfilter Plus, that weighs four kilograms and can produce up to 250 litres of clean drinking water per hour. Since 2014, WateROAM has provided clean water to more than 15,000 people in Cambodia, Myanmar, Nepal, Indonesia, and Malaysia. Recently it partnered with World Vision Malaysia to conduct product trials in selected Malaysian villages with poor access to clean water.
3.2.2 EU Opportunities
Opportunities for EU companies exist across various areas. Some of the notable entry points are:
◼ Protection of coastal reservoirs
◼ Development of new technologies in water treatment, desalination & NEWater recovery
◼ Test-bedding of water technologies
◼ Deployment of solar energy at catchment areas and plants
◼ Storm water management and drainage system upgrades
◼ Smart flood management systems
◼ Protection of water quality
◼ Equipment replacement at plants and enhancement of pipelines
◼ Groundwater extraction
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◼ ABC Waters Programme
◼ Enhancing Energy Efficiency in Water Treatment through Technology Translation
◼ Maintenance and repair of new and used water infrastructure
Protection of Coastal Reservoirs
Singapore has nine estuarine reservoirs near the sea, including Marina, Serangoon, Punggol, Lower Seletar, Kranji, Tengeh, Poyan, Murai and Sarimbun reservoirs. These reservoirs have been constructed by building dams at the mouth of the rivers to ensure creation of freshwater bodies and flushing out of the salty water over time.54 The dams and dykes built for the reservoirs ensure that seawater cannot enter the fresh water storage reservoirs. Two other reservoirs, the Pandan reservoir and Jurong Lake, are connected to the sea by canals. Experts say that rising sea levels could have a devastating effect on Singapore, as 30% of the island lies less than 5 metres above the mean sea level.55
As a result, PUB is currently looking at ways to protect Singapore’s coastal reservoir structures from rising sea levels. In 2016, it has called for bids for an engineering study to identify possible measures to ensure the structural integrity for 11 of the country’s coastal reservoir structures including dams, tidal gates, dykes and spillways. This is intended to determine whether they would be able to withstand the sea level rises as projected by the 2nd National Climate Change Study conducted by Centre for Climate Research Singapore. PUB is seeking solutions for possible adaptation measures, including raising of tidal gates, installation of buffer beams and measures to retrofit the tidal gates structures. Current efforts to protect coastal areas from erosion include the construction of walls and stone embankments covering 70% to 80% of Singapore's coastline. Moreover, the Coastal Adaptation Study (CAS) was commissioned by the Building & Construction Authority (BCA) to assess the potential impacts of coastal inundation under possible climate
54 www.pub.gov.sg/news/pressreleases/20160127 55 www.gov.sg/news/content/today-online-pub-looking-to-guard-reservoirs-against-rising-seas
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change scenarios, and to study possible long-term adaptation measures. The Government is reviewing the findings of the CAS to develop long-term strategies to protect Singapore’s coasts.56
Development of New Technologies in Water Treatment, Desalination & NEWater Recovery
Singapore remains keen to adopt new, technological advancements in water treatment and has taken active steps to explore and utilise innovative technologies.57 In July 2017, for example, it launched a S$ 2.5 million (EUR 1.7 million) water research facility, which will focus on developing new technologies for desalination and the recycling of waste water.58 It has also inked two agreements with other countries to support its technology development and facilitate knowledge sharing in the water sector. The first agreement, signed between PUB and Saudi Arabia’s Saline Water Conversion Corporation (SWCC), will support research and innovation in areas such as desalination, leak detection and energy reduction. The second agreement, between PUB and Western Australia’s Water Corporation, will boost collaboration in the fields of urban water supply, waste water management and innovation.
In 2016, Singapore has also opened the Separation Technologies Applied Research and Translation (START) Centre. It is the first of its kind in the Asia-Pacific region and is expected to hasten the commercialisation of membrane technology for applications in desalination and waste water treatment.59 Companies working in collaboration with START will have access to comprehensive facilities for fabricating membranes, assembling them into complete systems and analysing their performance.
Among the emerging technologies, Singapore is looking particularly at electro-deionisation for desalination, which uses an electric field to “pull” salt from sea water, membrane distillation, variable-salinity plant (VSP) technologies, and biomimicry.60
PUB and United States-based Evoqua Water Technologies (formerly Siemens Water) have successfully piloted the electro-deionisation technology in 2010 to demonstrate an achievable
56 https://www.nccs.gov.sg/climate-change-and-singapore/adapting-to-climate-change/coastal-protection 57 www.straitstimes.com/singapore/new-membrane-tech-centre-to-boost-spores-water-security 58 www.straitstimes.com/singapore/environment/singapore-to-beef-up-research-into-water-technologies-with-international 59 www.straitstimes.com/singapore/new-membrane-tech-centre-to-boost-spores-water-security 60 www.pub.gov.sg/watersupply/fournationaltaps/desalinatedwater
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energy consumption of 1.65 kWh/m3 at a 50 m3/day pilot plant.61 Plans are now in place to further scale up the technology and demonstrate it at a 3,800 m3/day facility in Tuas. PUB is also cooperating with Keppel Seghers to utilise Memstill® technology, based on membrane distillation process. In addition, PUB is pioneering the VSP technology, which is at the testing stages in Singapore.62
Another exciting technology is based on biomimicry, or the mimicking of biological processes by which mangrove plants and euryhaline fish extract fresh water from seawater using small amount of energy. Nanyang Technological University’s Singapore Membrane Technology Centre was among the world’s first to create prototypes of a durable and aquaporin-based membrane for water reuse and desalination. The scientists’ invention outdid commercial reverse osmosis membranes for brackish water and seawater, and they are now refining their work. A new research area called synthetic water channels could also improve water separation and purification. PUB recently awarded three proposals on this new research area.63
Electrodialysis reversal-reverse osmosis (EDR-RO), which uses an electric field to remove charged pollutants from used water, is being additionally considered in Singapore as an alternative NEWater treatment technology to the currently used microfiltration, reverse osmosis and ultraviolet light. PUB, the National University of Singapore and US-based GE Water and Process Technologies are currently piloting this system at the Ulu Pandan Water Reclamation Plant.
Finally, twice a year, NEWater undergoes rigorous audit processes by an external audit panel comprising international experts in engineering, water chemistry, toxicology and microbiology.64
61 www.straitstimes.com/singapore/spore-at-the-front-line-of-water-innovation 62 www.waterworld.com/articles/wwi/print/volume-27/issue-2/international-show-review/biomimicry-desalination.html 63 PUB (2017). Our Water, our future. 64 www.pub.gov.sg/watersupply/fournationaltaps/newater
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Test-bedding of Water Technologies
To further enable test-bedding and R&D for desalination-related and other water technologies, PUB commissioned an R&D facility in Tuas in 2013, where desalination-related technologies, among other technologies, can be tested. Located next to the Tuaspring desalination plant, the facility receives three types of feed water, namely: seawater, ultrafiltration filtrate and SWRO brine from Tuaspring. It provides a location for PUB and its research partners to conduct a range of pilot and demonstration-scale studies in actual field conditions. Partners who are currently testing related technologies ranging from pre-treatment to membrane and desalination technologies include institutes of higher learning, such as the Nanyang Technological University, as well as private players such as Hitachi, GE Water & Process technologies and PWN Technologies. Another company, BASF’s subsidiary inge GmbH (Germany) is using the facility for a demonstration study of a novel ultrafiltration membrane.
Deployment of Solar Energy at Catchment Areas and Plants
Given that a significant amount of energy is needed to treat and produce water, PUB has been exploring the potential of tapping solar energy as a more sustainable and renewable source. In May 2015, PUB announced that it had completed the installation of 3,333 pieces of solar panels at the Choa Chu Kang Waterworks (CCKWW), and that these were sufficient to harness enough energy to meet about 7% of the plant’s daily energy needs for areas such as lighting and air conditioning.
In November 2015, WEnergy Global Pte-led consortium – consisting of SMS Consulting Engineers and Progressive Engineering & Management – was successful in its bid to win a tender to conduct a feasibility study on ways to deploy solar panels at PUB’s reservoirs. In October 2016, Singapore launched the world’s largest floating solar test-bed. The S$ 11 million (EUR 7.4 million) pilot of 10 photovoltaic systems at the Tengeh Reservoir was enough to power 250 four-room Housing and Development Board (HDB) flats for a year. In September 2017, PUB expanded its trials to test the feasibility of deploying floating solar energy panels on reservoirs and called for tenders for engineering
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and environmental studies for 50 MWp and 6.7 MWp floating solar photovoltaic systems in Tengeh Reservoir and Upper Pierce Reservoir, respectively.65
Figure 16: Tengeh Reservoir Solar System Source: Channel News Asia
Through this study, PUB is keen to explore how it can balance the installation of solar panels on water surface with other competing water activities at its reservoirs. It has recently announced that solar panels with a total capacity of 1.13 MWp will be deployed at Changi Water Reclamation Plant, Bedok Waterworks and WaterHub under the SolarNova programme, which is led by the Economic Development Board (EDB) and Housing Development Board (HDB). As a result, PUB welcomes companies with the know-how in this area.
Following these feasibility studies, PUB announced in June 2019 that it intends to deploy a 50 MWp floating solar photovoltaic (PV) system on the Tengeh Reservoir by 2021. According to PUB, the floating Tengeh system will reduce 28,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions every year that it is in operation – the equivalent to removing 6,000 cars off Singapore's roads. In addition, PUB announced that it awarded a tender for building two floating solar photovoltaic (PV) systems, which should be operational by mid-2020, at Bedok and Lower Seletar reservoirs to local construction and engineering group, BBR Greentech.66
65 www.todayonline.com/singapore/pub-extend-floating-solar-panel-trials-reservoirs 66 www.straitstimes.com/singapore/floating-solar-panel-systems-to-be-ready-at-2-reservoirs-next-year
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Storm Water Management and Drainage System Upgrades
Singapore, which regards storm water as a resource in the wrong place rather than just a problem to be managed, is leading the way in terms of collection and use of storm water.
It is one of the few countries in the world to PUB aims to make Singapore a 90% water harvest urban storm water on a large-scale for catchment area. This means that its water supply, using a vast network of drains, Singapore’s drainage system will be revamped, redesigned and refurbished rivers and canals, in addition to green roofs and continuously while new storm water storm water collection ponds. Rainwater is collection areas will be expanded. collected through this comprehensive network before it is treated for drinking water supply.
The government is a major customer of storm water management in Singapore. PUB aims to make Singapore a 90% water catchment area from the current two-thirds of the territory. This means that Singapore’s drainage system will be revamped, redesigned and refurbished continuously, with various entry points for storm water management companies. Another relevant public agency is the HDB, which is in charge of all public housing in Singapore. It has expressed interest in the integration of rain water harvesting systems with existing urban residential districts.
Smart Flood Management Systems
A challenge faced by Singapore is the inability of the current water drainage system in place to deal with exceptionally high rainfall situations, as seen from the multiple flash flood incidents in 2015. Between 2000 and 2015, economic damages resulting from floods in Singapore are estimated to be US$ 23.8 million (EUR 21.6 million).67 Low lying areas and sudden and excessive surges in precipitation on top of urban roads with surfaces that have poor absorption ability have made Singapore prone to flash flood incidents. As a result, Singapore is exploring solutions to implement smart flood management systems.
67 AON (2016). Flooding in Singapore: An Overview
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In November 2015, for example, the PUB announced that it was collaborating with A*STAR’s Institute for Infocomm Research to explore smarter ways to detect floods. They are deploying a trial system that uses image analytics technology to scan PUB CCTV footage in real-time and detect images with flood waters. This will complement PUB’s flood monitoring of about 170 CCTVs and 200 water level sensors, along with weather information, in the 24/7 PUB operations centre.
To enhance the robustness and detection accuracy of the system, real-time data from PUB’s network of water level sensors installed in major drains and canals, coupled with weather information will be utilised. For instance, when a nearby water level sensor detects rising water levels, the system will start to analyse the corresponding CCTV images. Subsequently, an alert will be triggered through an analytics dashboard to notify PUB officers when the system detects flood waters from the analysis.
Equipment Replacement at Plants and Enhancement of Pipelines
Singapore is also actively replacing old equipment at water treatment plants and enhancing its pipeline network. There are numerous opportunities for European companies to tap the competitive bids for construction of new, and enhancement of existing, water treatment systems. In 2018, Sanli Environmental Limited, a Singapore-based environmental engineering company, secured three new contracts worth a total of S$ 10 million (EUR 6.7 million). Existing tender opportunities can be found on PUB’s website: www.pub.gov.sg/tenders, and European companies are allowed to bid for projects on water infrastructure upgrades.
Ground Water Extraction
PUB is interested in the subterranean Jurong rock formation in western Singapore, which could hold water-bearing layers of rock called aquifers. It has installed 20 to 30 monitoring wells (about 5 cm wide and 10 m to 20 m deep) in western Singapore wants to know how much Singapore and has been monitoring the flow of water ground water is available, how much of it through them. The answers sought include where can be extracted safely and the rate of extraction that would allow rainfall here rainwater goes after it seeps into the ground, how to naturally replace the removed water. much of it goes vertically down into aquifers,
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and how much horizontal movement there is. This information will be useful when Singapore looks into how much water is available, how much of it can be extracted safely and the rate of extraction that would allow rainfall to naturally replace the removed water. It is seeking partnerships to further investigate groundwater potential in Singapore.
ABC Waters Programme
With its 17 reservoirs and about 8,000 km of waterways across more than 700 sq. km. of land, Singapore is keen to integrate the waterways with parks and gardens and harmonise its water features with the built environment. In 2006, it has launched the Active, Beautiful, Clean Waters (ABC Waters) programme to revamp its blue spaces from just functional assets to also beautiful spots for people to bond and have fun. More than 100 locations across Singapore have been identified as potential ABC Waters sites to be implemented by 2030, and 75 projects have received the ABC Waters Certification as of 2018.68
Recently opened projects include Kallang River (Upper Boon Keng to Sims Avenue) and Pang Sua Pond. Most projects integrate ABC Waters design features – green features such as rain gardens – to detain rainwater and treat it before it is discharged into the country’s waterways. Over the next years, Singapore is planning to complete more than 15 ABC Waters projects, which include Sungei Pandan Kechil, Kallang River (Bishan Road to Braddell Road) Sungei Pinang and Serangoon Reservoir. PUB will also review the ABC Waters Master Plan periodically to identify other potential sites.
Enhancing Energy Efficiency in Water Treatment through Technology Translation
PUB is inviting companies that can bring their proposed technology on energy efficiency enhancement in water treatment processes to market to submit their proposals for grant calls. In January 2018 it launched a grant proposal in the water treatment sector, which aims to reduce the energy consumption of desalination and NEWater through biomimicry. This involves exploring water channels or transporters that use very low energy, such as aquaporins derived from specific
68 www.pub.gov.sg/abcwaters/certification/certifiedprojects
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species of micro-organism, fish and mangrove plants, as well as synthetic channels, for incorporation into biomimetic membranes.69
Maintenance & Repair of the Water and Used Water Infrastructure In addition to the long-term protection of its new assets, Singapore is concerned about the maintenance and rehabilitation of ageing infrastructure. It has a comprehensive maintenance regime for all built facilities and infrastructure. Some of Singapore’s older water systems in particular lack the energy efficiency improvements that can make its systems more sustainable – PUB is looking to retrofit, improve, or replace these older systems.
Examples of some tenders that have been previously announced on the PUB website include:
◼ Design, install, commission and maintain real-time VOC remote monitoring system;
◼ Rehabilitation of Sewerage Network Phase 5 – Eastern Region;
◼ Instrumentation and monitoring works for the proposed expansion of sewerage networks in Sengkang and Punggol areas;
◼ Structural repairs to existing inlet chambers at Jurong RWP;
◼ Supply and installation of water connection works in East Division for Zone E2;
◼ Contract to link sewers for the Deep Tunnel Sewerage System;
◼ Renewal of equipment and upgrading of used water pumping installations;
◼ Modification to existing ultrafiltration system at Bedok NEWater Factory;
◼ Site development works for Tuas WRP.
Additional construction as well as goods, services and maintenance tenders can be found on PUB’s website: www.pub.gov.sg/tenders
69 https://www.pub.gov.sg/news/pressreleases/pubdrivesinnovationsforwatersustainability
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European Companies
A number of EU companies have been successful in entering the Singapore market. The companies that are featured in this section include those that have collaborated closely with PUB as well as those that entered into partnerships with local players. They are PWN Technologies and Evoqua Water Technologies.
PWN Technologies
PWN Technologies is the technology arm of Dutch water utility PWN Water Supply Company North-Holland, one of the largest utilities in the Netherlands. Its extensive R&D programmes have led to the development of efficient and sustainable solutions in water treatment based on suspended ion exchange, ceramic membrane applications and advanced oxidation - applications that can be used for a wide variety of water sources.
In 2010, PWN Technologies became a founding sponsor of the Singapore International Water Week, a global water event hosted in Singapore. It was subsequently awarded funding by the Environment and Water Industry Development Council’s (EWI’s) TechPioneer scheme to build and test the CeraMac® demonstration plant at Chua Chu Kang Water Works (CCKWW), during which time it collaborated closely with PUB.
In March 2012, PWNT established its Asia Pacific headquarters in Singapore, utilising Singapore as a base for its engineering, design and sales centre. This was the company’s first office outside of the Netherlands.
A rigorous 18-month trial of PWNT’s CeraMac® demonstration plant was conducted from September 2011 to validate the efficiency and reliability of its ceramic membranes in water treatment. The results exceeded all expectations. The daily capacity grew from 1.2 million litres per day to 3 million litres per day because of the combination of CeraMac® with ozone. Following the promising trial of its membrane technology, and having met the specific targets as defined in the TechPioneer agreement, PWN Technologies went on to sign an MOU with PUB in January 2013 to deepen its collaboration in advanced water treatment.
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The company has also been collaborating with Singapore-based R&D centres such as the Singapore Membrane Technology Centre at NTU, to develop membrane solutions for the regional market.
Figure 17: Choa Chu Kang Water Works Source: PUB
In October 2015, PUB announced that Singapore’s CCKWW would be the first waterworks in Singapore to use PWN Technologies’ CeraMac membrane technology to increase the plant’s operating efficiency and reliability. The new full-scale CeraMac® plant at CCKWW will have a daily capacity of 182 million litres per day and will be operational in 2018. Upon completion, the plant at CCKWW will be one of the largest ceramic membrane plants for drinking water treatment in the world.
Evoqua Water Technologies
Evoqua Water Technologies, formerly Siemens Water Technologies from Germany, is a global water technology research leader specialised in water and waste water treatment systems, products and services for both industrial and municipal customers as well as seawater desalination. Evoqua’s comprehensive, cost-effective and reliable treatment systems and services reduce fresh water demand, ensure uninterrupted quality and quantity of water and increase efficiency of water reuse. Evoqua’s technologies and solutions help cities across the
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world to meet their needs for clean water and industrial plants to maintain productivity and profitability.
Evoqua created a new business in Singapore around its revolutionary electrochemical desalination technology by leveraging Singapore for the entire innovation and commercialisation value chain. To bring down the cost of desalination and ensure its long-term viability, Evoqua, together with PUB, developed this technology that is able to halve the energy required by the conventional SWRO process.
Evoqua-chosen technologies for its desalination solution were electrodialysis and continuous electrodeionisation. The technology was developed from 2008 to 2011 with funding from PUB and EDB, culminating in a 50 m3/day demonstration system. Plans are in place to scale up the technology to 1,000m3/day and conduct further trials, with further support from EDB, through the TechPioneer piloting programme.
In December 2015, Evoqua announced that it would work with PUB to build a desalination demonstration facility in Singapore, capable of producing 2.3 million litres of desalinated seawater per day. The new facility will utilise Evoqua’s patented Nexed electrochemical desalination module technology, which provides innovative features such as intelligent flow distribution and advanced low-energy membrane.
Suez Water Technologies & Solutions
Suez Water Technologies & Solutions (SWTS) is a subsidiary of the French utility company, Suez, which operates largely in the water treatment and waste management. SWTS designs, manufactures and markets equipment in the filtration, separation and processing of fluids. Its products are divided into three primary segments: filtration and separations, process water and household water.
In 2015, the PUB and Suez signed an agreement to collaborate on three research projects in storm water management, used water treatment and automated meter reading. Supported by the Singapore Economic Development Board, Suez will work with the PUB to use information and communication technologies and analytical software solutions to develop a smart water grid which
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can support storm water management as well as automated meter reading to track water consumption.70 Both parties are also partnering on a pilot project to develop an energy-efficient used water treatment process by integrating smart monitoring and advanced control strategies. The company has also established the Suez Water Technologies & Solutions’ Research & Development (R&D) Centre in Singapore. The centre is one of Singapore’s largest water R&D centres, and it is engaged in developing novel water treatment technologies to improve efficiency of the water-purification process in Singapore’s desalination plants. On the industrial front, the centre is also developing next generation membrane bioreactors to reduce the energy costs of water and waste water treatment.71
70 https://www.gov.sg/news/content/pub-suez-environnement-will-work-together-to-research-water-technologies 71 https://www.edb.gov.sg/en/our-industries/case-studies/suez-water-technologies-and-solutions.html
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3.3 Waste Water Treatment
3.3.1 Market Overview
Singapore is one of the global leaders in waste water PUB has been actively developing the used water infrastructure by treatment and reuse. It has developed technological establishing WRPs in Singapore processes for the production of superior quality reused and promoting the use of waste water for both potable and non- water, and it favours water reuse as a strategy for potable purposes. conservation. Different gradations of discharged water are collected and redirected to uses that require lower levels of quality. Then it goes on to treatment plants for cleaning and reuse in other applications.
PUB has been actively developing the used water infrastructure by establishing Water Reclamation Plants (WRPs) in Singapore and promoting the use of waste water for both potable and non-potable purposes. As part of PUB’s efforts to change the mindset towards the consumption of treated waste water, it renamed its sewage treatment plants as WRPs.
The last few decades have seen the rapid development of used water infrastructure to serve a growing Singapore with expansion of the used water network. Today, Singapore boasts a world-class sewerage system in which 100% of the population is served by modern sanitation.72
The existing infrastructure in the waste water segment comprises five NEWater plants, four WRPs and one industrial waste water works in addition to 77 pumping installations.73
NEWater Plants
NEWater is perhaps the most well-known product of Singapore’s pursuit of water sustainability. First introduced in 2003, NEWater is reclaimed used water that has undergone stringent purification and treatment processes using advanced dual-membrane technologies. It is
72 https://www.safety2017singapore.com/pcontent/uploads/WCSH-2017-ProgrammeBook.pdf 73 https://www.pub.gov.sg/watersupply/singaporewaterstory
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ultra-clean and safe to drink and has passed more than 150,000 scientific tests, and exceeds the WHO’s drinking water quality standards.74
Figure 18: NEWater Plant Source: PUB
Singapore now has five NEWater plants that are capable of meeting up to 40% of its water needs. The country aims to expand NEWater capacity to meet up to 55% of future water demand by 2060. NEWater is primarily sold to industrial customers, such as wafer fabrication plants or cooling towers, electronics and power generation industries, and a small amount is blended in reservoirs for direct potable use, mostly during dry periods. For example, in March 2015, between 114 and 136 million litres of treated used water were released into the reservoirs per day to maintain sustainable water levels.
Deep Tunnel Sewerage System – Phase I
Phase 1 of Singapore’s Deep Tunnel Sewerage System (DTSS) consists of one of the world’s most innovative WRPs and a graded 48-km long deep tunnel sewer. Phase 1 was completed in
74 https://www.pub.gov.sg/watersupply/fournationaltaps/newater
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2008 with an investment of S$ 2.7 billion (EUR 1.8 billion). DTSS Phase I involved 49 main contractors and consultants, with over 300 sub-contractors and suppliers.
DTSS Phase 2 conveyance system comprises the South Tunnel which conveys domestic used water, the Industrial Tunnel for non-domestic used water and associated link sewers. Expected to be completed by 2025, DTSS Phase 2 will extend the deep tunnel system to cover the western part of Singapore, including the downtown area and major upcoming developments such as Tengah Town and Jurong Lake District. Under DTSS Phase 2, a NEWater factory to be integrated with the Tuas WRP will be built to facilitate water recycling. Tuas WRP will also be co-located with NEA’s Integrated Waste Management Facility (IWMF), to harness potential synergies. The completed DTSS will also streamline the used water network with three centralised collection and treatment points: Changi WRP in the east, Kranji WRP in the north and Tuas WRP in the west.
Widely regarded as one of the world’s most visionary water projects, the DTSS is designed to collect, treat and reclaim used water produced by the city-state for the next 100 years. Used water from the island’s homes and industries, in the northern and eastern part of Singapore, are collected and transported by gravity through the deep tunnel sewer to the compact, state-of- the-art WRP in Changi.
Figure 19: The Deep Tunnel Sewerage System Source: PUB
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The Changi WRP is one of the largest water reclamation facilities in the world and treats up to 800,000 m3 of used water a day to international standards. Located at the eastern edge of Singapore, the plant is mainly underground and stacked for maximum compactness. At 55 hectares, it occupies less than a third of the land area needed for a conventional layout.
The plant includes facilities such as grit removal, primary sedimentation, bioreactors with anoxic and aerobic zones, secondary sedimentation and sludge thickening and drying. The physical and biological treatment provided by the plant produces clean water of the highest international standards. The treated water is either discharged five kilometres out to sea through two deep-sea pipes or is sent to the NEWater Factory for further purification into NEWater.
Figure 20: Phase II of the Deep Tunnel Sewerage System Source: PUB
Singapore is presently upgrading its used water management infrastructure through the DTSS to ensure that all used water is collected for treatment and available for reuse. DTSS Phase 2 comprises the following components:
◼ 40 kilometres of deep tunnels that will connect with the existing used water infrastructure to create one seamless and integrated system;
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◼ 60 kilometres of link sewers that create an interconnected network to channel used water from the existing sewerage pipelines to the deep tunnels;
◼ Tuas WRP;
◼ Outfall to discharge treated effluent into the sea.
Black & Veatch, together with its joint venture partner AECOM, is the appointed professional engineering services consultant overseeing the development, engineering and construction of DTSS Phase II.75 Services include the development of the feasibility study and preliminary design as well as programme management.
A highlight of DTSS Phase II will be the new Tuas WRP When completed, the DTSS will and an integrated NEWater factory to create synergies. shrink the land occupied by used Tuas WRP will incorporate technologies such as water infrastructure by 50%. membrane biological reactors that greatly reduce the level of organic matter and total suspended solids in used water, compared to conventional treatment processes. This will significantly improve its energy efficiency and reduce manpower requirements. Tuas WRP will treat 800,000 cubic meters of used water per day, making it the largest membrane bioreactor facility in the world.76
When completed, the overall Deep Tunnel Sewerage System will shrink the land occupied by used water infrastructure by 50%.
Industrial Waste Water Treatment Plant
Singapore has one industrial waste water treatment plant in Jurong, with a capacity of 125,000 m3 per day. It was originally set up to reclaim waste water effluent of the Ulu Pandan WRP to provide an alternative source of water for the industries in Jurong and Tuas Industrial Estate. In 2007, the plant stopped supplying industrial water to the industries in Jurong/Tuas Industrial Estate as NEWater replaced industrial water as an alternative source of water in this estate.
75 http://www.aecom.com/press-releases/joint-venture-to-extend-multi-billion-dollar-used-water-superhighway/ 76 https://www.pub.gov.sg/dtss/about
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The plant currently supplies industrial water to the industries on Jurong Island, which is an artificial island located to the south west of the main island of Singapore, off Jurong Industrial Estate. Jurong Island is an integrated complex housing many of the world’s leading energy and chemical companies, among them BASF, ExxonMobil, Lanxess, Mitsui Chemicals, Shell and Sumitomo Chemicals.
Local Players
De.mem, a Singapore-based SME specialising in industrial waste water treatment, is a spinoff from Nanyang Technological University. The company is developing a nano-filtration membrane – which has pores 10,000 times smaller than the diameter of human hair – that is cheaper to produce and can be used at much lower pressure than existing membranes of its kind. In April 2017, it has launched a pilot facility to test-bed its technology and the company now counts among its clients the multinational corporations in industries from food and beverage to oil and gas. It has also opened overseas offices in Australia and Vietnam, and is exploring potential markets in China and Germany.
Boustead Salcon Water Solutions (BSWS) is a leading global water & waste water engineering specialist and Singapore’s largest ion exchange specialist in the energy sector. BSWS’s domain of expertise focuses on the power and oil & gas industries, with applications in seawater desalination, condensate polishing, ion exchange, water recycling and other sophisticated applications. As a fully integrated Engineering, Procurement, Construction and Maintenance contractor for the water and waste water treatment industry, it focuses on disinfection, deionisation, membranes and degasification technologies. Within the waste water segment, it provides waste water treatment, sludge treatment and waste water reclamation (NEWater) technologies and services. In addition to projects in the energy sector, BSWS has completed numerous projects in industries with stringent requirements, including the petrochemical, pharmaceutical, semiconductor and special defence industries, as well as for municipal authorities. In Singapore, the company has delivered water and waste water treatment plants to five out of Singapore’s six power generation corporations, installed demineralisation & seawater
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desalinisation plant at Senoko Power Station as well as the NEWater Plant at Bedok NEWater Factory Phase II.
STSE Engineering Services Pte Ltd., a subsidiary of ST Engineering, provides solutions and services for water and solid waste management. It carries out waste logistics, waste treatment, waste-to-energy conversion, mechanical biological treatment, waste and waste water treatment, and renewable energy projects. In Singapore, STSE Engineering has designed and built the 22.7 million litres/day expansion of the Kranji NEWater plant in Singapore to treat secondary effluent from Kranji Water Reclamation Plant to produce NEWater, which is then delivered to existing Product Water Tanks. The plant was handed over to PUB and commenced its operation in May 2016.
Figure 21: Kranji NEWater Plant Source: AsiaOne
EcoSystems is another pioneer in the water sector. Its sustainable, cost-effective water treatment solutions – such as the Mobile Effluent Treatment System (METS) – help businesses discharge or reuse industrial waste water effectively and economically. Established in 2005, the company has since expanded into Indonesia and Bangladesh and is currently in talks with the South Korean government agency looking to use METS to improve the quality of its rivers contaminated by toxic algal blooms.
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Figure 22: EcoSystems’ Mobile Effluent Treatment System Source: SPRING Singapore
Century Water Systems & Technologies Pte Ltd. is an advanced water treatment engineering firm that specialises in water and waste water purification systems and technologies. It has installed over 40 large-scale water systems across the globe. Its main headquarters is in Singapore, which serves as its central hub for water technology solutions in the region. It has also expanded its operations with branch offices in Johor Bahru in Malaysia and Tianjin Eco-City in China.
3.3.2 EU Opportunities
Singapore’s main challenge for the water reclamation infrastructure of tomorrow is how to do more with less — less land, less manpower, less energy, lower costs. This is a multi-dimensional challenge and requires a diverse group of players to come together and develop a balanced solution. Opportunities exist for EU players across various areas, such as:
◼ Industrial water solutions
◼ Energy efficiency in waste water treatment
◼ New technologies for DTSS Phase 2
◼ Integrated solutions
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Industrial Water Solutions
Recently, Singapore’s government has taken a particular interest in industrial water solutions, as the 2019 Singapore International Water Week highlighted. Indeed, by 2060, up to 70% of Singapore's water demand will come from the non-domestic sector. PUB aims to reduce industrial water consumption by incentivising the development of solutions that target water-intensive industrial processes, and encouraging the adoption of these solutions. Key focus areas include the development of water-less processes, increasing recycling of treated effluent, and the use of alternative sources of water (e.g. seawater) for cooling. In addition, synergies gained from the process, such as the recovery of valuable resources from the reuse of industrial waste water, increase the value proposition of industrial water solutions and therefore warrant R&D.77 This could hold an immense potential for European companies that develop and commercialise such solutions.
The industrial sector in Singapore is the largest contributor to non-domestic water usage. Jurong Island alone is home to more than 100 petroleum, petrochemical, specialty chemical and supporting companies, and about 10% of Singapore’s water demand originates there. Almost all of this demand is met by PUB supplying various grades of water. To meet the projected future water demand of industry, PUB is supporting the development of innovative water technologies in the area of Industrial Water Solutions from their infancy to commercialisation. Projects supported by PUB focus on the development and demonstration of innovative technologies, approaches and ideas capable of reducing water consumption (potable water, NEWater and/or industrial water) in industries.78
Several initiatives are already ongoing. For example, Sembcorp Industries announced in September 2015 its partnership with the EDB to be Singapore’s first industrial “living laboratory.” As a living lab, Sembcorp will grant technology providers access and share insights into its proprietary waste water treatment and waste-to-energy facilities on Jurong Island for late- stage test-bedding and co-innovation of water and environmental technologies. The initiative
77 www.pub.gov.sg/Documents/Issue%2011_Innovation%20in%20Water,%20Singapore_Full%20PDF.pdf 78 PUB (2016). Innovation in Water Singapore
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offers technology providers a rare opportunity to leverage best-in-class industrial waste water treatment and waste-to-energy facilities to conduct applied R&D in areas such as smart water systems and carbon capture.
The Industrial Water Solutions Project Unit is also providing funding and technical support to facilitate the execution of projects in areas, such as water recycling and reuse, use of alternative sources of water (such as groundwater and seawater), and minimisation of water losses through cooling processes. The Industrial Water Solutions Demonstration Fund is available to support high-impact and innovative projects to treat and reclaim fresh water from water used in industry for process reuse.
PUB and the National Research Foundation (NRF) announced in June 2019 the launch of a new fund of S$ 26 million (EUR 17.4 million) to support firms that aim to reduce their water usage to implement water management solutions (e.g. on-site recycling systems and water reclamation plants).
By understanding the water needs of the various industries, European companies can promote innovative technologies and water audits to make their facilities and manufacturing processes more water-efficient.
Energy Efficiency in Waste Water Treatment
As technology evolves to allow the harnessing of synergies at the water-energy-waste nexus, Singapore is taking steps to work with companies to develop such technologies. For example, the Environment and Water Industry Development Council (EWI) is funding research in energy efficient and low sludge waste water treatment processes.
PUB also wants to work with technology providers and researchers to develop used water technologies that enhance energy efficiency in used water treatment processes. In January 2018, PUB launched a request for proposal (RFP) for technology providers that can develop such technologies and demonstrate their commercial viability. For used water treatment, the RFP targets to achieve energy self-sufficient water reclamation plants through anaerobic membrane bioreactors incorporating the anammox process, and/or other innovative nutrients
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removal/recovery processes. This aims to minimise the energy needed to treat used water and recover more energy from the process, such that used water treatment uses only as much energy as it generates.79
PUB is also looking at technology to tap waste heat from energy production for water treatment, as well as harvesting energy from sludge produced in waste water treatment. It will work with both local and foreign water companies to expand such efforts and help them capture global business opportunities arising from future resource constraints, high energy prices and water-stress.
New Technologies for DTSS Phase 2
PUB is actively pursuing new technologies that can potentially be implemented at the future Tuas WRP, which is part of DTSS Phase II. This is an excellent opportunity for EU companies to test-bed new ideas and technologies and to prove their value to PUB. Several initiatives are already taking place to tap this business opportunity:
◼ Integrated Validation Plant
In January 2014, PUB commissioned a demonstration-scale Integrated Validation Plant at the Ulu Pandan WRP to test new technologies aimed at enhancing cost savings and energy efficiency of the used water treatment process at the future Tuas WRP. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Asia Pacific Pte Ltd was contracted by Mitsubishi Corporation to undertake the construction of the plant. The demonstration plant allows PUB to validate the efficacy of the new process innovations and is based on a plug and play model, allowing for the testing of different treatment technologies at different parts of the process.
◼ Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket (UASB) Demo Plant
In March 2014, PUB and Japanese firm Meiden Singapore opened Singapore’s first UASB and Ceramic Membrane Bioreactor demonstration plant that is capable of treating and recycling industrial used water. Located at Jurong WRP, the new plant uses a combination of the two technologies to produce recycled water of consistent high quality. The outcome of this
79 https://www.pub.gov.sg/news/pressreleases/pubdrivesinnovationsforwatersustainability
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demonstration plant at Jurong WRP will form a reference for the used water treatment facilities at the Tuas WRP.
Integrated Solutions
There are also opportunities for EU companies with forward-looking solutions that can help Singapore move towards a total systems approach to waste water treatment.
Figure 23: Tuas WRP Source: Black & Veatch and AECOM
The future Tuas WRP will be a fully integrated waste water solution when it is completed in 2022. In addition to being integrated with an advanced NEWater factory, it will also be co-located with the NEA’s Integrated Waste Management Facility (IWMF) to reap the potential synergies of the water-energy-waste nexus.
This co-location marks Singapore's first initiative to integrate used water and solid waste treatment processes to maximise both energy and resource recovery, while minimising land footprint. It will allow IWMF to supply electricity to Tuas WRP, while Tuas WRP will supply treated used water to IWMF for cooling and washing purposes. This will minimise both facilities’ land
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footprint and boost efficiency. With these trends, European companies are likely to find new opportunities for integrated solutions that effectively combine two or more technology focus areas together.
European Companies
EU companies have been successful in entering the Singaporean market through various means – some by collaborating with PUB or private companies and others by way of mergers and acquisitions. The companies featured include Ramboll, Mann+Hummel, Grundfos, Aquaporin, and Microdyn-Nadir.
Ramboll
Ramboll is an international consulting engineering privately-owned group, headquartered in Denmark. The company employs more than 15,500 experts globally and has especially strong representation in the Nordics, the United Kingdom, North America, Continental Europe, the Middle East and Asia-Pacific. With 300 offices in 35 countries, Ramboll combines local experience with a global knowledge base. Ramboll works across the following markets: Buildings, Transport, Planning & Urban Design, Water, Environment & Health, Energy and Management Consulting.
Ramboll has had a strong regional presence in Singapore, with experts working within its environment & health, buildings, energy, water and landscape planning divisions delivering high- end solutions and advice to clients throughout the region. Ramboll specialises in restoring the built environment and natural surroundings through environmental remediation, urban planning and designing efficient water systems.
The water and wastewater treatment team support manufacturing and utility clients with process design, technology selection, equipment specification, tender appraisal, permitting, planning, construction management, start-up, commissioning, and operations. Their technical services also provide for cost-effective and sustainable design and operation of water and wastewater treatment systems in the face of increasingly stringent external and internal performance expectations. The water team in Singapore is part of a global water division of more than 1,000
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water consultants. This ensures quick and easy access to different kinds of water competence around the globe.
Ramboll is notably responsible for the Integrated Waste Management facility (IWMF) facility, while a joint venture consisting of Black & Veatch and AECOM (B&V+AECOM JV) is responsible for the Tuas WRP. Besides conceptually designing Singapore’s Integrated Waste Management facility (IWMF) facility, Ramboll has developed different synergies involving material handling, energy, water and odour/ventilation, which create the basic reasoning for co-locating the IWMF with the Tuas WRP. Ramboll developed solutions that offer as little footprint as possible minimising land use while at the same time ensuring environmental protection and maximising energy output.
Mann+Hummel
Mann+Hummel is a German manufacturer of automotive filters and water treatment systems. The company established its global headquarters of its Water Filtration Division in Singapore to provide better services to worldwide clientele answering the needs for reliable and cost effective clean water systems.
In 2010, Mann+Hummel acquired a membrane specialist, Ultra-Flo in Singapore, which develops and produces membranes and membrane systems for water, waste water and process water for customers in the industrial, municipal and commercial sectors in South East Asia. The integration was an important strategic step to expand its water business, technological base and product portfolio. Apart from expanding its membrane manufacturing capacity and capabilities, Mann+Hummel has also set up its Global R&D Water Centre in Singapore.
In February 2015, Singapore's EDB appointed four heads of German companies with extensive experience in Asia as Singapore's economic ambassadors, as it marked 50 years of trade relations with Germany. This pioneer batch of ambassadors will encourage firms like theirs to develop their business in Singapore, as well as advise German small and medium enterprises – known as Mittelstand – on how to operate successfully in Asia.
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One of the ambassadors is Mr Thomas Fischer, chairman of the supervisory board at Mann+Hummel, who is considered a key opinion leader in his field and well-positioned to provide practical advice to German SMEs on undertaking R&D, manufacturing, operations and general management in Singapore.
Grundfos
Denmark-headquartered Grundfos is one of the world’s leading pump manufacturers, producing about 16 million units a year. Its main products are pumps for heating and air conditioning and centrifugal pumps for mining, water supply, sewage and dosing.
Grundfos established an office in Singapore in 1984, which is its Asia Pacific Regional Headquarters. It is a leading supplier of pumps and pumping systems to the residential, commercial and municipal building sector, the industrial sector, as well as to original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) in Singapore and the region. Its Singapore office is the main production facility and distribution centre for the ASEAN region. Additionally, it opened the Grundfos Innovation Centre in Singapore in 2012 and cooperates closely with international water experts on developing innovative solutions as answers to current water challenges in Asia.
In December 2014, it was awarded a S$ 1.4 million (EUR 0.9 million) grant by the Environment and Water Industry Development Council Programme Office to develop a novel waste water filtration technology that can significantly reduce capital investment and operational costs. The R&D project will focus on the industrial treatment of waste water using a unique cake filter made from activated sludge. Grundfos’ relationship with PUB and EDB will take its research on cake filtration technology to its next level as a cost-effective solution for the treatment and re-use of waste water.
Aquaporin
Aquaporin A/S is a global cleantech company located in Denmark. The company is dedicated to revolutionising water purification by means of industrial biotechnology techniques, and has developed the Aquaporin Inside™ technology, capable of separating and purifying water from all other compounds. The primary market focus includes industrial water treatment, treatment of
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difficult waste water streams and other niche segments where the Aquaporin Inside™ technology closes a technological gap in today's water treatment.
With the support of EWI funding of S$ 5 million (EUR 3.3 million), Aquaporin A/S collaborated with the Singapore Membrane Technology Centre of NEWRI to develop a novel aquaporin-enhanced biomimetic membrane for application in desalination and water reclamation. As a next step to bringing the new membrane technology closer to market, a new joint venture called Aquaporin Asia was set up to conduct further R&D and piloting and eventually manufacturing in Singapore.
Aquaporin Asia Pte. Ltd. was incorporated in Singapore in early 2011 as a joint venture between NTU Ventures, DHI Singapore and Aquaporin A/S.
The ownership structure in Aquaporin Asia is as follows: ◼ NTU Ventures: 10% of the shares
◼ DHI Singapore: 10% of the shares
◼ Aquaporin A/S: 80% of the shares
All owners signed a common shareholder agreement as well as a license agreement giving Aquaporin Asia freedom to operate under the IP generated in the EWI project.
Microdyn-Nadir
Microdyn-Nadir is a membrane manufacturer that designs membrane products to meet different industrial water and process needs. Headquartered in Wiesbaden, Germany, Microdyn Nadir has an international reach. The company offers a range of membrane products, including MF, UF, NF, and RO in flat sheet, spiral-wound, and hollow-fibre configurations as well as MBR technology for treatment of industrial water and wastewater. Since February 2015, the company has operated as the water unit of global filtration titan Mann+Hummel.
Microdyn-Nadir (Singapore) Pte Ltd has a membrane manufacturing facility in Singapore, and undertakes R&D in collaboration with universities such as the National University of Singapore and organisations such as A*STAR.
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3.4 Water Solutions
3.4.1 Market Overview
Singapore’s water strategy focuses on the management of wastewater treatment, water reclamation and water supply in a holistic approach across all points of the water cycle. It can be distilled into three key strategies:
◼ Collect every drop of water
◼ Reuse water endlessly
◼ Desalinate seawater.
It aims to “close the loop” to minimise liquid discharge and conserve precious water resources.
Figure 24: The holistic approach to water management Source: PUB Delivering on this approach requires PUB to be responsible for not just supplying good potable water, but also for reclaiming all used water and taming storm water. It operates waterworks and a reticulation network that brings drinking water to every customer. It also operates the sewerage system that collects liquid waste and brings it to WRPs for treatment.
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PUB builds, operates and maintains drains and canals, which channel storm water for storage into its system of freshwater reservoirs. Singapore therefore has a need for water solutions that can help it operate, maintain, sustain and improve its expensive and critical water infrastructure.
The rapidly evolving digital landscape, coupled with a smaller but increasingly educated workforce, presents opportunities for PUB to harness smart technologies for more efficient control and operation of its water systems. To this end, PUB is exploring technologies on robotics, sensors and network communications, system automation, and virtual modelling and predictive analyses, that could help to maximise productivity and enhance operational reliability and security within the water loop.80
Indeed, from image analytics for clean and free-flowing waterways, development of new smart water assessment networks, island-wide sensor deployment in the water supply network, use of automated meter reading systems and inspection of the deep tunnel sewerage system using unmanned aerial vehicles, Singapore’s water management ecosystem is increasingly opening up to new, emerging smart water solutions.81 For instance, PUB has developed a rainfall monitoring and prediction system, based on X-band radars, capable of providing early heavy rainfall warnings, enhancing its response time to potential flash floods that may occur across Singapore.82
Figure 25: SMART PUB Source: PUB
80 www.pub.gov.sg/Documents/Issue%2011_Innovation%20in%20Water,%20Singapore_Full%20PDF.pdf 81 http://sbr.com.sg/utilities/more-news/pub-roll-out-five-smart-water-technologies-singapore-international-water-week 82 www.pub.gov.sg/news/pressreleases/PUBseekstoboostrainfallforecastingcapabilitieswithradartechnology
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The integration of smart water technologies is a key pillar in Singapore’s water resource management to achieve greater efficiencies, as well as faster response time in planning, operations and service delivery.83 It represents its vision for the future of water management – one that is driven by innovation and informed by data for better decisions. Various projects involving smart technology are ongoing or have already been implemented in Singapore.
Trade Statistics
A key category of imports includes products classified under HS Code 9026, which includes instruments and apparatus for measuring or checking the flow, level, pressure or other variables of liquids or gases (for example, flow meters, level gauges, manometers, heat meters), as indicated in Table 28. The value of imports was US$ 513 million in 2018, with key suppliers being the US, Malaysia, Japan, Germany and China.
Singapore’s imports of machinery and apparatus for filtering or purifying water, recorded under HS Code 842121, were valued at approximately US$ 115 million (EUR 3.1 billion) in 2018, as indicated in Table 20. In 2018, China was the dominant supplier of such products to Singapore, accounting for approximately a third of all imports. Other key suppliers are the US, Germany and Netherlands.
For machinery and apparatus for filtering or purifying liquids or gases, Singapore’s imports were valued at US$ 256 million in 2018, as indicated in Table 22. The US, Germany and China are key suppliers.
Local Players
Visenti Pte Ltd. is a Singapore-based water analytics firm, which provides hardware, wireless data transmission and software services and systems for monitoring, managing and optimising infrastructure and operations of pipe network operators. The company was founded in 2011 and since October 2016 it operates as a subsidiary of Xylem Inc. Visenti offers data management and
83 www.pub.gov.sg/watersupply/singaporewaterstory
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network performance analytics for water networks. These analytics manages data supplied by a variety of sensors installed on water systems such as flow-rate, level, volume totaliser, pressure (transient and baseline), water quality and automated customer meters. The company also provides an advanced sensing platform measuring multiple pipe leakage indicators. This platform is comprised of high-rate pressure sensors, hydrophones and flow meters installed at optimal locations. Its main products are Smart Water Grid, PascalView, OHMView, DataIntel and LeakIntel, which are offered to clients in Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, UAE, South Korea, China, Qatar, and the UK.84
Awa Instruments designs and manufactures environmental monitoring solutions as well as on-line water and air analysers based on UV spectroscopy. The company was established in 1997 to serve the markets in Asia. It is the only advanced water analyser manufacturer in Asia outside Japan. Since its founding, it has installed more than 1,000 analysers worldwide. Awa Instruments was the first main contractor in Singapore to be awarded a public tender to install, commission and maintain the PUB Fish Activity Monitoring System island-wide in Singapore and Johor. The company implemented its awaVision solution, an automated water quality monitoring system that constantly looks out for abnormal fish activity patterns and then alerts the operator at the control station, in order to enhance the safety of drinking water.
ZWEEC Analytics is a leading technology-based company from Singapore, which focuses on creating innovative technology solutions for various industries and applications. Birthed with strong technology foundations as a spin-off from A*STAR (Singapore’s Science, Technology and Research Agency), ZWEEC carries out research and advancements for its data analytics solutions for the environment, water resources and safety and security needs.
Wetec Pte Ltd. specialises in the field of instrumentation for the monitoring of potable water, waste water, sewage water, soil and crops, among others. The company offers latest technology
84 Among Visenti’s products, Smart Water Grid is a platform for real-time monitoring of water distribution systems aimed at improving system management and operations. PascalView provides online multi-frequency pressure data management, analytics and alerts that are critical for pressure management in pipe networks. OHMView is an online hydraulic modelling simulator that allows utilities to run operational simulations and analyse the impact of field operations. DataIntel is a data management and analytics solution to monitor, detect and notify anomalies related to pressure variations, night flow, water quality issues, demand fluctuations, and consumer-level non-revenue-water tracking. LeakIntel is a system that identifies the pressure transients generated by potential pipe breakage and localises the event to the faulty pipes for real-time pipe breakage detection.
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in sensing and detection systems. Its measurement systems improve the reliability of the data transmission and assist to reduce the equipment and installation costs.
3.4.2 EU Opportunities
The management and maintenance of Singapore’s water networks is a critical function. EU companies that have the relevant expertise can take advantage of the growing market for smart technology in Singapore’s water sector. European companies can partner with local organisations and provide their solutions to access the three funding schemes - Water Efficiency Fund, Industrial Water Solutions Demonstration Fund and Living Lab, which aim to support high- impact projects and defray part of the implementation cost of innovative technologies. There are opportunities in various areas:
◼ Smart water quality management
◼ Smart networks (Smart drainage grid; Smart sewage grid; Smart water grid)
◼ Smart water meters for domestic/non-domestic water users
◼ Smart technologies for operations and maintenance
◼ Cybersecurity
Smart Water Quality Management
PUB is exploring two key innovations for remote water quality monitoring – the Remote Micro- Invertebrate Detector and the Autonomous Boat.
The Remote Micro-Invertebrate Detector is an in-house prototype, designed and developed by PUB's Water Quality Department. The portable low-cost device is easily deployed onsite to provide real-time detection and identification of images using Artificial Intelligence, with split- second imaging to determine the presence of micro-invertebrates in the water samples. The unit is linked to a mobile app and chat-bot, which allows the system to perform 24/7 real-time testing of water samples onsite, respond to commands, send live image reports, and trigger alerts when anomalies are detected. PUB targets to use this on a larger scale by end 2020.
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PUB is test-bedding the Autonomous Boat, which has the capability to perform real-time water quality monitoring via onboard sensors, collect water samples, and take photos and videos of actual water conditions. Programmed to avoid obstacles in the water, the boat is also able to self- navigate to the designated sampling points in open water.
Smart Networks
The goal of Smart Networks is to monitor the health and performance of Singapore’s water, drainage and used water systems by using extensive sensors. It is deployed across three grids: the drainage grid, the sewer grid and the water grid.85
Smart Drainage Grid: This is a comprehensive suite of flow and water level sensors and CCTVs that have been installed island wide, while data mining and analysis of meteorological and hydrological data are used to correlate rainfall and hydraulic performance of the drainage systems. In the future, PUB plans to deploy more sensors and CCTVs across the drainage system.
Smart Sewer Grid: This comprises a holistic network of level, flow, Micro-Electrochemical Sensors (MES) and Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) sensors island-wide to monitor real-time sewer data such as water quality, flow and level, predict service disruptions such as sewer chokes and provide decision support on pre-emptive actions. PUB plans to develop a sewer analytics management system to provide predictive intelligence and decision support and to increase the sensor coverage.
Smart Water Grid: Unaccounted-for-water (UFW) in Singapore stands at 5% despite the fact that 320 sensors have been installed to monitor pressure, flow, quality and prevent leaks.86 There is a need to search for innovative solutions to further minimise UFW, especially as total water demand in Singapore is set to rise to 3.6 billion litres a day by 2060. Singapore aims to reduce its unaccounted water rate to match that of Japan, which stands at 3.2%.
85 https://www.pub.gov.sg/Documents/Issue%2011_Innovation%20in%20Water,%20Singapore_Full%20PDF.pdf 86 https://www.watershare.eu/projects/singapores-smart-water-grid/
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Technology in water use management has helped Singapore cut down water wastage significantly. Recent advances in real-time water sensing technology have enabled new opportunities for improved assessment and management of water distribution systems in Singapore.
In particular, the implementation of a Smart Water Grid, called WaterWiSe, a real-time on-line hydraulic and water-quality monitoring system in Singapore is helping to improve efficiency and maintaining supply standards across the water distribution network. As its primary data source, WaterWiSe uses a network of integrated multi-sensor probes that transmit data in real-time through wireless sensing nodes from within a pipe network. The WaterWiSe system performs real-time analytics and sends SMS and email notifications in real-time to the relevant field teams so that they can prioritise their response based on the event severity and respond quickly to the events to minimise negative impact on consumers.
WaterWiSe was co-developed by PUB, the Centre of Environmental Sensing and Modelling (under the Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology) and Visenti, a Singapore- based company. Visenti collaborated with YSI (Xylem), a US-based water technology provider, to jointly develop the WaterWiSe multi-sensor probe.
At the outset, PUB implemented the WaterWiSe platform in the complex network of downtown Singapore. The network delivers 40 MLD to approximately 0.5 million customers and comprises of 550 km of pipelines spread around an area of 60 km2. The WaterWiSe system initially comprised a network of 50 wireless sensors installed in the water supply network to monitor pressure and collect real-time hydraulics and water quality data, which could be used to detect and predict leaks. Today, the system comprises more than 300 sensors island-wide.
In the coming years, PUB aims to install additional sensor stations to improve the coverage of real-time monitoring, improve accuracy of hydraulic models for pressure management and valve simulations, and to Enable operators to pre-empt potential problems in the network (e.g. early detection of pipes bursts).
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Smart Meters for Domestic/Non-domestic Users
PUB announced in January 2020 that 300,000 Smart Water Meters be rolled out in seven locations (Bukit Batok, Hougang, Jurong West, Tampines and Tuas, as well as the new estates of Tampines North and Tengah) from early 2021 to 2023.87 Around 90% of 300,000 smart water meters will be installed in residences, with the rest in commercial and industrial premises. In selecting these locations, PUB considered a range of factors including property mix, efficiency of deployment and the need to replace older water meters in estates such as Hougang and Tampines.
The use of smart water meters are a key pillar in PUB’s efforts to promote water conservation through the use of digital technology, and will provide data on customers’ daily water usage via a web portal. PUB’s Director of Water Supply (Network) has declared that “the rollout of the first phase of PUB’s Smart Water Meter Programme heralds a game changer in the quest to get Singaporeans to appreciate the value of water, as well as our vision to become a smart utility of the future”.
As a sign of opportunities for international firms, global engineering firm Jacobs was appointed in August 2019 as the Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) specialist for PUB’s Smart Water Meter Programme, and is tasked to evaluate and provide advice on meter devices and technology.
Singapore is also taking action to drive down industrial water consumption. Since January 2015, large non-domestic water users that consume 60,000 m3 or more per year are required to install private meters, and submit their Water Efficiency Management Plans to PUB annually.
Smart Technologies for Operations and Maintenance
PUB seeks to find solutions for enhancing operational efficiency by leveraging on smart technologies, such as robotics, drones, automation, data analytics and informatics, and video analytics, to minimise manpower required in operations and maintenance.88 Companies that can
87 www.pub.gov.sg/news/pressreleases/SmartWaterMeterstoberolledoutinsevenlocations 88 www.straitstimes.com/business/economy/pub-launches-3-requests-for-proposals-for-solutions-to-boost-water-treatment
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bring the latest smart water technologies to market can submit their proposals to the PUB through the Singaporean government’s online Integrated Grant Management System.89
Figure 26: Smart Plants Source: PUB
Figure 27: Data analytics solutions in demand Source: PUB
89 https://researchgrant.gov.sg/Pages/GrantCallDetail.aspx?AXID=PUBCRPW1803&CompanyCode=nrf
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Cyber Security for Critical Water Assets
Singapore’s water treatment plants are key national infrastructure. Physically, they are heavily guarded and secured against intrusion and attacks. Housed within are complex and highly automated systems which must also be safeguarded from cyber-attacks. This is an area of growing concern in Singapore.
PUB is collaborating with iTrust, which is a centre for research in cyber security set up by the Ministry of Defence and the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD). iTrust’s research focuses on the development of advanced tools and methodologies to enhance the security and safety of current and future cyberphysical systems in three testbeds: the Secure Water Treatment (SWaT), Water Distribution System (WADI), and Electric Power and Intelligent Control (EPIC). In addition to supporting research, the testbeds are also used to validate commercial cyber intrusion detection systems and as training and exercise platforms for Government agencies, industry and students. These testbeds enable researchers to investigate issues through experiments related to the design of secure and safe cyber physical systems.
Researchers at SUTD are building models of SWaT that will be used to conduct experiments aimed at understanding the response of SWaT to a variety of cyber-attacks as well as conditions of natural disasters. Experiments will lead to an understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of existing defence mechanisms in SWaT that conform to current industry standards. This understanding will enable researchers to create novel designs, and assess their effectiveness through experiments, with the goal of defending a CPS against cyber and physical attacks as well as the effects of natural disasters.
PUB is a key partner in the design of SWaT, and researchers are working closely with PUB engineers in all stages of this research.
European Companies
A number of EU companies have successfully entered the Singapore market for water solutions. Companies featured here include HydroVision, Optiqua, and Suez Environnement.
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HydroVision
HydroVision GmbH is a German company that develops, produces and sells innovative high-quality flow measuring and flow metering technology. It’s entry into the Singapore market was by way of a start-up that spun out of a research collaboration between HydroVision GmbH and DHI-NTU.
The journey started in 2010 when DHI Water & Environment (S) Pte Ltd was awarded a research project by the Environment and Water Industry Development Council (EWI) with the target to develop new technology for flow and sediment metering. The success of the research project was based on the simulation and modelling strength of DHI and the DHI-NTU Centre in combination with the hardware & ultrasound capabilities of HydroVision Germany. As ultrasound technology has numerous advantages to offer to exploration of flow and sediment profiles, it was the key technique applied in the research project.
The project journey resulted in inventions, patent applications, and finally in working prototypes, that were test-bedded by PUB and the Ballast Water Test Facility of DHI. These successful prototypes triggered the incorporation of HydroVision Asia Pte Ltd in 2012 with the target to further develop, manufacture and market the new products.
HydroVision Asia Pte Ltd is a joint venture of DHI Water & Environment (S) Pte Ltd (Singapore), HydroVision GmbH (Germany) and NTU Ventures Pte Ltd (Singapore). It launched the ReVision flow meter, the very first product it brought to the market, at the Singapore International Water Week 2012, a key trade event held annually in Singapore which is a global platform for the sharing and co-creation of water solutions.
Today, HydroVision Asia is a developer, producer and supplier of intelligent flow and sediment meters that are used by the water and waste water industries in Singapore and worldwide. Applications include rivers, open channels, pipes, sewage channels etc.
Optiqua
Optiqua Technologies, a subsidiary of Dutch optical sensor company Optisense B.V., is a provider of innovative tools for both online and sample based water quality monitoring.
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The company develops and produces innovative optical biosensor technology for the real-time detection of contaminants in water.
Optiqua established its presence in Singapore at the end of 2007. The company chose Singapore based on the city-state’s position as a global hydrohub and business gateway to the Asia Pacific markets. In 2008, the company collaborated with PUB to carry out testing of its sensor technology for applications in the water industry, supported by the EDB.
To facilitate and support its expanding research and product development activities, the company set up a Research Centre at PUB’s WaterHub. In 2010, PUB and Optiqua Technologies signed a collaboration agreement to develop real time sensor technology for water quality monitoring in the country. The affordable lab-on-chip platform developed by Optiqua monitors contaminants through sensors in drinking water distribution grids, reducing response time and recovery cost through its early warning system.
A prototype network of 25 sensor packages that in real time report on water pressure, flow rate and disinfectant levels has been installed in Singapore's central business district. Optiqua's EventLab has also been installed at these monitoring locations. The 25 EventLab sensors are often placed in locations without supporting infrastructure, and use solar panels as power supply and wireless data transfer to send the collected data to the EventLab Online software.
Suez Environnement
Suez Environnement S.A. is a French-based utility company which operates largely in the water treatment and waste management sectors. It provides protection of underground water supply networks through a complete range of technologies and services, as well as smart services to provide better performing distribution of high quality water on a 24-hour basis.
In 2012, Suez Environnement, the DHI and NTU signed a research collaboration agreement. The agreement was part of the Energy+ Research and Development project supported by PUB. To cement its business in Singapore, Suez chose Singapore as its regional business hub with the opening of an Innovation Centre in 2015. The centre has 15 research scientists and engineers to support project development in Singapore.
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Suez is working with PUB in the co-creation of sustainable water solutions. Through a Memorandum of Understanding, signed in June 2015 over a renewable 5-year period, both parties have agreed to share expertise and jointly develop technologies designed to protect water resources.
The MOU further reinforced a partnership agreement, signed in May 2015, for three research projects on the subjects of smart water and energy-efficient water technologies. The three research projects, supported by the EDB, will look into the areas of waste water treatment, storm-water management and automated meter reading.
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3.5 Air Pollution Control
3.5.1 Market Overview
Singapore enjoys better air quality than many cities in Asia, comparable with that of cities in the United States and Europe. Singapore’s Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) has remained in the ‘Good’ and 'Moderate' range since 2017.90
With increasing industrialisation and urbanisation, Singapore inevitably faces increasing air pollution. The levels of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and sulphur dioxide are a growing concern in Singapore.91 At present, the recognised domestic sources of air pollution in Singapore are motorised vehicles, power stations, refineries, waste incinerators and gas stations. Being in such close proximity to its neighbours, Singapore’s air quality is also very much affected by various factors in Indonesia and Malaysia, such as smoke haze from periodic forest and land fires.
Transboundary haze, caused by regional forest fires, has been recognised as one of the main contributors to air pollution in Singapore since 1972. These forest fires are often caused by the common practice of open burning during land clearing activities for agricultural and development purposes, sending uncontainable transboundary smog or haze into the city-state. This is made even worse during dry season, poor precipitation period and when there are changes in wind direction especially during the Southwest Monsoon Season between June and September. In 2019, the National Environment Agency (NEA) announced that the Government had set up a Haze Task Force (HTF) comprising 28 government agencies to implement measures “for the protection of the health and well-being of the public”. This includes issuing advisories for different population segments such as motorists and students.92 It will meet annually in May, which is typically the start of the dry season, to update its plans.
90 www.nea.gov.sg/our-services/pollution-control/air-pollution/air-quality 91 www.mewr.gov.sg/topic/air-quality 92 www.nea.gov.sg/media/news/news/index/singapore-government-agencies-implement-measures-to-mitigate-impact-of-haze
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Common air pollutants produced from these sources and discharged into the environment in Singapore are particulates, fine particulates (particulates of 2.5 micrometres in size or less), sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxide, carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, and ozone.
NEA is the leading public organisation responsible The recognised domestic sources of air for improving and sustaining a clean and green pollution in Singapore are motorised environment in Singapore. In addition to developing vehicles, power stations, refineries, waste incinerators and gas stations. and spearheading environmental initiatives and Periodic forest fires in the region are programmes to control air pollution, the NEA also also becoming a significant threat to Singaporeans’ air quality in recent years. conducts regular inspections and checks and tightens industrial emission standards every few years to match international standards.
Domestic Air Pollution
NEA is concerned that air pollutants will intensify as industrial hubs like Jurong Island develop. Jurong Island is home to oil giants like BP PLC, Royal Dutch Shell PLC and Exxon Mobil Corp, as well as power plants that supply the increasing consumption of electricity, produced primarily by burning natural gas and to a lesser extent, oil. In addition to being the world’s third largest petroleum refining centre,93 Singapore is also one of the busiest ports in the world, and has one of the largest airports in the region. Singapore also has strong and dynamic industries, such as chemical and electronic sectors. All are important sources of pollutant gases and aerosols that combine with emissions from approximately 1 million motor vehicles and private apartments.94
Singapore contributes around 0.11% of global emissions.95 It is taking steps to reduce its carbon emissions, having pledged to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 16% below business-as- usual (BAU) levels in 2020. In line with the agreement adopted in Paris in 2015, Singapore has made a further commitment to reduce its Emissions Intensity by 36% from 2005 levels by 2030,
93 www.neste.com/en/corporate-info/who-we-are/production/singapore-refinery 94 www.bbc.com/news/business-41730778 95 www.nccs.gov.sg/climate-change-and-singapore/national-circumstances/singapore's-emissions-profile
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and stabilise its greenhouse gas emissions with the aim of peaking around 2030. To instil more awareness of climate change in its citizens, the country designated 2018 as the 'Year of Climate Action'.
Transboundary Air Pollution
Transboundary haze is a recurring issue in Singapore, and a problem dating back 40 years. In 2015, the country witnessed one of its worst and longest haze episodes in history, having experienced 3 haze incidents in one year96 when air quality on Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) deteriorated into Unhealthy, Very Unhealthy and Hazardous ranges on 46 days.97
The haze causes health-related issues such as respiratory problems, eye and throat irritation which leads to a number of work days lost. Poor visibility leads to cancellation of flights within the region, and draws away tourists from Singapore. Workers have difficulties getting to their offices and outdoor activities are discouraged during severely hazy days, affecting a large number of sectors, such as construction, hospitality and retail.
Singapore has been urging Indonesia to enforce stricter regulations against errant companies that are carrying out illegal slash and burn activities to clear the rich peatland for agricultural use. Indonesia, however, has been finding it difficult to put out the peat fires in remote and far-flung areas.
Unfortunately, Singapore is expected to bear with haze pollution by finding strategies to live with it. The government’s quick response and various local organisations’ effort towards this end, such as providing timely information on haze conditions to the public, and enactment of the Transboundary Haze Pollution Act, which allows NEA to prosecute companies and individuals that cause severe air pollution in Singapore, are applauded. In addition, regional cooperation is progressing and has recently seen some positive developments. For example, Singapore witnessed only one haze episode in 2016 caused by forest fires in Indonesia and avoided such episodes in 2017. However, 2019 saw a deterioration of the air quality, as the Pollutant Standards
96 http://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=4089&context=sol_research 97 MEWR (2016). Factsheet on Measures against Haze
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Index (PSI) in Singapore came close to the unhealthy range due to the fact that the haze situation in Indonesia's Sumatra persisted.98
Air Pollution Monitoring
In order to improve its air quality monitoring system, Singapore has adopted an integrated air quality reporting index called the Pollutant Standards Index (PSI).
PSI Value Air Quality Description 0 – 50 Good 51 – 100 Moderate 101 – 200 Unhealthy 201 – 300 Very unhealthy 301 and above Hazardous Table 2: Air Quality Description Based on 24-Hour PSI Source: NEA
The PSI consists of 6 pollutant parameters – particulate matter (PM10); fine particulate matter
(PM2.5); nitrogen dioxide; sulphur dioxide; carbon monoxide; and ozone.
Using the index, concentration levels of these pollutants are monitored on an hourly basis via a network of air monitoring stations set up across the country. Readings are reported for 5 distinct regions and are obtainable via the NEA’s website, Haze microsite, and myENV iPhone and Android app.
2020 Air Quality Targets
The government is committed to reduce the level of air pollution across the city-state in ensuring better air quality for its citizens. Singapore’s 2020 air quality targets are benchmarked against the
World Health Organisation’s (WHO) Air Quality Guidelines (AQG) for particulate matter (PM10), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), carbon monoxide (CO) and ozone (O3), and the WHO Interim Targets for fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and sulphur dioxide (SO2).
98 www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/singapore-haze-psi-may-enter-unhealthy-range-air-quality-nea-11891150
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One of the key targets for its Clean Air Policy is maintaining the PSI within the ‘good’ range for 85% of the year, while the remaining 15% should be within the ‘moderate’ range. Apart from that, the Clean Air Policy also underlines the country’s target to reduce its annual ambient level of fine particulate matter to 12 µg/m3 and maintain it until 2030, as well as to keep the annual ambient level of sulphur dioxide under 15 µg/m3 till 2030. The government is also pursuing to explore more stringent air quality targets benchmarked against the AQG.
To work towards achieving these air quality targets by 2020, NEA has developed a roadmap with a set of abatement measures that aims to allow Singapore to achieve sustainable growth and development while maintaining public health and economic competitiveness.
Pollutant Averaging Unit 2016 2015 2014 Singapore’s 2020 Air Quality Time Target
3 Sulphur Dioxide (SO2) 24-hour µg/m 61 75 83 50 Annual µg/m3 13 12 12 15
3 Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) 1-hour µg/m 123 99 121 200 Annual µg/m3 26 22 24 40
Carbon Monoxide (CO) 1-hour mg/m3 2.7 3.5 2.7 30 8-hour mg/m3 1.2 3.3 1.8 10
3 Ozone (O3) 8-hour µg/m 115 152 135 100
3 Particulate Matter (PM10) 24-hour µg/m 61 186 75 50 Annual µg/m3 26 37 30 20
Fine Particulate Matter 24-hour µg/m3 40 145 51 37.5 (PM2.5) Annual µg/m3 15 24 18 12
Table 3: Air Pollution Levels in Singapore Source: MEWR
Trade Statistics
Singapore’s imports of gas or smoke analysis apparatus were valued at approximately US$ 58 million (EUR 3.1 billion) in 2018, as indicated in Table 26. In 2018, key suppliers of such apparatus were the US, Germany, and the United Kingdom.
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Local Players
Asia pacific Air Quality Group Pte Ltd (APAQ) is a Singapore-based one-stop shop for all air quality needs. APAQ offers air quality modelling and consulting services, air quality monitoring systems and instrumentation, as well as training services. APAQ is also the exclusive distributor of Recordum, the manufacturer of the compact air quality monitoring systems with US EPA approval, in Singapore, Indonesia, Myanmar, Malaysia and the Philippines, and of Met One Instruments (particulate and weather monitoring systems) in Singapore and Indonesia. APAQ is the exclusive distributor of the USEPA air quality modelling systems by Lakes Environmental for the whole South East Asian region.
LT Air Engineering Pte Ltd is an environmental engineering company founded by chemical engineering professionals. The company focuses on air pollution control and fibreglass products. It provides a total solution package to customers in the design, fabrication, supply, delivery, installation, commissioning and testing of air pollution and odour control systems such as wet scrubbers and activated carbon filters, as well as FRP products in industrial, commercial, residential and institutional sectors. Its systems are used in wafer labs, semi-conductor plants, municipalities, waste water treatment plants, chemical industry, F&B industry, institutions, schools, chemical warehouses, and any industry that uses or stores chemicals.
ME Tech Engineering Pte Ltd is a specialist turnkey contractor. Founded in 1984, the company is active in water treatment, waste water treatment, odour control and air pollution control systems engineering. In air pollution and odour control systems, the company provides complete systems for clients in industries such as electronic components and wafer fabrication, chemical synthesis, chemical shipments and storage, and oil and gas industries.
Singapore Environmental Consultancy and Solutions (SECS) was set up in 2014 by a team of multidisciplinary experts specialised in air quality and environmental assessment. SECS’ work on environmental related projects in industries including petroleum, petrochemical, marine, manufacturing, chemical, and pharmaceutical. The company is NEA-approved.
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3.5.2 EU Opportunities
There are a number of opportunities for EU companies that have capabilities in air quality modelling/consulting services, air quality monitoring systems and instrumentation, air pollution control systems, filtration systems and de-dusting technologies. Some of the notable opportunities for European solution providers are:
◼ Air quality monitoring
◼ Real-time monitoring of emissions from diesel vehicles and industrial odours
◼ Source emission testing
◼ Consulting services
◼ Air purification products & services
◼ Engineering services
Air Quality Monitoring
Singapore has installed a web-based Telemetric Air Singapore is looking to upgrade its Quality Monitoring and Management System existing air monitoring stations; set up (TAQMMS) which consists of a central control station stations to monitor volatile organic compounds; acquire smart air monitoring and a network of 17 air monitoring stations set up vehicles; set up a PM2.5 speciation- across the country to monitor ambient and roadside monitoring network as we as enhance its air quality reporting air quality.
99 Automatic analysers and equipment available in each station continuously monitor the concentration of the six pollutants in the PSI and transmit the data to the control station. The TAQMMS has application software, statistical tools and presentation modules, which give an accurate overview of air quality and allow for air dispersion modelling.
99 www.meti.go.jp/english/apec/apec-isti/ISTI/abridge/sgz/zsgzenv.htm
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In late 2017, Singapore's National Environment Agency (NEA) installed a new camera system that can detect and identify vehicles that emit smoke. The system was tested out in Hougang and Loyang, an industrial estate. The cameras are part of research and development efforts to incorporate sensor technology as an aid for monitoring emissions from vehicular sources. According to the NEA, the surveillance system comprises customised prototype cameras coupled with sensors, developed in collaboration with technology solution providers.100
In Singapore, acting against smoky vehicle owners remains an uphill battle despite mandatory vehicle inspection and legislated fuel quality. Given its manpower constraints, Singapore is increasingly leveraging on the use of smart sensor technology in the water and environmental technology sector. However, Singapore continues to face challenges in air quality monitoring. The substantial increase in urban development and industrial activities in Singapore and its neighbours have the potential to impact air quality. Its existing network does not monitor pollution hotspots.
Outside of the frequent episodes of haze caused by forest fires in Indonesia, Singapore also experiences mysterious haze and transient smell episodes. The city is finding it difficult to pin- point the sources of such episodes with its existing traditional monitoring methods. In addition, it has limited technology for identifying and quantifying ‘unknown’ gases, as well as limited information on PM 2.5 sources from existing monitoring activities. Another challenge it faces is finding suitable air monitoring sites in land-scarce Singapore.
Singapore is looking to upgrade its existing air monitoring stations; set up stations to monitor volatile organic compounds; acquire smart air monitoring vehicles; set up a PM 2.5 speciation- monitoring network as well as enhance its air quality reporting.
An ongoing project by the Centre of Environmental Sensing and Modelling under the Singapore- MIT Alliance for Research and Technology (SMART) is developing a mobile sensor network in the Singaporean coastal zone. It is developing platforms and sensors that enable it to acquire atmospheric data autonomously and adaptively. Its main research thrust is to develop robotic
100 www.straitstimes.com/singapore/transport/new-cameras-on-trial-to-smoke-out-errant-vehicles
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sensor networks, control algorithms, novel propulsion, and navigation and sensing tools to safely and efficiently monitor and survey the Singaporean coast.
There are also opportunities for smaller air monitoring devices for homes and personal use, as consumers are increasingly keen to measure air quality themselves.
Real-Time Monitoring of Emissions from Diesel Vehicles and Industrial Odours
In addition, the NEA and SPRING Singapore jointly launched in 2018 an innovation call under the Government – Partnership Capability Transformation (Gov-PACT) initiative, seeking solutions to address pollution monitoring challenges faced by Singapore.101
The NEA and SPRING Singapore were looking for two solutions:
◼ Remote, real-time and low-cost sensor-based system for the monitoring of nitrogen oxides and particulate matter emissions from diesel vehicles: The system must provide accurate real-time measurements of NOx and PM emissions and use data analytics tools to generate reports of pollutant emissions from individual vehicles and cumulative emissions, including particulars of vehicles emitting excessive NOx and PM. Between ten and thirty vehicles, retrofitted with the proposed solution will be tested for at least three months on public roads;
◼ Odour monitoring and source tracing of odour incidents caused by industries: According to NEA, there is a lack of suitable odour detection and analysis instruments for field monitoring. Hence, NEA is seeking scalable solutions for detecting and monitoring odours, characterising the chemicals contributing to the odours, and identifying the sources of the odours. A given solution shall be applicable for odours arising from different industrial types. The sensing devices need to be in-situ devices, which can be used in a network for near real-time monitoring of odour source and receptor areas. The system will be trialled at Jurong West residential estate with nearby Jurong industrial area for a period of at least 8 months.102
101 www.nea.gov.sg/grants-awards/innovation-call-pollution-monitoring-solutions 102 www.opengovasia.com/articles/8100-national-environment-agency-singapore-seeking-solutions-for-real-time-monitoring-of-emissions-from- diesel-vehicles-and-industrial-odours
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Source Emission Testing
Industries are also regulated accordingly by associated agencies in Singapore and must comply with the NEA’s air emissions standards and regulations103. All petrol and diesel-driven vehicles are required to comply with the Euro IV and Euro V exhaust emission standards respectively before they are allowed to be registered for use in Singapore. Prior to being allowed to operate in the country, industries are screened to certify that they are not producing unmanageable pollutants into the air, land and water of Singapore.
NEA has started implementing an emissions monitoring system for real-time emissions monitoring and is working with companies to connect them to the system. Under the NEA’s Source Emission Test Scheme, industries are required to conduct source emission tests on their own or by appointing an accredited consultant to perform the tests on their behalf on a regular basis. NEA keeps a close track on the emissions discharged through the installation of sensors in funnels of factories, as well as video cameras in industrial parks.
Consulting Services
NEA also often calls for expert help. In 2010, it initiated a study to compare the level of emissions by the petrochemical companies based on Jurong Island,104 with those of petrochemical parks overseas. The study required experts to recommend initiatives and directives that the government should implement on Jurong Island to maintain air quality.
NEA is keen to understand how it can prioritise air pollutants of concern and to develop targeted approaches to control the pollutants. In January 2015, it announced that it was planning to start a comprehensive study of its key air pollutants and called for proposals for a 14-month project to develop an emissions inventory of several air pollutants. The study included all land-based sources including motor vehicles, power stations, refineries, waste incinerators and gas stations, aircraft emissions and transboundary sources.
103 www.nea.gov.sg/anti-pollution-radiation-protection/air-pollution-control/air-pollution-regulations 104 Jurong Island is the cornerstone of Singapore's energy and chemicals industry and home to a vibrant portfolio of more than 100 leading global petroleum, petrochemical and specialty chemical companies.
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As one of the world’s major ports, with approximately 140,000 vessels calling every year, air pollution caused by ships has so far fallen outside Singapore’s radar. This has become a matter of concern for Singapore and led NEA to also engage a consultant to study the impact of emissions from ships that navigate Singapore waters.
Air Purification Products & Services
There is a strong demand for air treatment products, for industrial, commercial as well as home use. Many international and local companies have already started catering to this customer demand, including industry giants, like Camfil or Hitachi, as well as smaller industry players, such as Laf Env Pte Ltd. and Sg Kompas.
Engineering Services
Industries such as power stations and oil refineries accounted for almost all of the locally generated sulphur dioxide emissions and 43% of PM 2.5 emissions. The government has started to work with the companies involved in these industries to reduce their emissions in order to help them achieve the new targets for cleaner air.
In April 2015, ExxonMobil built a new 84-megawatt cogeneration facility at its Singapore refinery on Jurong Island, which will increase the energy efficiency of the refinery upon completion. Cogeneration is the simultaneous production of electricity and steam from a single fuel source. The plant is part of a series of measures that have been undertaken by ExxonMobil’s Singapore refinery since 2008, to reduce its emissions through to 2020.
The same year, Shell announced that it had successfully upgraded its Singapore ethylene cracker complex, bolstering the company’s largest refining-chemicals integrated site. Every tonne of ethylene it now makes uses 7% less energy and produces 11% less CO2 emissions.
European Companies
EU companies that have successfully entered the Singapore market include the Mann+Hummel, Bosch Group, and Nederman.
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Mann+Hummel
German manufacturing company and filtration specialist Mann Hummel provides solutions for real-time monitoring of indoor and outdoor air quality, and digital platforms to analyse, predict and manage the optimisation end-to-end. It opened its Asia-Pacific headquarters for Intelligent Air Solutions (IAS) in Singapore in December 2017. The Singapore office will look after the growth of the company’s OurAir business, which offers indoor air quality solutions that combine Mann Hummel’s expertise in air filtration with advanced digital technologies. Together with its global Internet-of-Things lab - also located in Singapore - it will serve a market for clean air solutions in the region, which it estimates is worth more than S$ 4 billion (EUR 2.7 billion).
On top of taking care of the company’s regional market responsibilities, the Asia Pacific headquarters will also be responsible for global research and development, product charters, brand management and strategic partnerships. Singapore's strategic location in the Asia-Pacific region and the Government's move towards a smart and sustainable nation were cited by the company as key reasons for its choice of Singapore as its regional headquarters.
The Bosch Group
The Bosch Group, headquartered in Germany, has global presence in mobility solutions, industrial technology, energy and building technology, and consumer goods’ sectors.
Bosch has been in Singapore since 1923. Its collaborations in the country have enhanced its future technologies development. It has collaborated with A*STAR and the NRF. By partnering with A*STAR for example, Bosch participated in two research consortiums focusing on Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems sensors over the course of six years since 2012.
In September 2014 Bosch presented its Building Integrated Photovoltaic solutions to another research consortium launched by the EDB called the Pre-Project Innovation Consortium focusing on green building technologies.
These collaborations are enabled by setting up one of the company’s corporate research laboratories in Singapore. Among the current interests in the laboratory is the development of environmental sensors capable of detecting indoor air quality and thermal conditions in buildings,
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which is expected to generate interest among Singaporeans who are becoming more cautious of their air quality in recent years.
The technology is anticipated to enable more accurate tuning to air conditioning by measuring heat, humidity and airflow in an indoor space, and hence improves the building energy consumption in the near future.
Nederman
The Nederman Group is a world leading supplier and developer of products and solutions within the environmental technology sector. The company was founded in Sweden in 1944. The Company became a pioneer in developing solutions for air pollution control inside production facilities, protecting workers’ health and improving their workplace. In 2010 Nederman acquired Dantherm Filtration, forming the world’s leading company within industrial air filtration, supplying solutions for air pollution control for both the inside and the outside of factories.
Nederman has subsidiaries in 30 countries and agents and distributors in over 30 countries. Leeden Ltd, a Singapore-based company, has been Nederman’s exclusive distributor in Singapore and Malaysia since 1980. In recent years, Leeden has been appointed distributor for Nederman’s products in Indonesia, Brunei and Vietnam as well. Leeden has grown successfully with Nederman throughout the 30 years of partnership. They have successfully installed Nederman air filtration products for various Singapore-based clients: BMW, NUS, Temasek Polytechnic, Continental Tyres, International Flavours and Fragrances, the Petrochemical Corporation of Singapore, etc.
Leeden has proven its competency on the full range of Nederman products and solutions. In order to better service its client, Leeden set up a dedicated Technical Services Department, responsible for repair and maintenance as well as technical consulting equipped with a full range of diagnostic tools. This has helped Nederman distinguish itself from its competitors in Singapore.
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3.6 Waste Management
3.6.1 Market Overview
Singapore’s growing population, flourishing economy and rapid industrialisation has contributed to an increasing output of solid waste over the years. However, 2018 saw 7.70 million tonnes of solid waste generated, about 9,000 tonnes less than in 2017.105 With its limited land area, dense population and the increasing output of waste, Singapore has developed an advanced solid waste management system, which has led to an influx of companies specialising in the waste management sector.106
The solid waste management sector in Singapore covers the entire waste lifecycle from waste handling to recycling to safe disposal and includes solutions such as waste collection services, urban cleaning services, separating waste flows, materials recovery, and converting waste to energy or biogas. Overall, Singapore’s integrated waste management system focuses on three areas: collection, recovery and treatment. Core strategies for the sustainability of Singapore’s waste management include:
◼ Minimising waste through reducing, reusing and recycling (around 60% of Singapore’s waste is recycled)
◼ A push towards Zero Landfill
◼ Developing the waste management industry and positioning Singapore as a centre for waste management technology in the region
According to Singapore’s Budget 2020, the National Environment Agency is exploring a new construction material produced from incineration ash. NEA will begin a field trial to use NEWSand for road construction along Tanah Merah Coast Road in July 2020.107 Moving forward, the country also aims to create NEWOil, by working on a process to give discarded plastic new life in the form of pyrolysis oil - a potential replacement for fossil fuel petroleum. Singapore’s Ministry of
105 www.nea.gov.sg/our-services/waste-management/waste-statistics-and-overall-recycling 106 ‘Solid Waste Management Infrastructure’, National Environment Agency 107 https://www.mewr.gov.sg/news/speech-by-dr-amy-khor--senior-minister-of-state-for-the-environment-and-water-resources--at-the-committee- of-supply-debate--4-march-2020
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Sustainability and the Environment, the National Environment Agency, the Economic Development Board, together with industry partners are looking into establishing a pilot plant that will help anchor the chemical recycling value chain in Singapore within the next few years. By investing in novel recycling technologies, the country hopes that it can help create more jobs for Singaporeans in the future.108
Solid Waste Management Infrastructure
Singapore’s solid waste disposal infrastructure consists of an offshore landfill, 4 waste-to-energy (WTE) incineration plants, with an additional WTE plant in the pipeline, as well as the upcoming Integrated Waste Management Facility (IWMF).
Of the 7.70 million tonnes of solid waste generated in 2018, 60% was recycled. It is interesting to note that the non-domestic recycling rate of 74% is significantly higher than the domestic recycling of 22% in the same year.109 The rest of the waste is incinerated or landfilled Semakau. Singapore’s four incineration plants serve as a land-efficient method of waste management, and they provide 3% of the island’s electricity needs.110
The Semakau Landfill
This is a unique offshore solid waste facility that was created by enclosing 350 ha of sea space between two islands, Pulau Sakeng and Pulau Semakau, with a 7-km perimeter bund. This was followed by construction of internal bunds to convert 55% of the enclosed sea space into 11 landfill cells and other amenities. All the landfill cells that were built in the initial phase were expected to be filled up by 2016. In 2015, NEA completed development works for the second phase of Semakau Landfill to enable it to last until at least 2035. In this phase, a gap in the southern perimeter bund of the landfill was closed to convert a further 157 ha sea space into space that could be used for waste disposal. A 200-metre floating platform and a floating waste water treatment plant were also constructed.
108 https://www.straitstimes.com/politics/parliament-singapore-looks-to-transform-waste-plastic-into-oil 109 https://www.nea.gov.sg/our-services/waste-management/waste-statistics-and-overall-recycling 110 https://www.iesingapore.gov.sg/-/media/IE-Singapore/Files/Publications/Brochures-Foreign-Companies/Waste-Management/IE_Waste- Management_EN.ashx
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Figure 28: The Semakau Landfill Source: NEA Dump trucks transport incineration ash to the landfill via the floating platform, which can move to allow the ash to be spread across the large cell. Water that is displaced is processed at the treatment plant before it is discharged into the open sea.
Each year, Singapore sends about 200,000 tonnes of solid waste and all incineration ash to the Semakau landfill. In a bid to help the landfill last longer than the projected 2035, Singapore aims to send about one-third, or 30%, less waste to the Semakau Landfill by 2030.
Waste-to-Energy (WTE) Plants
Plant Incineration Year Expected Ownership Status Capacity Commissioned Lifespan Until
Tuas WTE Plant 1,700 1986 - Government owned & operated
Senoko WTE Plant 2,310 1992 2024 Privatised in 2009
Tuas South WTE 3,000 2000 2030 Government owned & operated Plant
Keppel Seghers 800 2009 2034 PPP DBOO Approach Tuas WTE Plant Table 4: WTEs in Singapore Source: NEA
Currently, Singapore has four Waste-to-Energy Plants. In September 2015, NEA announced that a consortium comprising Hyflux and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) will build a new WTE plant
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in Tuas, called TuasOne, which will be co-located next to the Tuaspring Integrated Water and Power Project. This project, the first for water-industry specialist Hyflux, shows potential synergies between the water and waste management industries in Singapore.
Hyflux was in charge of engineering, procurement and construction works worth S$ 636 million (EUR 425 million) and MHI will provide the technology. Both companies are supposed to jointly manage, operate and maintain the plant. The project is valued at about S$ 750 million (EUR 501.2 million) and was expected to be completed by May 2019. The Tuas One WTE will be Singapore’s largest and most energy-efficient plant, capable of processing 3,600 tons of waste a day. It will produce 2,880 MWh of electricity per day from incinerating waste, and the energy will be used to run the plant and power Singapore’s electricity needs.
However, funding issues and Hyflux’s recent debt struggles, mainly due to its expansion within the energy sector, have stalled the project. The TuasOne waste-to-energy facility is now expected to be operational in January 2021 according to the National Environment Agency (NEA).111 The agency said it has been monitoring discussions among the stakeholders of the TuasOne project and "is supportive of the stakeholders' actions taken to complete the project expeditiously". Hyflux announced the transfer of the remainder of the TuasOne engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract to Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Asia Pacific in December 2019, whilst the facility is at least 96% completed. It remains the majority shareholder of the TuasOne project with a 75% stake, while Mitsubishi Heavy Industries holds the other 25%.
In late May 2019, a new facility was launched on the Tuas South site. This S$ 40 million (EUR 26.7 million) project will turn the waste collected from Nanyang Technological University (NTU) into valuable resources like electricity and construction materials. It is supported by the National Research Foundation, National Environment Agency (NEA), Economic Development Board and NTU. The new plant is expected to process more than 11 tonnes of waste per day, while it could also be used to process medical and hazardous waste in the future.112
111 https://www.straitstimes.com/business/companies-markets/tuasone-expected-to-be-operational-in-jan-2021-says-nea 112 https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/new-plant-turns-waste-into-power-and-building-materials
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Integrated Waste Management Facility
Singapore is also developing an IWMF as part of a long-term solution to meet its future waste disposal needs. Black & Veatch and AECOM were awarded a contract to construct an IWMF at the Tuas WRP in Singapore, as part of the DTSS Phase II (See Section 3.3).
The IWMF will provide waste treatment solutions that will minimise the environmental impact and land The IWMF will process municipal solid waste, recyclables, food waste and footprint while maximising resources and energy treated sewage sludge, and will be able recovery from waste. It will process municipal solid to supply electricity to the future Tuas WRP, as both facilities will be co-located waste, recyclables, food waste and treated sewage to achieve efficiencies in the use of sludge, and will be able to supply electricity to the energy, water and land. future Tuas WRP, as both facilities will be co-located to achieve efficiencies in the use of energy, water and land. This facility will be able to process the following waste streams: 5,800 tonnes per day of incinerable waste, 250 tonnes per day of household recyclables, 400 tonnes per day of source-segregated food waste and 800 tonnes per day of dewatered sludge from TWRP.113
The IWMF, which is to be constructed in two phases (with Phase 1 scheduled for completion in 2024 and Phase 2 in 2027) would potentially cater up to almost 50% of the waste treatment capacity needed in Singapore upon completion.
Waste Statistics
The amount of solid waste generated in 2018 decreased to 7.70 million tonnes, 9,000 tonnes less from 7.61 million tonnes in 2017. However, the amount of waste recycled also fell by about 90,000 tonnes to 4.63 million tonnes. Overall, the recycling rate decreased from 61% in 2017 to 60% in 2018. The decrease in the amount of waste recycled in 2018 was largely due to a significant drop in the quantity of wood waste recycled. On the other hand, there was a significant increase in the quantity of horticultural waste recycled.114
113 https://www.nea.gov.sg/docs/default-source/our-services/overview-of-iwmf.pdf 114 https://www.nea.gov.sg/our-services/waste-management/waste-statistics-and-overall-recycling
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Targets
According to the MSE, the focus of Singapore’s government in reducing the amount of waste is to improve the country’s recycling infrastructure and system. The targets set are:
◼ An overall recycling target of 70% by 2030
◼ Extend the lifespan of Semakau Landfill to 50 years, strive for “zero landfill” and close the waste loop
◼ Reduce the need for new incineration plants to one every 10 to 15 years
With such goals in mind, the ministry is working on enhancing the capabilities of the waste industry in order to recycle the various types of waste more efficiently. They are also developing projects such as recycling of incineration bottom ash and scrap tyres.
NEA also aims to improve and develop a more robust and efficient waste management industry in Singapore. Identified enhancements are:
◼ Operating and maintaining a highly efficient waste collection and disposal system to deal with large volumes of waste while upholding high standards of public hygiene and ensuring affordability
◼ Encouraging and facilitating consumers and businesses to practise the 3Rs (Reduce, Reuse and Recycle) by fostering partnerships and introducing regulations
◼ Optimising land use for waste collection and disposal facilities
NEA is working with the companies involved in waste collection, recycling and disposal to identify areas for improvement and adoption of innovation and technology.
Hazardous Waste Management
There are more than 2,000 companies in Singapore that handle or use hazardous chemicals. The use of these chemicals generates a wide range of toxic industrial wastes, such as spent acids, spent solvents, spent etchants, waste oil and other waste sludge.
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In Singapore, all toxic industrial waste collectors who handle, transport, treat and dispose of hazardous waste must be licensed. In addition, the transportation and disposal of hazardous wastes requires the approval and permission from the Pollution Control Department (PCD) of the NEA.
Singapore’s strategies to control hazardous waste and ensure its safe treatment and disposal are as follows:
◼ Avoid and reduce generation of intractable wastes
◼ Encourage waste minimisation
◼ Encourage waste reuse, recovery and recycling
◼ Regulate collection, treatment and disposal
◼ Monitor and audit collection, treatment and disposal
◼ Promote and support educational, awareness and training programmes
The PCD plays the main role in Singapore’s hazardous waste management. Industries producing hazardous waste are monitored by PCD and need to incorporate measures into their facilities to ensure that the waste generated can be properly handled and managed.
PCD has encouraged the setting up of specialised recycling, treatment and disposal plants for hazardous waste. There are currently about 100 such plants in Singapore, treating and recycling a wide range of toxic industrial waste. These serve mainly smaller companies, which find it impractical and uneconomical to install, operate and maintain specialised waste treatment for hazardous waste due to the high costs involved, their lack of expertise and technology or space constraints.
The treatment and disposal of waste that is impossible to recycle or reuse are entrusted to other enterprises with the relevant business licenses. The treatment of such waste is usually carried out in specialised facilities, which have the capability to carry out chemical analyses to determine the treatment method. Any residual waste has to pass leaching tests before being transferred to the landfill.
Besides monitoring and enforcing the required regulations in the management and disposal of toxic wastes, NEA strives to work within the industry by promoting better management and
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disposal of toxic and hazardous waste through joint research and educational programmes. NEA also participates in international events to adopt and learn new principals or methods in dealing with the toxic industrial wastes.
Local Players
The solid waste management sector in Singapore has been progressing proactively in the country with the development of a range of advanced waste management technologies and strategies. International companies as well as Singapore-based companies continue to pioneer new waste management solutions in collaboration with partners worldwide.
These companies operate across the entire waste management value chain; from collection and recycling to waste treatment, energy recovery and landfill management. They offer integrated services to optimise efficiency and deliver long-term sustainable solutions.
Known worldwide for their dedication to quality and improvement, Singapore based-companies make ideal business partners to expand the market in Asia as well as in the other continents across the globe. EU companies looking to tap into the Singapore market will find partners that are experienced internationally and able to customise solutions to meet clients’ needs. Some of the Singaporean players currently in the industry include:
SembWaste Pte Ltd. engages in waste collection in the municipal, industrial and commercial sectors as well as waste recycling. In general, it provides a total integrated environmental management services offering and a complete and integrated suite of solutions in waste management, recovery, recycling, treatment and waste paper collection. The company was formerly known as SEMAC Pte Ltd., but it now operates as a subsidiary of Sembcorp Environment Pte Ltd. It is the largest waste management company in Singapore. Sembcorp announced in January 2020 that it was acquiring Veolia ES Singapore and the public cleaning business of Veolia ES Singapore Industrial for about S$ 28 million (EUR 18.7 million).115 This acquisition will
115 www.straitstimes.com/business/companies-markets/sembcorp-buying-veolias-public-waste-collection-cleaning-businesses
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boost SembWaste’s fleet of waste collection vehicles. Both companies are amongst the 4 public waste collectors approved by the NEA.
Zerowaste Asia (ZA) is a Singaporean start-up which develops a range of specialty chemicals called ZA-TECH to immobilise or remove heavy metals from different kinds of waste and waste water in an efficient, simple and cost-effective way. ZA also transforms the detoxified waste into materials suitable for land reclamation and construction. Of the 2,400 tonnes of non-incinerable waste, and ash from incinerated waste sent to Singapore’s active landfill at Pulau Semakau every day, ZA proposes to treat and divert more than 1,500 tonnes to be repurposed into new products. Since its establishment in 2013, the start-up has expanded into China and its technology is helping more and more waste generators to resolve their problems. The success has given ZA the confidence to tender for a National Environment Agency contract to treat hazardous incineration fly ash116 from Singapore’s four incineration plants. Using SPRING Singapore Technology Enterprise Commercialisation Scheme’s Proof-of-Concept grant, the company is also developing a technological solution to not only treat the heavy metals in hazardous waste for safe disposal, but also convert non-hazardous waste into superior construction materials.
Figure 29: Waste-Derived Construction Material Source: SPRING Singapore
ECO Special Waste Management was founded in 1997 and is 100% owned by Beijing Capital. It is one of the leading industrial and toxic waste management solutions providers in Singapore. The company specialises in industries such as petrochemical, pharmaceutical, life science, aerospace, institutions, oil and gas, power generation, electronics, marine, engineering,
116 Fly ash is a by-product from burning pulverised coal in electric power generating plants
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and semiconductor. It operates from Tuas View Circuit and is equipped with a fleet of over 40 waste collection vehicles with more than 260 employees. ECO is fully licensed by the National Environment Agency (NEA) as a toxic industrial waste collector, a general waste collector, and an asbestos removal contractor, among other qualifications.
3.6.2 EU Opportunities
Opportunities in the waste management sector include anything along the waste management hierarchy from waste collection systems, waste minimisation and recycling to development of offshore landfill and practices to extend landfill life.
Green applications and renewable-based or clean technologies will contribute to addressing Singapore’s environmental concerns. Monitoring and auditing across the value chain of the waste management sector to achieve maximum resource optimisation and improved process performance are valuable opportunities in Singapore. These opportunities are applicable to both the solid waste and hazardous waste sectors.
In addition to these broad opportunities, European companies may also find interesting venues for entry via following routes:
◼ Design, Development & Trial of Autonomous Environmental Service Vehicles
◼ Efficiency enhancing solutions
Design, Development & Trial of Autonomous Environmental Service Vehicles
Singapore is interested to explore robotics and automation for enhancing environmental services. In January 2018, the NEA and the Ministry of Transport (MOT) launched a request for proposals for the design, development and trial of Autonomous Environmental Service Vehicles (AESVs) for cleaning of roads and pavements.117
The call has been launched as part of NEA’s continual efforts to better optimise resources, to drive innovation and widespread technology adoption, and to improve productivity across the
117 https://researchgrant.gov.sg/Pages/GrantCallDetail.aspx?AXID=NEA-ETO-ERP-1001&CompanyCode=nrf
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environmental services industry, which are in line with the overall objectives of the Environmental Services Industry Transformation Map.
MOT and NEA are seeking proposals from the industry, Institutes of Higher Learning and Research Institutes to design, develop and trial AESVs in safe and efficient ways. Upon evaluation of the proposals, the agencies will work with the selected partner to conduct proof-of-concept trials, and, upon successful trials, they will commence pilot deployment of AESVs for the cleaning of roads and pavements.118
In addition, another S$ 10.8 million (EUR 7.2 million) has been pumped into a new Environmental Robotics Programme to develop robots to clean public spaces, and to collect, transport, sort and dispose of waste.119 The Programme will enable the development of robotics solutions to enable productivity gains, sustainable manpower stream and enhance current capabilities, along with the development of new ones.120 In the initial phase, the Environmental Robotics Programme, will develop robotics solutions for NEA’s work areas in: 1) Cleaning of Public Spaces; 2) Waste Management (Collection, Transportation, Sorting and Disposal); and 3) Inspection, Monitoring and Sampling for Pest and Pollution Control.
Efficiency Enhancing Solutions
In February 2018, NEA and SPRING Singapore have jointly launched an innovation call to encourage greater use of technology and automation to increase the overall productivity in the waste management industry.121 The purpose of the innovation call is to evaluate and test-bed suitable technologies that can improve the efficiency of both NEA and industry operations related to waste management. The call is seeking solutions to reduce the physical strain of the work crew in waste collection operations and develop a cost-effective and efficient on-site non-domestic mixed treatment system.122
118 http://www.nea.gov.sg/corporate-functions/newsroom/news-releases/exploring-the-use-of-technology-and-automation-to-raise-productivity-in- the-environmental-services-industry 119 http://www.sgsme.sg/news/plans-more-robots-sensors-nea-launches-road-map-transform-cleaning-waste-management-sectors 120 https://www.opengovasia.com/articles/s-10-8-million-environmental-robotics-programme-and-closing-the-waste-loop-research-funding- initiative-from-nea-singaporef 121 http://www.nea.gov.sg/grants-awards/innovation-call-for-environmental-services-solutions 122 http://www.nea.gov.sg/grants-awards/innovation-call-for-environmental-services-solutions
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NEA has already signed Letters of Intent with seven partners to begin a series of trials that will be carried out at partner’s premises over the next few years.123 The premises range from Changi airport and hospitals to malls, office buildings and entertainment venues. Examples of technologies include autonomous cleaning equipment, smart bins, and targeted and effective control of rodent population through data analytics.124
European Companies
EU players that have been successful in entering the Singapore waste management market include Keppel Seghers and Veolia.
Keppel Seghers (formerly Seghers Better Technology)
Seghers Better Technology was an environmental technology and engineering group based in Belgium. It was serving a number of customers in Europe, US and Asia, which included municipalities and multinational companies across a wide range of industries. Its notable industrial customers included Vivendi / US Filter, OTV, Lurgi, Interbrew, Bechtel, Heineken, Cargill and Shell. In 2002, it went under receivership and was acquired by Singapore-based Keppel Engineering for EUR 19.1 million.
As part of Keppel Engineering’s strategic plan of retaining the Belgian identity for this environmental business, Keppel Engineering nominated three of its Belgium subsidiaries to purchase the assets of Seghers Better Technology.
The group, renamed as Keppel Seghers, is today a leading provider of comprehensive environmental solutions ranging from consultancy, design and engineering, technology and construction to operations and maintenance of facilities. Its advanced technology solutions address a wide spectrum of environmental issues including solid waste and waste water. To date, it has implemented more than 100 waste-to energy projects.
123 https://www.opengovasia.com/articles/robotics-automation-sensors-and-data-analytics-to-ease-the-work-of-cleaners-in-singapore 124 https://www.opengovasia.com/articles/s-10-8-million-environmental-robotics-programme-and-closing-the-waste-loop-research-funding- initiative-from-nea-singapore
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One of its projects in Singapore is the Keppel Seghers Tuas Waste-To-Energy Plant. The plant was developed under a DBOO model and commissioned in 2009. Keppel Seghers designed and built the plant, and has a 25-year contract to operate it from 4Q 2009. Built on a land space of only 1.6 hectares, it is one of the most compact waste-to-energy facilities in the world. It has the capacity to treat 800 tonnes of solid waste a day to generate 22 MW of green energy, contributing to Singapore’s energy supply with the electricity that is in excess of the plant’s consumption. The plant is also part of Keppel Infrastructure Trust’s portfolio.
Veolia
Veolia, a French company, is the global leader in optimised resource management, providing innovative waste, water and energy management solutions with a focus on waste recovery. Through its three core business activities, Veolia has represented various sectors and industries across the globe in its 163 years of operation. Created in 1853, Veolia headquarters is located at Paris, France. To date, Veolia has expanded to countries such as the US, Romania, Germany and Singapore, offering highly efficient environmental practices.
In Singapore, Veolia provides solid, liquid, non-hazardous, and hazardous waste management services. These include collection, public cleaning, sorting, recycling, toxic waste treatment and industrial services to municipal, commercial and industrial customers in both private and public sectors. Veolia offers a wide range of optimised waste management solutions in Singapore; waste collection for recycling being its main activity. As a licensed Public Waste Collector appointed by NEA, Veolia provides general waste and recyclable waste collection as well as garden waste and bulky waste collection. Since 2002, Veolia has been the official public waste collector for the sectors Clementi – Bukit Merah and Pasir Ris – Tampines in Singapore, collecting different types of waste from public and private areas in both sectors.
Veolia also supports the National Recycling Programme in Singapore. As a leading waste management organisation, Veolia provides a comprehensive recycling infrastructure, including the provision of recycling bins and recycling collection facilities which makes it easy and convenient for Singapore’s residents to recycle their waste. In addition, Veolia provides collection and disposal service from one’s doorstep for bulky waste such as furniture and electrical
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appliances. This service comes at a minimal fee encouraging and offering effective waste management options to the residents of Singapore in dealing with their bulky waste. Garden waste such as cut grass, branches and leaves is also collected separately by Veolia with a dedicated garden waste collection vehicle, as these materials are sent to specific garden waste treatment plant for handling.
Veolia’s expertise and accreditation in Singapore as it innovates and develops towards an integrated and comprehensive public cleansing service, allowed it to gain NEA’s trust and confidence. This resulted in Veolia being awarded with further cleansing and collection contracts as it became the first and only public cleansing service provider to be accredited with the Clean-Mark Award (GOLD) by Singapore’s NEA in 2013. Consequently, Veolia’s distinct services have been highly recognised by major international and local event hosts, who have been engaging Veolia’s services for over half a decade. Examples of such major events include the Formula One Grand Prix, the Youth Olympics Games, the Standard Chartered Marathon, the National Day Parade and the Chinese New Year celebration at Chinatown. Overall, Veolia’s growth and presence in Singapore is enormous and this brings about healthy competition among both local and international companies in the waste management industry.
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3.7 Recycling
3.7.1 Market Overview
Singapore launched a National Recycling Programme in 2001. Waste sorting and recycling was introduced for residences. Public Waste Collectors licensed by NEA were required to provide recycling bins and recycling collection service to all households, both private and public, that opted into the public waste collector scheme. A collection system was introduced, and schools, offices, shopping malls and industry were brought under the recycling programme. In 2000, Singapore’s overall recycling rate was 40%. In 2018, the recycling rate of all waste collected – such as construction debris, paper, food and plastic – went up to 60%.125 This was achieved because almost all of the construction debris, used slag, ferrous metal and scrap types are now recycled.
This achievement masks a sobering trend. The rates for paper, glass, food and plastics, the types of rubbish that are more closely associated with households, were very low. The domestic recycling rate, which is recycling of waste produced in households, was only 22% in 2018.
In 2014, Singapore took the unusual step of setting separate recycling targets. Instead of just aiming to achieve an overall recycling rate of 70% by 2030, it has set the following targets:
◼ 81% for industries
◼ 30% for households
The government is making use of waste audits to push for sustainable waste management practices. NEA has made reporting of waste and recycling data mandatory as of 2015. About 250 shopping malls and hotels now need to report the weight of waste discarded and that channelled for reuse and recycling, broken down by type, such as paper, metals and food. Companies must also submit waste reduction plans.
125 www.nea.gov.sg/energy-waste/waste-management/waste-statistics-and-overall-recycling
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Recycling Rates
Waste Type Waste Waste Recycled Waste Generated Recycling Disposed (tonnes) (tonnes) Rate (%) (tonnes)
Construction debris 6,600 1,617,900 1,624,500 99%
Ferrous metal 9,300 1,260,200 1,269,500 99%
Non-ferrous metal 1,700 169,600 171,300 99%
Used slag 2,300 178,900 181,200 99%
Scrap tyres 3,200 29,300 32,500 90%
Horticultural 151,100 370,100 521,200 71%
Wood 131,800 187,900 319,700 59%
Paper/Cardboard 467,400 586,400 1,053,800 56%
Glass 51,500 12,200 63,700 19%
Food 636,900 126,200 763,100 17%
Ash and sludge 215,200 24,600 239,800 10%
Textile/Leather 205,800 14,000 219,800 6%
Plastic 908,600 40,700 949,300 4%
Others (stones, 274,300 11,400 285,700 4% ceramic, rubber, etc.)
Total 3,065,700 4,629,400 7,695,100 60%
Table 5: Recycling Rates in Singapore, 2018 Source: NEA
In order to improve these recycling rates, and as part of the Zero Waste Masterplan, Singapore’s government declared 2019 to be “the year towards zero waste”. NEA stated that it would focus its efforts on three key waste streams – food waste, packaging waste (including plastics) and electrical and electronic waste (e-waste). In addition, it launched the “Recycle Right” campaign to teach Singaporeans to recycle with efficiency, as more than 40% of what is currently put in recycle bins cannot be recycled due to contamination.126 NEA will also develop regulatory measures to
126 www.eco-business.com/news/how-will-singapore-defuse-a-16-year-waste-timebomb/
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complement the new recycling infrastructure. For example, it will introduce a new framework aiming to improve how Singaporeans recycle their e-waste.127
Local Players
Globex Plastic Trading is a Singapore-based company which specialises in the plastic recycling industry. Globex has a trading company in Singapore and processing facilities in Indonesia, Singapore and Cambodia. It has also established strong business relationships with its clients in China, India, Indonesia, Singapore, Vietnam, Philippines, and other locations. It is currently processing plastic wastes from many parts of Europe, the US, Japan, Singapore, Indonesia as well as the Oceania region.
CMC Recycling Singapore is the largest exporter of ferrous scrap and one of the largest metal recycling companies in Singapore and in the world. Incorporated in 2007, it purchases scrap from local suppliers and exports primarily to mills in South East and North East Asian nations.
Eco-Wiz Group Pte Ltd. is a Singaporean leader and one of the world’s leading food waste management companies. It specialises in helping organisations develop on-site food waste management solutions. Among its clients are food manufacturers, governments, supermarkets and shopping halls, hospitals, marine vessels & offshore, real estate, academic institutes, hotels and the food & beverage industry. Founded in 2010, the company has established a strong market base in Asia and operates across the world through a network of distributors and agents.
Wah & Hua Pte Ltd. is a local waste management and multi-material recycling company that provides services for the collection of recyclables from small business to large corporations. Since its establishment in the early 1980s, the company has become one of the major recycling players in Singapore. It has the capability to provide a full range of waste management services and it operates facilities with large industrial balers and other equipment. In 2011, it found additional success with an innovative, sustainable waste management solution, when it developed a material recovery facility that automatically sorts and processes recyclable materials. Once converted into compressed bales, the recyclable materials are sold to manufacturers in Malaysia
127 www.towardszerowaste.sg/recycle-right/
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and Indonesia and then repurposed into new products. The material recovery facility made it easier for Wah & Hua to deal with different types of waste and generate a clean product line, an improvement that has resulted in a 20% increase in profits.
Sembcorp Industries Pte Ltd. is a leading energy, water, marine and urban development group operating across five continents worldwide. Through its subsidiary SembWaste, it is the leading waste management company in Singapore. In November 2019, it launched Ezi, an application that provides free door collection service to bypass contaminated recycling bins.
3.7.2 EU Opportunities
Opportunities for EU companies within the recycling process include collection, sorting, size reduction, cleaning and further separation. Singapore also has a need for equipment and systems for recycling facilities, recycling technologies that have recognition software and automatic sorting; processing of non-recyclable materials to recyclable materials as well as recycling of mixture of materials. Further notable opportunities for EU companies include:
◼ Recycling of household waste
◼ Smart bins
◼ Sorting of recyclables
◼ E-waste
◼ Test bedding of new measures to promote recycling
◼ Food recycling and food waste minimisation
◼ Research & Development
Recycling of Household Waste
Up until 2011, there used to be just one shared recycling bin, in which residents put paper, plastics and other recyclable items, for every five public housing blocks of flats. To encourage more households to recycle, every single public housing block of flats was provided with a recycling bin for residents. This was achieved in September 2014.
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To make it easier for residents to recycle and to save them the trouble to bring their trash to the recycling bin below the flat, NEA mandated that every new block of flat would also have chutes for recyclables on every floor, separate from rubbish chutes. A pilot project had found that a residential estate with such chutes recycles about three times as much recyclable waste as other comparable estates without the chutes.
More than 80,000 bins have been placed in HDB and landed estates across the island. Since April 2018, all new non-landed private residential developments above four storeys are required to install dual chutes for refuse and recyclables. All condominiums have also been required to provide one recycling bin per block since August 2018.128 In 2019, as part of the Recycle Right movement, recycle bins labels were redesigned to make them clearer.
Despite its efforts, Singaporeans' recycling habits at home are far from ideal. The country still needs assistance to tackle this problem urgently if it wants to achieve its goal of a 30% recycling rate of domestic waste by 2030.
Smart Bins
NEA is also on the lookout for smart technologies to solve some of its issues. In January 2015, the NEA awarded a contract to a Singapore company, Mobiquest, to implement a home-grown smart waste management system. Known as netBin, the rubbish bins are equipped with a variety of sensors can send out alerts to cleaners when they are full, which is expected to increase the efficiency of trash removal around the island. The system, touted as the first of its kind, is required to manage 10,000 bins in Singapore.
Sorting of Recyclables
Some of the larger waste collectors in Singapore have machines to sort the recyclables. They also employ people to visually inspect the separated waste and manually pick out items that do not belong. However, the majority of the more than 100 licensed waste companies are small firms where people have to manually sort all of the recyclables.
128 www.mewr.gov.sg/topic/recycling
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There is a clear need in Singapore for advanced equipment that can sort recyclables automatically and use less manpower. While smaller local firms may not find it financially viable to invest in expensive equipment, the Government can invest in it instead and charge the firms a fee to use it.
E-waste
Electrical and electronic waste recycling has recently taken off in Singapore. The recycling of old cell phones, laptops and other electronic waste (e-waste) in Singapore is carried out by dismantling and separation into four key recycling components; ferrous metals, plastic housing, batteries and circuit boards.
In 2015, a new initiative targeting the collection and disposal of e-waste was jointly set up by 3 private-sector parties: a telecommunications company StarHub; a recycling company specialising in e-waste recycling, TES-AMM; and courier firm DHL Express. As part of the programme, more than 400 e-waste bins were set up at strategic points across the island. The initiative has gone some way in helping to manage and process the estimated 60,000 tonnes of e-waste produced annually in Singapore.129
In addition, StarHub also runs an educational programme on e-waste recycling in schools as well as over their TV channels and network to increase awareness on these e-waste recycling efforts to all generations in Singapore. In June 2017, SingTel and SingPost have also jointly launched ReCYCLE, an initiative that allows consumers to drop off unwanted electronics at SingTel shops and SingPost branches or mail them in for free.130
129 https://www.opengovasia.com/articles/nea-study-singapore-produces-60-000-tonnes-of-e-waste-annually-only-6-recycled 130 https://www.opengovasia.com/articles/nea-study-singapore-produces-60-000-tonnes-of-e-waste-annually-only-6-recycled
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Figure 30: E-Waste Recycling Takes off in Singapore Source: Lianhe Zaobao
Recognising that more needs to be done, NEA called for a tender in September 2015 to conduct a study on the collection, recycling and management of e-waste, amid the increasing use of electronic devices. NEA will use the study findings to consider a system for collecting and recycling e-waste. The study included a survey of the e-waste collection and recycling value chain, including the final treatment and disposal. It is an opportune time for EU companies with expertise in e-waste recycling to enter this market.
NEA is also studying the possibility to introduce an Extended Producer Responsibility for packaging (applicable by 2025), a policy which makes producers responsible for managing their products after consumers have used them. The agency is working towards implementing an EPR for e-waste by 2021.131
131 https://www.eco-business.com/news/how-will-singapore-defuse-a-16-year-waste-timebomb/
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Test Bedding of New Measures to promote Recycling
Singapore demonstrates openness to new recycling technology and is keen to extend its recycling activities beyond paper, plastic and metal recyclable waste to include new areas.
It has been test-bedding some new measures in developments around the Marina Bay area:
◼ Establishing a waste exchange programme to increase the reuse of non-recyclable items in residential and non-residential premises
◼ Putting in place an enhanced education and awareness campaign to increase participation rates in recycling programmes
◼ Providing food recycling facilities for residential buildings to increase recycling of food waste from domestic sources
◼ Providing food recycling facilities for restaurants to increase recycling of food waste from commercial sources
◼ Introducing a “pay as you throw” system for residential premises to provide economic incentive for household recycling
◼ Introducing management fee rebates on waste collection for commercial premises to provide economic incentive for commercial recycling
◼ Providing access for horticultural waste from the public realm to co-gen plant to increase recycling of green waste within the district
◼ Using incinerator bottom ash in construction to avoid its disposal in Semakau landfill
Food Recycling and Food Waste Minimisation
In 2018, Singapore generated 763,100 tonnes of food waste (10% of total-generated waste) with a 17% recycling rate. The amount increased by about 40% over the past 10 years and is expected to rise further with a growing population and economic activity. To minimise the food waste, NEA has embarked on various initiatives to encourage food waste recycling and reuse.
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For example, in January 2016, NEA launched on-site food waste treatment pilots at two hawker centres. The initiative aimed at testing the feasibility of different on-site food waste treatment systems.
To help the food and beverage (F&B) industry reduce food wastage, NEA and the Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority (AVA) have launched food waste minimisation guidebooks for food retail establishments, supermarkets and food manufacturing establishments to further reduce food waste across the supply chain. As part of the same programme, NEA also collaborates with businesses and organisations to display outreach materials on their premises and conducts talks and roadshows to encourage consumers to cherish and not waste food. To date, NEA has collaborated with 50 entities, including supermarkets, food retail establishments, schools and other organisations.
Since December 2016, NEA has also been collecting source-segregated food waste from various premises for treatment at the co-digestion demonstration facility at Ulu Pandan WRP. Food waste is currently being collected from 9 premises, including schools, army camps as well as food courts. NEA plans to progressively expand the pilot to more suitable premises.
To further promote source-segregation and food waste recycling, NEA supports companies to implement food waste minimisation projects, such as on-site food waste treatment systems. Such projects are co-funded under NEA’s 3R Fund. NEA has so far co-funded 24 on-site food waste treatment systems at premises such as Resorts World Sentosa, Grand Copthorne Waterfront Hotel and Amara Hotel.
NEA is also looking into R&D opportunities and is considering developing pilot plants to test-bed innovative ways to recycle food waste. For example, NEA is working with the Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority to encourage food manufacturers to carry out R&D and test-bed innovative solutions such as converting soya bean waste into useful products in the food chain. NEA has also funded research in food waste conversion, such as an R&D project by a local university to develop a cost-effective process that efficiently converts food waste into biofuel. Through this and
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other projects, NEA hopes to build up local R&D capabilities and develop novel solutions in the management of food waste.132
NEA is also stepping up its efforts in terms of legislation. From 2021, MSE/NEA will work with the public sector to take the lead in segregating food waste for treatment in large public sector buildings where a significant amount of food waste is generated. Developers of new developments which are expected to be large food waste generators will be required to allocate and set aside space for on-site food waste treatment in their design plans. They will also be required to implement on-site food waste treatment from 2024, and large commercial and industrial food waste generators will be required to segregate their food waste for treatment.
Research & Development
In 2017, NEA launched a new Closing the Waste Loop research funding initiative to boost Singapore’s R&D capabilities in developing solutions to extract value and resources from key waste and residue streams, including plastics, food, electrical and electronics products, and incineration ash. By converting waste to the resources and keeping the recovered materials in the economic cycle, NEA seeks to enhance resource efficiency, reduce dependency on incineration and landfilling while at the same time, help maintain high levels of public health. The initiative is supported by the National Research Foundation and the Ministry of National Development under the Research, Innovation and Enterprise 2020 Plan, with funding of S$ 45 million (EUR 30 million) under the Urban Solutions and Sustainability domain.133
The initiative focuses on 4 thematic areas, which are:
◼ Segregation and value recovery, which include hydrometallurgy methods, sustainable and bio-benign plastic packaging materials and food waste conversion to energy and nutrients;
◼ Landfilling conversion, which includes cost-effective & energy efficient treatment processes for incineration of bottom ash and fly ash and non-incinerable waste; treatment for recycling of industrial residues;
132 www.towardszerowaste.sg/foodwaste/#govt 133 www.sgsme.sg/news/plans-more-robots-sensors-nea-launches-road-map-transform-cleaning-waste-management-sectors
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◼ Environmental remediation, which includes rapid site investigation and assessment methods; cost-effective remediation technologies; and on-site treatment of soil and residues;
◼ Digital and data-driven management systems, which include analysis of waste generation and management in the whole value chain; modelling and simulation to inform on planning and policy decisions; and influencing human behaviour through behavioural science.
Interested companies with solutions to address one of the four thematic areas are encouraged to tap the Closing the Waste Loop funds.
European Companies
EU companies possess advanced capabilities in the field of recycling and could serve as useful benchmarking references for Singapore in reviewing its recycling strategies. EU companies that have entered the Singapore market include Recupyl, Remex, and the ALBA Group.
Recupyl
Recupyl is a French company that specialises in the recycling process of batteries. Established in 1993, Recupyl’s recycling technology which is based on hydrometallurgy not only reduces the environmental impact of the recycling process but is also able to treat several types of batteries and recover their valuable materials. With operations in Poland, France, Italy, Spain, Singapore and the US, Recupyl has carved out a leading position in the global battery and accumulator recycling market.
In 2007, Recupyl partnered with Singapore’s electrical and electronic waste recycling firm, TES-AMM to build and operate a lithium-ion battery recycling plant in Singapore. The plant is based on Recupyl’s well-known hydrometallurgy process which allows for higher recovery and is environmentally superior and safer to the previous methods of battery recycling which are the pyrolysis (heat) and cryogenic (freezing) methods.
TES-AMM collects sorts and exports electronic waste at its plant in Singapore. Sorting includes Li-ion batteries, which are exported and recycled using a patented mechanical hydrometallurgical
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process. TES-AMM works in a joint venture with Recupyl using an innovative process for recycling batteries and recovering valuable metals.
REMEX
REMEX Mineralstoff GmbH is a German company that specialises in recovering raw materials from various types of mineral waste including waste from industrial processes and construction work as well as incinerator bottom ash. REMEX also provides services in a number of other fields, such as supplying backfill material, remediation services at contaminated areas, and managing landfills. REMEX is active in 34 countries including Singapore where it offers its customers innovative solutions and meeting the requirements of the various industry sectors.
In July 2014, NEA awarded a contract to REMEX Mineralstoff GmbH to develop and operate a metal recovery facility in Singapore. The facility is to recover both ferrous and non-ferrous metals from incineration bottom ash, generated by incineration plants in the country.
The plant, officially opened in December 2015, is equipped with REMEX’s cutting-edge technology and will be able to process around 600,000 tonnes of incinerator bottom ash that is generated by Singapore’s four household waste incineration plants every year. Set up with a variety of screening and separation systems, this modern technology and facility of REMEX’s will ensure that the ferrous and non-ferrous metals can be removed separately from incinerator bottom ash. This is the first facility of its kind in Singapore.
Figure 31: REMEX’s Facility in Singapore Source: NEA
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ALBA Group
ALBA Group, one of the world’s leading recycling specialists and environmental services providers, through its two brands, ALBA and Interseroh. It operates within Germany, Europe and Asia with more than 8,000 employees and generated an annual revenue of EUR 2.1 billion in 2018.
In October 2019, following an international tender, the Berlin-based company was awarded its first contract (with a value of more than EUR 100 million) in Singapore to set up a completely new waste management system. ALBA Group won this contract through a consortium with local recycling company Wah & Hua Pte. Ltd. Singapore. The ALBA Group holds 70% of the joint venture and Wah & Hua 30%.
The Jurong urban region with a population of 500,000 is to be served by a digitalised system meeting high environmental standards and providing capacity to collect and treat some 170,000 tonnes of waste a year. Digitalisation of waste management in Singapore counts as one of its most ambitious environmental projects in Asia.
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3.8 Soil Prevention
3.8.1 Market Overview
Years of relentless construction in Singapore have Singapore has become increasingly caused soil compaction, which has in turn resulted concerned about soil erosion after it was in lower infiltration rate and higher surface runoff. hit with a spate of flash floods in recent years. NEA spends millions each year This, coupled with the fact that Singapore dredging and cleaning up the slit in all of experiences heavy rainfall throughout the year, has the canals and drains in Singapore. led to an increased likelihood of soil erosion and flash floods in Singapore.
Singapore is actively looking into resolving the issue of washed down and flowing silt and sediment from slopes or construction sites into drains and canals during torrential downpours, which effectively reduce its drainage capacity and lead to flash floods. The Public Utilities Board (PUB) has undertaken expensive and complex drainage improvement projects – in September 2019, it completed a S$ 300 million (EUR 200.5 million) upgrading project of the Bukit Timah First Diversion Canal, which will serve to strengthen Singapore's flood resilience. The agency spends an estimated S$ 5 million to S$ 6 million (EUR 3.3 to EUR 4 million) each year dredging and cleaning up the silt in all of the canals and drains in Singapore.134
Figure 32: Silty Runoff in Waterways in Singapore, October 2018 Source: The Straits Times
134 http://secs.sg/industry-insights/singapores-battle-with-silty-water/
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To tackle the problem of silty discharge, PUB has also been working with the construction industry on concerted efforts in public education and engagement, technology upgrading, and enforcing good Earth Control Measures (ECM).135 However, despite the expensive maintenance work on the waterways over the years, soil erosion and flash floods remain a problem in Singapore. Additionally, as recently as May 2019, two local contractors were heavily fined for silty water discharge and inadequate earth control measures at their construction sites.136
PUB requires new construction sites at 0.2 hectares or larger to connect their existing drainage monitoring systems to a Silt Imagery Detection System (SIDS), which uses image analytics technology to detect silt discharge at construction sites. SIDS extracts and analyses real-time images from CCTVs, and automatically sends alerts to various parties, such as the contractor, CCTV vendor and PUB upon detection of silt discharge.137
In the 2020 budget, the Singapore government announced a new Coastal and Flood Protection Fund with an initial allocation of S$ 5 billion (EUR 3.2 billion) by the Government to help Singapore deal with the significant risks posed by rising sea levels.138 This will be topped up whenever Singapore's fiscal situation allows. Besides, Singapore's Government will commit S$ 1 billion (EUR 633.3 million) for research in urban solutions and sustainability to safeguard the city against temperatures and floodwaters. The research will focus on, among other topics, renewable energy, cooling Singapore, and carbon capture. The new fund will not only encourage a suite of new players to come up with innovative solutions, but it will also kickstart a climate adaptation and mitigation ecosystem to position Singapore as a model for climate risk mitigation for other coastal cities and countries.
Soil Remediation
Singapore requires a site that has been used for polluting activities to be assessed for the extent of land contamination, and cleaned up, before it can be redeveloped for a non-polluting activity. The Singapore Land Authority (SLA) has formulated an environmental policy framework that
135 www.pub.gov.sg/drainage/earthcontrolmeasures 136 www.straitstimes.com/singapore/two-construction-companies-fined-for-silt-filled-water-discharge 137 www.pub.gov.sg/drainage/earthcontrolmeasures/SIDS 138 https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/budget-2020-new-s-5b-coastal-and-flood-protection-fund-to-tackle-12446320
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provides guidance on management of environmental issues in the land recycling process. It includes the following in its list of polluting activities:
◼ Oil installations and premises for storing, handling, and using oil and hydrocarbon products
◼ Chemical plants and warehouses
◼ Shipyards
◼ Gas works and power stations
◼ Toxic waste treatment facilities
◼ Scrap yards, landfills and facilities for the treatment of sewage
The Dutch Guidelines for soil protection are the first source of reference in Singapore. In April 2019, a multi-agency delegation from Singapore visited the Netherlands to learn about integrated and future-proof soil and landfill remediation. The visit was aimed at supporting the development of the framework for the management, remediation and use of contaminated land in Singapore. The delegates consisted of NEA, PUB, Housing Development Board (HDB), and Jurong Town Council (JTC).
Local Players
Some of the notable local players in the soil protection and remediation are:
Soil Investigation Pte Ltd. was established in 1970 and it provides geotechnical investigation services. The company specialises in site investigation, geotechnical instrumentation and monitoring, geophysical survey, and laboratory testing services. The company has worked with a wide range of clients from installation of geotechnical & structural instrumentation for the Changi International Airport to site investigation for commercial buildings along Shenton Way and up-market residential developments.
Botanical Network Company (BNC) is a Singapore-based company, which focuses on reversing the systemic depletion of arable land through soil rejuvenation programmes that revitalise and recover land damaged by the wrong usage of synthetic fertilisers. It offers a range of organic fertilisers and
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soil revitalisers that enhance soil conditions. Regionally, it also provides consulting services to the agricultural sector to optimise the commercial farms and maximise crop yields.
KBI Contracts & Marketing is the Earth Control Measures (ECM) supplier in the Singaporean market for construction sites. It provides a wide range of services and products, including HKPC- AquaSed, a waste water treatment solution for construction sites, and Vigormat, the erosion control blankets. The company is also the official distributor of several products from major manufacturers, such as Environmental Pioneers & Solutions Limited, CHT-Natural Solutions Sdn Bhd and Hong Kong Productivity Council.
Geocom Engineering Singapore is a provider of civil and construction materials that protect against soil erosion, drainage systems, tunnel construction, road and surface reinforcement, as well as being sole distributor for Enka Solution/Bonar B.v. (Netherlands), Huesker Synthetic GmbH (Germany) and C.I. Kaisei Co Ltd. (Japan).
CPG Consultants Pte Ltd. provides consultancy services in the field of infrastructure development and management. The company’s activities include master planning & urban design, green design, architectural design, landscape urbanism, civil & structural engineering, transportation & environmental engineering, mechanical & electrical engineering, quantity surveying, and qualified erosion control professional services. The company operates as a subsidiary of CPG Corporation Pte Ltd., which is a leading infrastructure & building development and management services provider in the Asia Pacific region. The company has been behind many of the PUB’s tenders for infrastructure upgrades, such as the Changi Water Reclamation Plant, Kallang-Paya Lebar Expressway and Sentosa Gateway Tunnel.
3.8.2 EU Opportunities
There are a number of opportunities for EU companies in the soil protection market in Singapore. These include the provision of equipment and services in relation to:
◼ Soil erosion prevention at construction sites
◼ Coastal erosion defence
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◼ Bioremediation
Soil Erosion Equipment for Construction Sites
In Singapore, the Land Transport Authority and the PUB play an important role in soil erosion control. ECMs are implemented in construction sites to prevent silt from polluting its waterways. Before starting any construction work, contractors are required to obtain a Clearance Certificate to commence works from PUB by submitting an ECM Plan which has been designed and endorsed by a qualified professional. Contractors are then required to install the ECM on site according to the ECM Plan.
The ECM focuses on erosion control and sediment control measures to minimise the extent of soil loss and water pollution from the eroded soil. Requirements are aligned for construction companies such as protecting and covering earth stockpiles, constructing efficient drainage systems along the perimeter of the construction sites as well as installing treatment systems to treat the eroded soil before discharge. These environmental measures are constantly monitored and developed to ensure land and soil prevention and protection in Singapore.
Major products and technologies that are required at Singapore is trying to build up its construction sites include: capabilities in coastal protection, from coastal engineering to the use of ◼ Erosion control blankets or canvas sheets plants for coastal protection, as well as beach and dune nourishment. ◼ Screening technology for silt and debris control The latter are approaches that are relatively new to Singapore. ◼ Polymer block treatment for silty water
◼ Silt fences as temporary sediment barriers
◼ Turbidity curtains as impermeable barriers
◼ Portable meters for total suspended solids & portable hand-held turbidity meters
◼ Online monitoring systems for total suspended solids
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Coastal Erosion Defence
As a low-lying island, rising sea levels pose a threat to Singapore. Currently, about 70% to 80% of Singapore’s coastal areas have hard walls or stone embankments, which help protect against coastal erosion. The rest are natural areas such as beaches and mangroves.
Singapore is trying to build up its capabilities in coastal protection. Several public agencies, including the Building and Construction Authority (BCA), Housing & Development Board (HDB) and JTC Corporation have been heavily involved in coastal engineering and coastal protection works.
BCA has set up a Coastal and Project Management Department to focus on coastal protection and adaptation issues. Singapore is looking into using engineering solutions such as constructing polders - a land-reclamation technique – and reclaiming a series of islands off its east coast, to buffer it against rising sea levels. There is also growing interest in the use of plants (such as mangroves and sea grasses) for coastal protection, as well as beach and dune nourishment – these are approaches that are relatively new to Singapore.
Figure 33: Aerial view of a polder site at Pulau Tekong, an offshore island Source: HDB Bioremediation
Singapore is increasingly interested in methods of tackling soil contamination through organic means. This includes the growing of understory plants to help trap leaves and twigs, which can help improve the organic content of the soil as they decompose.
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In 2013, Jurong Town Council called for a tender for the re-greening of Jurong Island - to use plants to sop up the contaminants in the soil and water fouled by the oil, petrochemical, chemical and power facilities on the island.
In 2017, the Singapore Polytechnic-RMIT University joint project on scaled-up bioremediation of oil contaminated soil has also won the Biotechnology Award at the IChemE Awards, pointing to additional interest in bioremediation technologies in Singapore. The project used large-scale application of bioremediation technology to successfully treat oil-contaminated soil, as a feasible alternative to incineration and thermal desorption.139
European Companies
Lambda Consult
Lambda is a Dutch environmental consulting company, which undertakes groundwater investigation, assessment of contaminated sites, preparation of soil and groundwater remediation plans, modelling of groundwater flow and contaminant transport, as well as project management. Lambda assisted its client, Setsco Pte Ltd, to prepare a proposal for soil and groundwater remediation at the site of the former BP refinery at Pasir Panjang Road. It was also commissioned by another client, SECS Pte Ltd, to execute a numerical groundwater modelling at the Tuas Power Utilities Site on Jurong Island. The project objective was to ascertain the maximum pumping rates possible without overstressing the aquifer and causing seawater intrusion and land subsidence.
Deltares (formerly Delft Hydraulics)
Deltares is an independent research institute and consulting firm in the Netherlands specialising in water management and soil issues. Deltares works on providing solutions, innovations and applications to its clients throughout the world in the field of water, soil and the subsurface. Its expertise is mainly in flood risk, adaptive planning, infrastructure, water and subsoil resources, and environment issues.
139 http://www.icheme.org/media_centre/news/2017/national-university-of-singapore-and-shell-come-out-on-top-at-singapore-chemical- engineering-awards.aspx#.Wo8NZJP1VE4
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In June 2006, Delft Hydraulics signed a MOU with the NUS and PUB to create and establish a centre of excellence for water and environmental knowledge at NUS. The MOU resulted in the creation of Singapore-Delft Water Alliance (SDWA) which was officially launched in Feb, 2007. This collaboration between Deltares, NUS and PUB allowed Singapore to embark in cutting edge research to solve and serve its water and soil issues and needs.
SDWA in Singapore has carried out several large research projects for Singaporean agencies such as PUB and NEA. Some examples of research projects carried out were:
◼ MHBox – This project focused on understanding and developing a pre-operational forecasting system for residual currents and water levels
◼ Seagrass project – This project aimed to improve understanding of the natural dynamics of seagrass ecosystems in tropical coastal waters in response to environmental variability in turbidity and sedimentation
◼ Neptune project – The project is to develop an Operational Management System for the coastal waters of Singapore
Ongoing research is focused on the potential effects of climate change in Singapore and the solutions to address those effects. They are testing multifunctional coastal protection using hard structures such as seawalls, and living barriers such as mangroves, which may help mitigate the impact of rising seas and climate change. These impacts my take forms such as flooding, saltwater intrusion into freshwater supplies.
Huesker
Huesker Synthetic GmbH is a German company offering a complete line of geogrids, geocomposites and geotextiles that deliver cost-effective geotechnical engineering solutions. Huesker products and solutions are categorised into the following business areas: earthworks and foundations, road and pavements, environmental engineering, hydraulic engineering, industry and agriculture and mining. Huesker’s business in the market is globally established with distribution and sales branches in more than 60 countries. The company also has subsidiaries
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and offices in Great Britain, Spain, Italy, Netherlands, France, USA, Brazil and Singapore, representing the whole Asia region.
In 2012, Huesker established its Asia sales office in Singapore - Huesker Asia Pacific Pte Ltd. Huesker’s geosynthetics are widely used in the construction industry in Singapore. Huesker develops individual solutions for various structural engineering applications using a high degree of technical expertise as it works together with engineering companies as well as research and testing institutes in Singapore.
As of today, various projects have been implemented by Huesker in Singapore, such as railway and airport construction projects, hydraulic engineering projects, earthworks and foundation engineering projects, redevelopment of industrial and contaminated soils, and asphalt reinforcement projects.
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3.9 Noise Protection
3.9.1 Market Overview
Singapore is a dense urban centre which is seeking a balance between meeting its residents’ desire for a quiet living environment and the noise that comes from economic and community activities. Given that Singapore is such a small and densely populated country, land constraint sets a limit on land buffers and setback distances that can be provided to deter noise sources such as road and rail traffic as well as construction works away from residential areas.
Main Sources of Noise
The main sources of noise in Singapore are Given its small size and dense population, land transportation and construction works. constraint sets a limit on land buffers and setback Singapore’s National Environmental distances that can be provided to deter noise sources such as road and rail traffic away from Agency (NEA) received 9,464 complaints residential areas. about construction noise levels in 2018,140 down from 14,900 in 2015.141 While significant, the number of complaints have been decreasing year-on-year since the agency started regulating noise levels from construction sites and industrial operations, using a set of permissible noise levels for different times of the day and night.142
Since 2011, it implemented a no-work rule on Sundays and public holidays for construction sites close to residential areas or noise-sensitive developments such as healthcare and educational institutions.
NEA also requires major construction projects close to residential areas to implement noise abatement measures such as acoustic screen walls, noise barriers, and soundproof
140 www.nea.gov.sg/docs/default-source/resource/publications/environmental-protection-division-annual-report/nea-epd-report-2018.pdf 141 http://www.nas.gov.sg/archivesonline/data/pdfdoc/20160323001/Media%20Release%20for%20Extension%20and%20Enhancement %20of%20QCF_final.pdf 142 More information on permissible limits can be found at: http://www.nea.gov.sg/anti-pollution-radiation-protection/noise-pollution-control
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enclosures to reduce the noise impact on residents. Residents in turn undertake noise impact assessments to evaluate the noise management of these construction projects.
NEA additionally stipulates noise emission standards for new and in-use vehicles under the Environmental Protection and Management Regulations.143 Singapore’s current standards specify a limit of 96 A-weighted decibels (dBA), which is significantly higher than in the EU (which plans to progressively tighten standards to achieve a passenger-car noise limit of 68 dBA by 2026.)
Heavy industries and airports in Singapore are zoned to be away from residential areas, and hence have less impact on residents. There are also measures in place to manage and control noise levels around airports in Singapore. Civil aircraft operating in Singapore have to meet noise standards specified by the International Civil Aviation Organisation. Also, aircrafts have to adopt flight profiles designed to minimise noise disturbance at Changi and Seletar airports in Singapore.
Public and private residential buildings are required to follow development control parameters set by the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA). These rules address noise nuisances by specifying the placement and design of air-conditioning ledges, rooftop electric transformers and water tanks.
Local Players
Since its establishment in the 1980s, db Acoustics has become one of the leading noise control and sound-proofing acoustic solutions providers in Singapore and the Asia-Pacific region. The company offers a comprehensive range of off-the-shelf and custom-designed noise control and sound-proofing products for offices, schools, hospitals, cinemas, performance theatres, industrial buildings, and other facilities. Some of its more prominent clients include New MediaCorp Studios, Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, Singapore School of the Arts, National University Hospital, Marina Bay Sands Theatre, Art Science Museum and Changi Airport Terminals.
143 https://sso.agc.gov.sg/SL/EPMA1999-RG6/Uncommenced/20180120?DocDate=20120629&ValidDt=20180401
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Wes Noise Control Pte Ltd. specialises in acoustic and noise control structures and equipment, construction equipment and noise control consulting. Among its key solutions, Wes Noise Control offers P.E.B. noise barrier products, such as P.E.B. panels (noise barriers), sound-proof walls and portable noise barriers, which help reduce noise from construction and upgrading works. Over the years, it has provided noise control solutions for construction works for projects such as Buangkok N9 project, Toh Yi Drive, Woodlands N8 C21 Project, Singapore Expo, North South Expressway, National Research Foundation, as well as Beauty World, Cashew, Hillview, King Albert Park, Newton, Little India, Stevens, Sixth Avenue and Tan Kah Kee stations.
Figure 34: Housing and Development Board-Bedok N5 C19 Project Source: Wes Noise Control
Acoustic & Environmental Solutions Pte Ltd. (AES) provides acoustic consultancy services in architectural, building, environmental and industrial sectors, as well as noise and vibration control and electro-acoustics services for Singapore and the regional markets. Established in 2002 in Singapore, AES offers specialist advice ranging from initial design, specification and project management, to prediction and measurement for remedial engineering solutions. The company also operates as a distributor, offering advanced acoustic and noise simulation software of SoundPLAN GmbH, a German engineering company which focuses on noise control, air quality assurance and software development.
Noise & Vibration Control Engineering Pte Ltd. is the leading provider of acoustic engineering solutions in Singapore. It services various commercial, industrial, residential and governmental
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establishments to optimise noise reduction. The company’s portfolio of products includes absorboards, cam lift hinges and level handles, cellulose fibre insulation, fabric panel soundtracks, impact noise insulation foams, neoprene mounts and pads, perforated boards and spring insulators, as well as acoustic rubber seals, wall lining, windows, ceiling boards, ceilings and doors, among others. In addition to providing noise reduction solutions, it also conducts assessments of exposure to noise within the industrial, commercial and residential areas and advises clients on the most effective control methods to reduce noise. Its clients come from various industries, such as banking & finance, government, healthcare, hospitality, entertainment, residential, technology, telecommunications and commercial sectors. Over the years, it has garnered an impressive list of clients, including Standard Chartered Bank, DBS Bank, Credit Suisse, Biopolis, Asian Civilisations Museum, Singapore Changi Airport Terminals 2 & 3, Singapore Science Centre, Nanyang Technology University, National University of Singapore, MediaCorp Radio Singapore, Inter-Continental Hotel, and Sumitomo Heavy Industries.
Alpha Acoustics Engineering Pte Ltd. is a provider of a wide range of acoustic solutions, servicing the government, commercial, industrial and residential sectors. While established in 1996 as a niche designer and installer of acoustic materials for the Singaporean market, the company has expanded in recent years to cover the Philippine and Thai markets. Some of its notable clients are the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of National Defence, National Cancer Centre, Singapore Prison Service, Wisma Geylang Serai Civil Centre, Church of Singapore, HOPE Church, National University of Singapore, Nanyang Technology University, Citibank NA Singapore, ExxonMobil Asia Pacific, Singtel, and DBS Bank.
3.9.2 EU Opportunities
The market for noise protection, reduction or Construction firms in Singapore can apply mitigation materials, equipment and systems in for a funding scheme administered by Singapore is relatively small but has the potential NEA in order to invest in quieter to grow further. There is demand for the following construction equipment. products and services:
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◼ Noise protection products for use in the construction sector via the new Quieter Construction Innovation Fund (QCIF)
◼ Integrated noise monitoring, measuring and recording technologies
◼ Acoustic barriers for deployment along roads, highways and train lines
◼ Low noise road surfacing materials
The Quieter Construction Innovation Fund (QCIF)
In April 2019, NEA launched a new S$ 2 million (EUR 1.3 million) Quieter Construction Innovation Fund (QCIF) to replace the popular Quieter Construction Fund (QCF), which expired on 31 March 2019. The new fund is to incentivise the construction industry to adopt innovative quieter construction equipment and methods, to be utilised over two years, starting from 1 April 2019. The QCIF provides higher incentives to contractors than the QCF.
The noise-reduction equipment will help companies raise their productivity, as operations can be carried out smoothly without complaints or intervention from the Singaporean authorities. The QCIF also covers leasing of equipment and specialist sub-contractor services.
Category Purchase Cost Funding Quieter Piling and ≤S$200 per equipment Up to 50%, capped at S$80,000 per Demolition Equipment equipment >S$200,000 and ≤S$500,000 per Up to 40%, capped at S$175,000 equipment per equipment >S$500,000 per equipment Up to 35%, capped at S$300,000 per equipment Quieter General ≤S$100,000 per equipment Up to 50%, capped at S$9,000 per Construction equipment Equipment >S$100,000 and ≤S$200,000 per Up to 50%, capped at S$30,000 per equipment equipment >S$200,000 per equipment Up to 25%, capped at S$150,000 per equipment Table 6: QCIF Funding for Purchase of Quieter Construction Equipment Source: NEA
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Category Purchase Cost Funding Perimeter Noise ≥$5,000 per project site Up to 30% per project site Barriers Localised Noise ≥$1,000 per project site Up to 50% per project site Enclosures/Curtains Table 7: QCIF Funding for Purchase of Noise Control Equipment Source: NEA
Category Purchase Cost Funding Innovative Quieter ≥$3,000 per project site Up to 50% per project site Construction Methods Table 8: QCIF Funding for Innovative Quieter Construction Methods Source: NEA
Since January 2017, NEA’s decision to allow selected construction sites to carry out quieter construction works on selected Sundays and Public Holidays has also benefit noise-reduction solution providers for the construction industry.144
Some examples of the noise protection products required by the construction industry include:
◼ Mobile equipment - improved quality and noise reduction engine mufflers, sound absorbing hoods over engines, sound absorbing panels and floor mats;
◼ Construction site machines and operations – pile driver silencers, portable air compressors, fans and ventilators silencers, blower silencers, resonator and turbine silencers, quieter air track drills, concrete crusher machines and electrical concrete vibrators;
◼ Noise protective barriers - perimeter noise barrier, noise curtain, plant noise enclosure and machine noise enclosure;
◼ Noise monitoring equipment – noise meters and dosimeters, noise monitoring systems;
144 http://www.nea.gov.sg/anti-pollution-radiation-protection/noise-pollution-control
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Integrated Noise Monitoring, Measuring and Recording Technologies
There is also demand for noise meters in Singapore. The National Environment Agency (NEA) requires contractors to install properly calibrated Class 1 sound level meters with an accuracy of +0.7 dBA at the worksite to monitor the noise levels and ensure compliance.
If NEA receives a complaint about noise from a construction site, noise-enforcement officers will carry out an investigation by getting readings from noise meters installed at construction sites or noise-sensitive premises nearby. Both NEA and the construction companies can access readings online. When the levels exceed legal limits, the times at which the offences take place are highlighted in the system. Alerts are also sent out to NEA and to the company.
There is also potential for use of noise meters in the residential sector. Singapore’s public housing agency, the Housing Development Board (HDB), receives an average of 8,300 complaints about noise every year, for the past three years.145 In October 2019, as part of a pilot project by the Municipal Services Office and Singapore Kindness Movement, noise meters were installed in community spaces such as basketball courts and on the ground floor of public housing blocks. The pilot project covers five locations across Singapore, namely Ang Mo Kio, Choa Chu Kang, Clementi, Sembawang and Yishun.
Figure 35: Noise Meters at a HDB Void Deck Source: The Straits Times
145 www.straitstimes.com/singapore/noise-top-cause-of-spats-in-housing-estates
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Noise barriers for deployment along roads, highways and railways
Since 2013, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) has been installing semi-enclosed and vertical noise barriers at above-ground MRT tracks under the Railway Noise Barrier Programme. Phase 1, which comprises 11.5 km railway noise barriers, was completed in 2018. On-site works for another 10 km of noise barriers under Phase 2 are ongoing and are expected to be installed by the third quarter of 2020. In October 2019, LTA awarded the third and final phase to PBT Engineering, which will build noise barriers along a 5.5 km stretch by 2023. LTA is also retrofitting noise barriers installed at turnout sections (where trains switch tracks) by converting them to a semi-enclosed "portal" design to handle the higher noise levels, and is considering the use of noise-dampening wheels to minimise noise at the source.
Figure 36: Semi-Enclosed Noise Barriers in Singapore Source: Today Online
Singapore targets to implement noise mitigating features and structures island-wide by 2023, to provide a better living environment. It is building permanent noise barriers along highways and flyovers where there are high densities of public housing, after undertaking a pilot test to assess their effectiveness in 2014. In October 2019, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) awarded the third and final phase of its Railway Noise Barrier Programme, which began in 2013, to install noise barriers along MRT viaducts. PBT Engineering will build noise barriers along a 5.5km stretch at
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16 locations until 2023. At the completion of the programme, there will be 27km of noise barriers at 61 locations.146
Low Noise Road Surfacing Material
Since 2016, LTA has been conducting trials to develop and implement low-noise surfacing on the roads. One such trial is to study whether the inclusion of material such as latex or rubber into current asphalt mix is effective in reducing traffic noise at the source. More recently, local construction company Samwoh teamed up with Singapore Polytechnic to turn plastic waste into a component in hot-mix asphalt, which can be used to build road surfaces that are more flexible, are less likely to crack, and which generate less noise from the friction between cars and the asphalt.147 Should these tests provide demonstrable reduction in noise levels, the government is considering the widespread application of such technologies.
European Companies
Bruel & Kjaer
Bruel & Kjaer is a Danish provider of noise and vibration test and measurement solutions, with over 65 years in the sound and vibration business. Its solutions cover acoustic, rotating, structural and environmental testing for the civil, military and space industries. The company has fully owned sales and support offices and accredited calibration centres throughout the world. Bruel & Kjaer has had a decades-long direct presence in Singapore. Four of its Class 1 Integrating Sound Level Meters are on NEA’s list of approved products, which means that noise assessment reports using these instruments will be accepted by the agency.148
Vibratec Akustikprodukter
Vibratec Akustikprodukter is one of Scandinavia’s leading suppliers of noise and vibration solutions in the world. The company was founded in 1988 in Stockholm (Sweden) and it offers solutions for noise, vibration and shock sectors worldwide. Vibratec’s products and services cover
146 https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/housing/27km-of-mrt-noise-barriers-by-2023 147 www.straitstimes.com/singapore/environment/the-road-to-recycling-could-well-be-paved-with-plastic-waste 148 www.nea.gov.sg/docs/default-source/our-services/building-planning/approved-list-of-class-1-integrating-sound-level-meters_apr-2019.pdf
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a wide range of applications covering mounts and isolators for all types of machines, pipes and equipment; mufflers, catalytic converters and soot filters for diesel exhaust; solutions for insulation of railways and soundproofing materials for the building and construction sector.
Today, Vibratec comprises of four companies; with its headquarters in Sweden and subsidiary companies in Estonia, Denmark and Norway. In 2003, Vibratech appointed an agent in Singapore, Rickvin Trading Pte Ltd, which was its first in Asia.
Trelleborg Industrial AVS
Trelleborg Industrial AVS, headquartered in Sweden, has over 100 years of experience as Metalastik and Novibra. The company manufactures anti-vibration and suspension products as well as buffers and pads. It offers noise protection solutions that can be used in highways, rail and mass transit, marine and energy as well as general industry. Trelleborg Industrial AVS is part of Trelleborg Group, which employs 15,000 people in over 40 countries. They offer their products in Singapore via distributors such as Rickvin.
SoundPLAN International LLC / Braunstein + Berndt GmbH
SoundPLAN International LLC and its consulting arm, along with the Germany software developer Braunstein + Berndt GmbH, are the world foremost international experts in environmental noise and air modelling. SoundPLAN is an environmental software offering a flexible range of noise and air pollution evaluation modules. It has more than 5,000 users, including governments, consultants and researchers in more than 40 countries. SoundPLAN has appointed a local company, AES Acoustic & Environmental Solutions Pte Ltd., as its distributor and technical support in Singapore and Malaysia, for its environmental noise prediction software. AES offers acoustic consultancy services in architectural, building, environmental and industrial acoustics, noise & vibration control and electro-acoustics in Singapore and the region.
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4. Regulations
Singapore's system of legislation, which is based on the UK’s system, consists of two main pillars: 1) Acts, formulated in each field as required; and 2) their accompanying regulations. Relevant acts for the Environment & Water Technologies sector include the Environmental Pollution Control Act (EPCA), the Environmental Public Health Act (EPHA), and their supplementary regulations, such as the Sewer and Drainage Act, Sewerage and Drainage (Trade Effluent) Regulations, and Environmental Public Health (Toxic Industrial Waste) Regulations.
New Legislation
A new Resource Sustainability Bill149 was passed in 2019, which redefines waste as a resource. The Act puts in place a systems-level approach that mandates key responsibilities to enable reuse and recycling nationwide. The new Act gives regulatory teeth to waste-reducing measures in three streams - electronic waste (e-waste), food waste and packaging waste, including plastics. These waste streams have relatively high generation and low recycling rates in Singapore. The Bill designates the National Environment Agency (NEA) as the agency responsible for the administration and enforcement of the Bill.
The following are key points of legislation under the Act:
E-waste
◼ Producers of certain electrical and electronic products have to join a producer responsibility scheme, through which the producers finance the collection and recycling of such products when they are disposed of as waste.
◼ Large retailers (with sales area above 300 m2) have to offer in-store collection of electrical and electronic waste and, upon delivery of an electrical or electronic product, offer one-for- one collection of an equivalent product.
149 https://sso.agc.gov.sg/Bills-Supp/20-2019/Published/20190805?DocDate=20190805
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Packaging
◼ A new mandatory packaging reporting framework has been established, which includes plastics.
◼ Producers (with an annual turnover of above S$ 10 million or EUR 6.7 million) who supply regulated goods have to report on the amount of specified packaging imported or used in relation to the regulated goods.
◼ These producers will also have to submit plans to NEA to reduce, reuse or recycle packaging.
Food Waste
◼ To reduce food waste, food waste segregation and treatment will be made mandatory for large commercial and industrial players, such as malls and hotels.
◼ Developers of new commercial and industrial premises that generate large amounts of food waste have to allocate and set aside space for on-site food waste treatment systems and treat the food waste from 2021 and 2024 respectively.
The framework also finances the aggregation and recovery of useful materials from waste such as metals.
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4.1 Environmental Protection Regulations
The subsystem of environmental legislation is rationally composed of acts and regulations under them. Singapore has no basic environmental legislation incorporating ideals and overall policy for dealing with environmental problems that exists in other South East Asian countries.
The Environment Pollution Control Act (EPCA), which came into operation in 1999, consolidates the previously separate laws on air, water and noise pollution and hazardous substances control, and it provides a legislative framework for the control of environmental pollution. The title of the Environmental Pollution Control Act was amended to the Environmental Protection and Management Act (EPMA) in 2008, to provide for the protection and management of the environment and resource conservation.
Under EPMA, there are eleven Environmental Protection Management (EPM) regulations that were established to stipulate specific standard control values:
1. EPM (Boundary Noise Limits for Factory Premises) Regulations, Reg 1
2. EPM (Control of Noise at Construction Sites) Regulations, Reg 2
3. EPM (Fees for Licenses) Regulations, Reg 3
4. EPM (Hazardous Substances) Regulations, Reg 4
5. EPM (Trade Effluent) Regulations, Reg 5
6. EPM (Vehicular Emissions) Regulations, Reg 6
7. EPM (Composition of Offences) Regulations, Reg 7
8. EPM (Air Impurities) Regulations, Reg 8
9. EPM (Prohibition on the Use of Open Fires) Order 1999, Order 1
10. EPM (Ozone Depleting Substances) Regulations, Reg 9
11. EPM (Off-Road Diesel Engine Emissions) Regulations 2012
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There is no legislation for the assessment of environmental impact in Singapore as the overall plan for land utilisation is drawn up along with the development progress activities, taking into account environmental balance.
There are also no environmental standards indicating desirable levels in the general living environment. International standards will be taken into account. For example, in order to evaluate the air quality of an area, standards of the WHO and the US Environmental Protection Agency are applied.
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4.2 Water Pollution Regulations In legislation relating to water pollution control, there are two acts and their subsidiary regulations containing waste water standards. All waste water is required to be discharged into the public sewerage system. The discharge of waste water into open drains, canals and rivers is regulated by the EPMA and its subsidiary EPM (Trade Effluent) Regulations. NEA’s Pollution Control Department (PCD) administers the EPMA and its Regulations.
Industrial waste water must be treated to specified standards before being discharged into a sewer or watercourse (if the public sewer is not available). Additionally, industries generating large quantities of acidic effluent are required to install a pH monitoring and shut-off control system to prevent the discharge of acidic effluent into public sewers.
The trade effluent discharged must not include any of the following substances:
◼ radioactive material;
◼ any pesticide, fungicide, herbicide, insecticide, rodenticide or fumigant;
◼ refuse, garbage, sawdust, timber, human or animal waste or solid matter;
◼ petroleum or other inflammable solvent; or
◼ a substance that either by itself, or in combination or by reaction with other waste or refuse, may give rise to any gas, fume, odour, or substance which is or is likely to be a hazard to human life, a public nuisance, injurious or otherwise objectionable
The table below indicates the upper limits for trade effluent discharge, based on the type of watercourse. General watercourses refer to those channels that flow into the sea, while controlled watercourses refer to those supplied by PUB and used for channelling raw water for drinking. Public sewer systems refer to those channels in which both domestic and industrial waste water is directly discharged.
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No Items Types of watercourse for waste water Public General Controlled Sewer Watercourse Watercourse
1 Temperature (°C) 45 45 45 2 Colour/(Lovibond units) - 7 7 3 pH value/pH 6-9 6-9 6-9
4 BOD5 (20°C) 400 50 20 5 COD (Cr method) 600 100 60 6 Total Suspended Solids 400 50 30 7 Total Dissolved Solids 3000 2000 1000 8 Chloride (as chloride ion) 1000 600 400
9 Sulphate (as SO4) 1000 500 200 10 Sulphide (as Sulphur) 1 0.2 0.2 11 Cyanide (as CN) 2 0.1 0.1 Detergents (linear alkylate sulphonate as methylene blue 12 30 15 5 active substances) Grease & Oil - 10 5 13 Grease & Oil (Hydrocarbon) 60 - - Grease & Oil (Non-Hydrocarbon) 100 - - 14 Arsenic 5 1 0.05 15 Barium 10 5 5 16 Tin 10 10 5 17 Iron (as Fe) 50 20 1 18 Beryllium 5 0.5 0.5 19 Boron 5 5 0.5 20 Manganese 10 5 0.5 21 Phenolic compounds (expressed as phenol) 0.5 0.2 Nil. 22 *Cadmium 1 0.1 0.01 23 *Chromium (VI & III) 5 1 0.05 24 *Copper 5 0.1 0.1 25 *Lead 5 0.1 0.1 26 *Mercury 0.5 0.05 0.001 27 *Nickel 10 1 0.1 28 *Selenium 10 0.5 0.01 29 *Silver 5 0.1 0.1 30 *Zinc 10 1 0.5 31 Metals marked with * in total 10 1 0.5 32 Chlorine (Free) - 1 1
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No Items Types of watercourse for waste water Public General Controlled Sewer Watercourse Watercourse
33 Phosphates (as PO4) - 5 2 34 Calcium (as Ca) - 200 150 35 Magnesium (as Mg) - 200 150
36 Nitrate (as NO3) - - 20 Table 9: Industrial Effluent Standards in Singapore Source: NEA
Industries need to apply to PUB for permission to directly discharge their trade effluent containing biodegradable pollutants into public sewers with a tariff payment. The tariff is determined by their biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) and total suspended solids (TSS) loading exceeding the allowable standards.
The table below shows the concentration in waste water discharged and the corresponding Trade Effluent Tariff to be paid:
Concentration Trade Effluent Tariff (S dollar/m3) (mg/litre) BOD TSS 400-600 0.21 0.15 601-800 0.42 0.30 In between, the Trade Effluent Tariff gradually increases with every increase of 200 mg/litre 3,801-4,000 3.78 2.70
Table 10: Concentration of Waste Water Discharged into Public Sewer and Trade Effluent Tariff Source: NEA
The PCD of the NEA ensures the effectiveness of waste water regulations and standards by conducting on-site inspections frequently as well as requiring factories to submit water quality measurements at regular intervals.
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4.3 Air Pollution Regulations In Singapore, air pollution control is regulated under the EPMA and the subsidiary EPM (Air Impurities) Regulations, which stipulate emission standards for air pollutants.
Scenario Emission Limit Value1 (mg/m3)
Any trade, industry or process, fuel burning equipment Particulate or industrial plant (except for cold blast foundry 1002 matter cupolas) Any trade, industry or process (non-combustion SO2 500 sources)
NOx (as NO2) Any trade, industry process or fuel burning equipment 700
1 The emission limit values are expressed at 0oC, 101.325 kPA, and dry flue gas basis. 2 Where there is more than one flue, duct or chimney in any scheduled premises, the total mass of the particulate emissions from all of such flue, duct or chimney divided by the total volume of such emissions shall not exceed 100 mg/m3 and the particulate emissions from each of such flue, duct or chimney shall not exceed 200 mg/m3 at any point of time. Table 11: Standards for Air Pollutant Emissions form Stationary Sources Source: NEA
Emission limit values for other pollutants not listed above can be found in the EPM (Air Impurities) Regulations.
Motor vehicles are major sources of air pollution in Singapore. As such, NEA has set about the EPM (Vehicular Emissions) Regulations and the EPM (Off-Road Diesel Engine Emissions) Regulations to control the exhaust emission standards for all vehicles.
Under the EPM (Vehicular Emissions) Regulations, smoke opacity limit for smoky vehicles and idling engines are set and regulated. Standards for exhaust emission for new and in-use motor vehicles are also specified under this regulation.
As for the EPM (Off-Road Diesel Engine Emissions) Regulations, engine emission standards are only applied to off-road diesel engines that are installed in an industrial plant. It does not apply to any off-road engines owned by the Government for the use of the Singapore Armed Forces, the Singapore Police Force or the Singapore Civil Defence Force. The specified and detailed standards for exhaust emission for each motor vehicle and for off-road diesel engines can be found in the respective regulations above.
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4.4 Hazardous/Toxic Waste Management Regulations NEA controls environmentally hazardous substances under the EPMA, the EPM (Hazardous Substances) Regulations and the EPM (Ozone Depleting Substances) Regulations. Hazardous industrial waste includes slush generated from waste water treatment, toxic metals and rags soaked with hazardous organic solvent. The list of controlled substances along with their regulated quantities during transportation can be found under the specific regulations150.
NEA relies on a tight regime of licensing and inspection for regulation of hazardous substances. The regulations specify responsibilities of generators of hazardous industrial wastes, responsibilities of entities collecting, transporting, storing, treating, disposing of, and otherwise dealing with them, application procedures for a business permit required of such entities dealing with them, and precautions to be taken by such entities in transit.
The key elements in Singapore’s strategy to control toxic industrial wastes and ensure their safe treatment and disposal are to avoid generation of intractable wastes; encourage waste minimisation; encourage waste reuse, recovery and recycling; regulate collection, treatment and disposal. Accordingly, regulations cover areas such as:
◼ Companies generating toxic industrial waste have to register with NEA and report the volume of such waste produced and where it is treated. The collection and treatment of toxic industrial waste can only be undertaken by NEA licensed toxic waste collectors.
◼ Companies have to seek NEA’s approval to transport hazardous substances that exceed a stipulated quantity. Tracking devices and remote-activated brakes have to be installed in the vehicles used for transporting highly toxic substances.
◼ A user who intends to import, export, store or use hazardous chemicals must be licensed by NEA. The user must conduct an assessment to confirm that the chemicals do not pose health and safety hazards during its use, and provide mitigation measures during accidents. Those who handle the chemicals must also go through NEA’s course on the management of hazardous substances and pass an examination before they are licensed.
150 http://www.nea.gov.sg/anti-pollution-radiation-protection/chemical-safety/hazardous-substances
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◼ NEA also requires specific storage conditions and adequate pollution control measures. Adequate measures such as containment areas, leak detection and warning devices must be provided in case of any accidents involving toxic wastes.
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4.5 Soil Pollution Regulations The Code of Practice on Pollution Control provides guidelines concerning soil pollution control such as procedures for soil pollution investigation and restoration from pollution.
Fundamentally, all land zones in Singapore are owned by the government and may be used under a lease agreement for a fixed term. If soil pollution occurs during its use, the occupant is required to restore the land territory. Therefore, appropriate soil pollution control measures need to be carried out and implemented to prevent such possibility of soil pollution occurring.
The Code of Practice on Pollution Control guidelines includes:
◼ An investigation for soil pollution shall be conducted when any tract of land that was previously used by an industry designated as one that may cause soil pollution is going to be used for any other purposes. If soil pollution is verified, the tract of land must be restored to a condition suitable for the new application.
◼ The owner or user of the tract of land in question shall conduct, or consign any entity on behalf of oneself to conduct, such investigation for soil pollution and restoration in a manner acceptable to the Pollution Control Department.
◼ The investigation for soil pollution and restoration must be conducted in accordance with the technical guidelines listed below:
▪ The Guidelines for Soil Pollution Control for Netherlands
▪ ASTM E 1527-00 Soil Evaluation Standards, Phase I
▪ ASTM E 1903-97 Soil Evaluation Standards, Phase II
▪ ASTM E 1739-95el Soil Evaluation Standards at Petroleum Release Sites
▪ New Zealand's Guidelines for Soil Pollution By Petroleum and Hydrocarbon
▪ Other guidelines acceptable to PCD
◼ A restored tract of land shall be checked by experts so as to confirm that it is restored as required.
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4.6 Noise Pollution Regulations The control on noises in Singapore is implemented in accordance with the EPM (Boundary Noise Limits for Factory Premises) Regulations under EPMA. The regulations specify the upper limit on the noise levels according to time zones and features of the facilities affected by the noise.
Maximum permitted noise levels (reckoned as the equivalent noise level over the specified period) in decibels (dBA) Types of affected premises Day (7am – 7pm) Evening (7pm – 11pm) Night (11pm – 7am)
Noise Sensitive Premises 60 55 50 Residential Premises 65 60 55 Commercial Premises 70 65 60 Table 12: Maximum Permitted Noise Levels for Each Specified Time Zone Source: NEA
Maximum permitted noise levels (reckoned as the equivalent noise level over 5 minutes) in decibels (dBA) Types of affected premises Day (7am – 7pm) Evening (7pm – 11pm) Night (11pm – 7am)
Noise Sensitive Premises 65 60 55 Residential Premises 70 65 60 Commercial Premises 75 70 65 Factory Premises 75 70 65
Table 13: Maximum Permitted Noise Levels over 5 Minutes in Each Time Zone Source: NEA
Noise sensitive premises usually include natural parks, educational institutions, libraries and hospitals. Where there are two sources of noise from a single factory, the upper limit of the noise level permitted is lowered according to the differential in noise levels between the two sources.
NEA also stipulates noise emission standards for new and in-use vehicles under the EPM (Vehicle Emissions) Regulations.
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Types of vehicle Registration standards (dBA) Current New Motor cycle 99 94 96 or 100 for rear Motor car 103 engine
Large Goods Vehicle (LGV) 103 97
Heavy Goods Vehicle (HGV) 105 98 including bus (<10,000 cc)
Heavy Goods Vehicle (HGV) 107 99 including bus (>10,000 cc) Table 14: Noise Emission Limits for Current & New Vehicles Source: NEA
The NEA also regulates noise levels from construction sites and industrial operations using a set of permissible noise levels for different times of the day and night in accordance to the EPM (Control of Noise at Construction Sites) Regulations under EPMA.
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5. Annex
5.1 List of Useful Contacts
Government & Regulatory Boards
Ministry for the Environment and Water National Environment Agency Resources 40 Scotts Road, Environment Building 40 Scotts Road, Environment Building #13-00 Singapore 038988 Singapore 038988 Tel: +65-6732 7733 Tel: +65-6225 5632 Fax: +65-6731 9456 Fax: +65-6731 9866 Email: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.mewr.gov.sg Website: www.nea.gov.sg (to transition to a new website in Aug 2020)
Environment and Water Industry Public Utilities Board Development Council (EWI) 40 Scotts Road, #22-01 40 Scotts Road, Environment Building Singapore 228231 Singapore 038988 Tel: +65-6235 8888 Tel: +65-6732 7733 Fax: +65-6731 3020 Fax: +65-6731 9456 Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] Website: www.pub.gov.sg Website: www.mewr.gov.sg/ewi
Economic Development Board Enterprise Singapore 250 North Bridge Road 230 Victoria Street , Level 10 #28-00 Raffles City Tower Bugis Junction Office Tower Singapore 179101 Singapore 188024 Tel: +65-6832 6832 Tel: +65-6898 1800 Fax: +65-6832 6565 Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] Website: www.enterprisesg.gov.sg Website: www.edb.gov.sg
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Ministry of Trade and Industry National Research Foundation 100 High Street #09-01 The Treasury 1 CREATE Way #12-02 CREATE Tower Singapore 179434 Singapore 138602 Tel: +65-6225 9911 Tel: +65-6684 2900 Fax: +65-6332 7260 Fax: +65-6684 0384 Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] Website: www.mti.gov.sg Website: www.nrf.gov.sg
Ministry of Manpower Agency for Science, Technology and 18 Havelock Road, #07-01 Research (A*STAR) Singapore 059764 1 Fusionpolis Way #20-10 Connexis North Tel: +65-6348 5122 Tower, Singapore 138632 Fax: +65-6535 4811 Tel: +65-6826 6111 Email: [email protected] Fax: +65-6777 1711 Website: www.mom.gov.sg Email: [email protected] Website: www.a-star.edu.sg
Building and Construction Authority Housing and Development Board 52 Jurong Gateway Road HDB Hub #11-01 480 Lorong 6 Toa Payoh Singapore 608550 Singapore 310480 Tel: +65-6534 0219 Tel: +65-6490 1111 Fax: +65-6334 4287 Fax: +65-6490 1033 Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] Website: www.bca.gov.sg Website: www.hdb.gov.sg
JTC Corporation Accounting and Corporate Regulatory The JTC Summit Authority (ACRA) 8 Jurong Town Hall Road 10 Anson Road, #05-01/15 Singapore 609434 International Plaza Tel: +65-6560 0056 Singapore 079903 Fax: +65-6565 5301 Tel: +65-6248 6028 Email: [email protected] Fax: +65-6225 1676 Website: www.jtc.gov.sg Email: www.acra.gov.sg/askacra Website: www.acra.gov.sg
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Trade Associations
Singapore Water Association Waste Recycling and Management Waterhub Association of Singapore 80 Toh Guan Road East c/o 1003 Bukit Merah Central Singapore 608575 #02-10 Singapore 159836 Tel: +65-6515 0812 Tel: +65-6278 2538 Fax: +65-6515 0813 Fax: +65-6278 7518 E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.swa.org.sg Website: www.wmras.org.sg
Environmental Management Association of Singapore (EMAS) c/o 1003 Bukit Merah Central #02-10 Technopreneur Centre, Singapore 159836 Tel: +65-6278 2538 Fax: +65-6278 7518 E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.emas.org.sg
Research Institutes
Nanyang Environment and Water Singapore Environment Institute (SEI) Research Institute (NEWRI) 1 Kay Siang Road 1 Cleantech Loop #06-08 CleanTech One #08-01, #09-01/02 Singapore 673141 Singapore 248922 Tel: +65-6790 6813 Tel: +65-6225 5632 Fax: +65-6791 0756 Fax: +65-6734 9269 E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.newri.ntu.edu.sg Website: www.nea.gov.sg/sei
NUS Environmental Research Institute National University of Singapore #02-01 T-Lab Building, 5A Engineering Drive 1 Singapore 117411 Tel: +65-6516 7379 Fax: +65-6872 1320 E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.nus.edu.sg/neri
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5.2 Starting a Business in Singapore
Why Singapore?
Singapore’s high ranking as the world’s second easiest place to do business (after New Zealand) makes it an attractive investment destination. Its high standard of living, high quality education, advanced infrastructure and technology and low crime rates makes it a popular global city in which to work and live.
Singapore welcomes individuals and corporations that are interested in doing business in Singapore. Many global corporations chose to locate their headquarters in Singapore because of its political stability, attractive corporate tax rates, as well as the strength of its legal and financial system. Due to its strategic geographical location, there is an unwavering preference for Singapore as a location for business expansion efforts.
Registering your business
It is easy to register a business, including foreign branch offices, online at Bizfile (www.bizfile.gov.sg) by the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (www.acra.gov.sg).
Generally, EU companies have the following options for business formation:
◼ Singapore Subsidiary – a locally incorporated company with the foreign parent company as a shareholder. Singapore allows 100% foreign shareholding. The company is entitled to local government incentives and privileges of tax treaties, which satisfies the qualifying conditions. It will be subjected to local corporate tax rates, has a separate legal identity and its liabilities do not impact the foreign parent company.
◼ Branch Office – a locally registered entity that acts as an extension of the foreign parent. Therefore, its liabilities are extended to the parent company. The revenue generated locally will be subjected to tax. It will be taxed at the prevailing local tax rate although it is a non-resident for tax purposes.
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◼ Representative Office – This type of entity is for the purpose of market research, administrative or liaison purposes only. It cannot engage in revenue generating activities. This entity is a transitory arrangement only because the registration is valid for one year, renewable for up to 3 years maximum; thereafter it must graduate to a subsidiary or branch office to continue its operations here.
Business Registration Procedure
All businesses must be registered with the Accounting & Corporate Regulatory Authority (ACRA). This includes any individual, firm or corporation that carries out business for a foreign company. The first step is to seek the ACRA’s approval of the name of the corporation, which can be done online.
Once the name is approved, the registration papers and information can be e-filled with ACRA for the registration of the foreign company. The following documents have to be submitted as well for registration:
◼ A certified copy of the corporation’s certificate of incorporation in its place of incorporation or origin, or a document of similar effect
◼ A certified copy of the corporation’s certificate of change of name or a document of similar effect (if applicable)
◼ A certified copy of its charter, statutes, or memorandum and articles of association or other instrument constituting or defining its structure
◼ A list of its directors stating their names, residential addresses, nationalities, passport numbers, occupations and dates of appointment as directors
◼ A memorandum of appointment of agents together with an affidavit. There must be at least two agents who must be Singapore citizens, permanent residents or holders of valid Employment Passes.
◼ Notice of the location of the corporation’s registered office in Singapore to which all communications and notices may be addressed.
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A Singapore address for the business will be needed during the business registration. Businesses that do not require a physical premise can provide virtual addresses, which are offered by many professional service providers. As for businesses that require a physical premise, the individual or company can choose to operate from a home office, retail outlets or flatted factories depending on the nature of the business. Premises must be operated in accordance to the approved business use by the relevant authorities. The body monitoring the requirements of the Companies Act (CA) is ACRA.
Government Agencies
The Singapore government provides support and assistance in all kinds of aspects to help businesses grow in Singapore. EU companies looking to set up, operate and establish a business in Singapore will find it easier with assistance from the following government agencies:
◼ Economic Development Board (EDB) – Provides comprehensive investor support and ensures a first-rate pro-business environment in Singapore. Initiated the Global Investor Programme to help international corporations set up and operate businesses in Singapore. Contact Singapore, an alliance of the EDB assists in this programme by linking up entrepreneurs and investors with local business networks as well as facilitating a range of immigration processes for their entry and stay in Singapore. Further information regarding the business opportunities of the programme as well as the application process and requirements is on the EDB’s page or Contact Singapore’s webpage.
◼ Enterprise Singapore – The government agency championing enterprise development in Singapore. It works with committed companies to build capabilities, innovate and internationalise. Enterprise Singapore also supports the growth of the country as a hub for global trading and start-ups. As the national standards and accreditation body, it continues to build trust in Singapore’s products and services through quality and standards.
◼ Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (ACRA) – ACRA oversees the registration and regulation of business entities and public accountants, and also provides information on new business structures, compliance requirements and corporate governance practices.
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◼ SMEPortal.sg (by Enterprise Singapore) – An EnterpriseOne portal that makes an ideal one- stop site for enterprises looking to start, sustain and grow their businesses. It features links to government information and services as well as industry help and how-to guides.
◼ Ministry of Manpower – Ministry of the government of Singapore which provides the formulation and implementation of labour policies related to the workforce in Singapore. The ministry oversees matters related to immigration, issue of Employment Passes (EP) or working visas to foreign talent and work permit transactions. Its website also contains information pertaining to labour, wages and employment in Singapore.
Business Locations
Businesses have a variety of options to find a commercial premise that best meets one’s needs. This includes the heart of Singapore’s latest financial and business district in the Marina Bay Financial Centre to suburban offices in Jurong Lake District, Tampines and Paya Lebar.
In the industrial space market, there are developers like Ascendas, Mapletree and Soilbuild that offer many contemporary space options, from stack-up factories with dedicated loading and unloading bays to spaces for wet labs and research activities. Government bodies like HDB and JTC Corporation also provide industrial land and space options for industrialists engaging in high value added industrial activities in Singapore. An example of an innovative and environmentally- friendly industrial space concept is JTC’s multi-tenanted Surface Engineering Hub which aims to minimise water and carbon footprint for companies engaging in electroplating and other similar processes.
JTC also develops specialised industrial parks in Singapore like the Seletar Aerospace Park, Tuas Biomedical Park and Jurong Island to support the growth and development of key manufacturing sectors. Such specialised industrial parks provide industrialists with the necessary supporting infrastructure and allow industrialists to leverage the potential synergies by being clustered together. These specialised industrial parks in Singapore have proven to be attractive to companies and remain a cornerstone of Singapore’s industrial development.
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Finding a distributor in Singapore
One good way to establish a local presence is by working with agents and distributors in Singapore. Qualified agents and distributors can be found for nearly all kinds of products. A number of Singapore-based agents cover the ASEAN region as well as Singapore.
Singapore-based trade associations, chambers of commerce, and foreign commercial offices within EU member-state embassies are all good places to start your search for a distributor in Singapore. International business consultants with experience in helping foreign companies can also prove invaluable by facilitating introductions to qualified distributors. It is always best to meet a prospective distributor in person, and to check references.
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5.3 Useful Statistics
Water Demand and Management
Water Demand and Management Unit 2016 2017 2018
Household water consumption per capita1 Litres/day 148 143 141
Public Outreach Unit 2016 2015 2014
Number of lifestyle events held at reservoirs No. 419 426 366 and waterways
Number of ABC waters projects completed by No. 36 36 41 PUB (cumulative)2
1 From 2016 onwards, indicator has been revised from “Domestic water consumption per capita” to “Household water consumption per capita”, which refers to water consumption within household premises only (i.e. usage in purpose-built dormitories and common areas are excluded). A new target of 130 L/day by 2030 was set in 2018. 2 Figures include projects carried out by public agencies and exclude test-bedding projects. Table 15: Water Demand and Management, 2016-2018 Source: MEWR
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Water Resource Management
Water Resource Management Unit 2016 2017 2018 Access Improved drinking water sources1 % access 100 100 100
Improved sanitation2 % access 100 100 100
System Tests meeting WHO drinking water % 100 100 100 Efficiency quality guidelines Unaccounted for water % 5.0 5.1 5.6 Number of leaks per 100 km of No. 4.6 6.0 4.6 potable water pipelines Number of disruptions per month No. 10.5 10.2 10.3 per 1,000 km of sewers Flood prone areas Hectares 30.5 29.6 29.0 Supply Number of reservoirs in Singapore No. 17 17 17 Sale of potable water in Singapore - Domestic Mil m3 301.4 294.8 294.2 - Non-domestic Mil m3 215.6 204.8 201.3 Sale of NEWater Mil m3 126.9 140.2 140.5 Sale of industrial water Mil m3 21.0 19.9 20.6 Volume of used water treated Mil m3 594.6 595.4 585.8
1 As defined by the World Health Organisation (WHO), i.e. water sources that, by nature of construction or through active intervention, are protected from outside contamination. These include piped water into premises, protected dug well etc. 2 As defined by WHO, i.e. sanitation facilities that hygienically separate human excreta from human contact. These include flush/pour flush toilets or latrines connected to sewer, septic tank etc.
Table 16: Water Resource Management, 2016-2018 Source: MEWR
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Air Composition
Pollutant Averaging Unit 2016 2017 2018 2020 Air Quality Time Target for Singapore1 Sulphur 24-hour2 μg/m3 61 59 65 50 Dioxide (SO2) Annual μg/m3 13 12 9 15
Nitrogen 1-hour2 μg/m3 123 158 147 200 Dioxide Annual μg/m3 26 25 26 40 (NO2) Carbon 1-hour2 mg/m3 2.7 2.3 2.5 30 Monoxide 2 3 (CO) 8-hour mg/m 2.2 1.7 2.0 10 Ozone 8-hour2 μg/m3 115 191 150 100 Particulate 24-hour3 μg/m3 61 57 59 50 Matter (PM) 3 10 Annual μg/m 26 25 29 20 Particulate 24-hour3 μg/m3 40 34 32 37.5 Matter (PM) 3 2.5 Annual μg/m 15 14 15 12
1 Singapore’s 2020 air quality targets are benchmarked against the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) Interim Targets and Air 3 3 Quality Guidelines. For SO2 and PM2.5, Singapore’s Sustainable Blueprint 2020 annual targets are 15 µg/m and 12 µg/m respectively. 2 Maximum 24-hour, 8-hour or 1-hour 3 99th percentile
Table 17: Air Composition, 2016-2018 Source: MEWR
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Solid Waste Management
Solid Waste Management Unit 2016 2017 2018 Total waste generated1 Mil tonnes/yr 7.81 7.70 7.70
Total waste recycled2 Mil tonnes/yr 4.77 4.72 4.63
% 61% 61% 60% Total waste incinerated Mil tonnes/yr 2.836 2.756 2.84 % 36% 36% 37% Total waste landfilled3 Mil tonnes/yr 0.22 0.22 0.23 % 3% 3% 3% Total domestic waste disposed of4 Mil tonnes/yr 1.666 1.616 1.56 Total domestic waste disposed of per Kg a day/person 0.83 0.81 0.79 capita4 Domestic recycling rate2,4 % 21% 21% 22% Total non-domestic waste disposed of4 Mil tonnes/yr 1.396 1.376 1.50 Total non-domestic waste disposed of Tonnes a day/ 9.8 9.2 9.8 per S$ billion GDP4 GDP (S$ billion) Non-domestic recycling rate2,4 % 76% 76% 74% Total energy produced from incineration MWh 1,200,456 1,215,906 1,162,408 Lifespan of landfill5 Years 36 36 36
1 Total waste generated = Total waste recycled + Total waste incinerated + Total waste landfilled. 2 Singapore Sustainable Blueprint target for 2030 is 70% for overall recycling rate, 30% for domestic recycling rate and 81% for non-domestic recycling rate. 3 Total waste landfilled includes non-incinerable waste such as construction and demolition waste, used slag and treated sludge etc. and excludes incineration ash, generated from waste disposed through incineration. 4 The figures were revised due to a waste vehicle reclassification exercise. 5 Measured from the start of the lifespan of Semakau landfill, i.e. 1999. 6 Figures exclude metals recovered from Incineration Bottom Ash.
Table 18: Solid Waste Management, 2016-2018 Source: MEWR
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Recycling of Waste
Amount of Waste Amount of Waste Waste Stream Generated (Mil Recycled (Mil Recycling Rate (%) tonnes/yr)1 tonnes/yr)1
Construction Debris 1.62 1.62 99
Used Slag 0.18 0.18 99
Ferrous Metal 1.27 1.26 99
Scrap Tyres 0.03 0.03 90
Non-ferrous Metals 0.17 0.17 99
Wood/Timber 0.32 0.19 59
Paper/Cardboard 1.05 0.59 56
Horticultural Waste 0.52 0.37 71
Glass 0.06 0.01 19
Food 0.76 0.13 17
Textile/Leather 0.22 0.01 6
Plastics 0.95 0.04 4 Others (e.g. e-waste, 0.29 0.01 4 ceramics, silt, etc) Ash and Sludge 0.24 0.02 10
Total 7.70 4.63 60
1 The figures may not add up to the total due to rounding off. 2 Wood and horticultural waste recycled include 0.36 million tonnes used as fuel in biomass power plants.
Table 19: Recycling of Waste, 2019 Source: MEWR
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Trade Statistics
Imported value Imported value Imported value Imported value Imported value Exporters in 2014 in 2015 in 2016 in 2017 in 2018
World 78,291 113,794 80,502 71,955 115,136
China 7,697 6,882 6,601 5,900 58,400
USA 15,611 15,396 22,141 9,643 15,089
Germany 5,724 4,581 4,988 24,632 6,594
Netherlands 4,188 1,197 1,363 986 4,401
United Kingdom 4,248 25,342 4,067 2,558 4,120
Malaysia 5,476 11,341 8,411 5,976 3,905
Spain 1,694 1799 730 859 3,173
South Korea 4,041 4,347 3,120 2,502 2,977
Japan 10510 5392 8080 2656 2,427
Sweden 1373 198 850 897 2,084 Table 20: Imports of Machinery and Apparatus for Filtering or Purifying water (HS Code 842121) Source: Trade Map Unit: US Dollar thousand
Exported value Exported value Exported value Exported value Exported value Importers in 2014 in 2015 in 2016 in 2017 in 2018
World 59,338 76,381 76,191 86,184 56,950
Israel 5,165 5,542 6,600 7,404 10,277
Malaysia 6,866 7,092 7,915 4,907 7,743
Indonesia 10,627 9,097 9,604 7,348 5,132
Algeria 10,343 2,735 0 5,729 4,805
Thailand 2,435 2,392 2,573 1,753 2,731
Maldives 128 287 469 493 2,705
Angola 1 3 29 2,637 2,675
India 1,261 6,200 2,661 2,872 2,336
Philippines 1554 2582 4913 939 2,133
Vietnam 517 1269 1357 19471 2,092 Table 21: Exports of Machinery and Apparatus for Filtering or Purifying Water (HS Code 842121) Source: Trade Map Unit: US Dollar thousand
Environment & Water Technologies – Singapore Market Study - Page 183 of 204
Imported value Imported value Imported value Imported value Imported value Exporters in 2014 in 2015 in 2016 in 2017 in 2018
World 263,406 223,036 242,249 225,713 255,989
USA 77,340 58,865 68,208 58,129 52,405
Germany 57,021 48,556 54,143 43,783 33,761
China 23,163 29,503 22,513 27,007 26,430
Sweden 1,107 1,720 1,589 978 22,073
Japan 14,766 10,965 13,219 18,899 14,963
Malaysia 18,090 9,180 12,551 9,310 14,199
United Kingdom 9,326 8859 5,995 8,158 13,118
Italy 13,015 12,243 7,397 7,694 11,065
Mexico 1031 1722 2701 6097 7,936
France 8243 3295 3554 3687 6,749 Table 22: Imports of Parts of Machinery and Apparatus for Filtering or Purifying Liquids or Gases, n.e.s. (HS Code 842199) Source: Trade Map Unit: US Dollar thousand
Exported value Exported value Exported value Exported value Exported value Importers in 2014 in 2015 in 2016 in 2017 in 2018
World 185,646 143,535 174,345 181,380 164,426
USA 25,099 23,935 22,678 21,040 25,305
Indonesia 25,880 26,483 31,288 33,357 23,025
Malaysia 31,447 22,327 19,480 22,609 20,764
Viet Nam 6,357 6,209 8,337 8,958 10,391
Australia 5,832 6,937 8,486 9,940 9,904
China 17,420 9,917 8,638 9,966 9,843
Taiwan 10,889 6744 7,499 7,060 9,320
Philippines 5,772 5,341 7,687 8,828 7,563
Japan 3585 2489 3346 5442 7,047 Table 23: Exports of Parts of Machinery and Apparatus for Filtering or Purifying Liquids or Gases, n.e.s. (HS Code 842199) Source: Trade Map Unit: US Dollar thousand
Environment & Water Technologies – Singapore Market Study - Page 184 of 204
Imported value Imported value Imported value Imported value Imported value Exporters in 2014 in 2015 in 2016 in 2017 in 2018
World 93,702 79,345 78,479 72,523 87,519
USA 28,043 21,948 19,486 17,747 24,184
Malaysia 776 751 805 6,840 15,612
Germany 8,758 10,199 8,019 7,006 9,568
United Kingdom 12,795 10,160 11,539 10,226 6,500
China 9,546 7,354 9,531 7,785 6,115
Japan 7,215 7,241 5,585 6,313 5,832
Netherlands 2,833 1859 2,604 2,784 3,620
India 4,640 2,954 2,940 2,296 3,370
Sweden 3817 2117 2235 2546 3,342
France 2235 1399 2742 1908 1,625 Table 24: Imports of Instruments and Apparatus for Measuring or Checking the Flow or Level of Liquids (excluding meters and regulators) (HS Code 902610) Source: Trade Map Unit: US Dollar thousand
Exported value Exported value Exported value Exported value Exported value Importers in 2014 in 2015 in 2016 in 2017 in 2018
World 74,590 79,204 79,773 73,080 84,816
Indonesia 13,616 16,058 10,841 7,361 16,205
China 10,236 10,088 15,859 9,030 10,557
South Korea 3,124 4,264 8,585 7,659 8,372
Japan 2,651 5,242 1,651 4,669 7,041
Malaysia 14,061 13,096 9,628 10,534 6,527
Hong Kong 1,365 3,381 4,995 6,867 5,696
Vietnam 2,125 2421 2,697 3,136 5,290
USA 2,053 1,459 1,451 3,272 3,754
India 874 2135 2553 2743 3,659
Thailand 2837 5655 2607 1872 2,637 Table 25: Exports of Instruments and Apparatus for Measuring or Checking the Flow or Level of Liquids (excluding meters and regulators) (HS Code 902610) Source: Trade Map Unit: US Dollar thousand
Environment & Water Technologies – Singapore Market Study - Page 185 of 204
Imported value Imported value Imported value Imported value Imported value Exporters in 2014 in 2015 in 2016 in 2017 in 2018
World 60,242 51,359 48,487 55,929 58,279
USA 20,951 18,642 16,494 19,104 19,683
Germany 8,159 7,186 7,161 9,229 10,636
United Kingdom 11,114 8,592 8,142 10,354 8,313
Mexico 771 1,292 1,803 2,993 4,382
China 2,517 1,137 1,392 1,698 3,184
Japan 2,317 2,076 2,217 1,760 2,365
South Korea 1,876 3296 2,542 2,666 2,294
France 1,649 1,217 927 1,651 1,487
Sweden 666 212 262 710 1,016
Netherlands 1872 591 997 416 702 Table 26: Imports of Gas or Smoke Analysis Apparatus (HS Code 902710) Source: Trade Map Unit: US Dollar thousand
Exported value Exported value Exported value Exported value Exported value Importers in 2014 in 2015 in 2016 in 2017 in 2018
World 41,208 53,571 32,456 39,460 51,350 United Arab 3,725 2,423 56 639 11,821 Emirates China 5,864 5,985 4,202 4,647 7,089
Malaysia 3,391 3,693 1,663 8,719 5,591
Indonesia 9,089 4,802 6,224 5,372 5,400
India 312 2,037 722 3,026 4,568
Vietnam 1,192 2,507 1,746 1,387 3,149
South Korea 2,370 1350 5,359 2,516 2,107
Japan 543 71 684 1,752 1,669
Taiwan 643 421 1109 1629 1,380
Thailand 890 1979 224 1177 1,339 Table 27: Exports of Gas or Smoke Analysis Apparatus (HS Code 902710) Source: Trade Map Unit: US Dollar thousand
Environment & Water Technologies – Singapore Market Study - Page 186 of 204
Imported value Imported value Imported value Imported value Imported value Exporters in 2015 in 2015 in 2016 in 2017 in 2018
World 524,136 504,724 454,647 436,188 512,547
USA 161,652 141,618 125,050 122,993 143,480
Malaysia 63,680 79,163 54,108 59,597 75,497
Japan 59,755 48,101 38,917 59,394 74,065
Germany 50,962 44,268 35,484 33,236 41,357
China 42,139 53,020 44,515 33,788 37,544
Switzerland 13,059 21,478 31,557 27,048 30,075 United 32,581 32477 30,957 29,441 25,017 Kingdom Mexico 5,398 6,617 9,285 9,563 12,467
Sweden 10178 9658 12469 10380 11,204
India 15283 8336 8212 6824 10,847 Table 28: Imports of Instruments and Apparatus for Measuring or Checking the Flow, Level, Pressure or Other Variables of Liquids or Gases e.g. flow meter, level gauges, manometers, heat meters (HS Code 9026) Source: Trade Map Unit: US Dollar thousand
Exported value Exported value Exported value Exported value Exported value Importers in 2014 in 2015 in 2016 in 2017 in 2018
World 626,931 609,018 561,435 476,476 503,762
USA 70,616 49,307 35,445 55,919 63,792
Malaysia 73,794 66,897 52,566 54,863 55,418
Japan 46,887 37,208 39,323 36,915 50,135
China 72,959 65,447 63,780 47,338 49,368
Indonesia 58,931 58,254 46,813 50,577 44,891
Hong Kong 26,907 34,516 46,313 23,851 31,591
South Korea 30,469 21334 23,524 27,770 28,245
Germany 21,115 41,603 24,628 23,248 19,123
Thailand 20765 30340 15641 12776 15,638
Australia 14380 11069 9435 13161 12,730 Table 29: Exports of Instruments and Apparatus for Measuring or Checking the Flow, Level, Pressure or Other Variables of Liquids or Gases e.g. flow meter, level gauges, manometers, heat meters (HS Code 9026) Source: Trade Map Unit: US Dollar thousand
Environment & Water Technologies – Singapore Market Study - Page 187 of 204
Imported value Imported value Imported value Imported value Imported value Exporters in 2014 in 2015 in 2016 in 2017 in 2018
World 157,081 159,129 143,899 155,552 183,524
USA 46,646 42,102 36,399 41,894 51,138
Malaysia 57,305 58,331 46,770 47,253 49,822
Switzerland 3,699 9,033 14,159 19,297 21,771
Germany 10,765 11,324 9,931 9,125 14,322
Mexico 2,570 3,309 3,981 7,138 9,697
China 5,771 5,809 5,415 7,437 8,607
Japan 9,963 8567 8,213 6,907 6,340
United Kingdom 3,846 4,719 4,684 3,305 4,694
France 3418 2943 2747 2965 4,518
India 4206 2785 2340 1327 2,883 Table 30: Imports of Instruments and Apparatus for Measuring or Checking Pressure of Liquids or Gases (excluding regulators) (HS Code 902620) Source: Trade Map Unit: US Dollar thousand
Exported value Exported value Exported value Exported value Exported value Importers in 2014 in 2015 in 2016 in 2017 in 2018
World 286,443 281,889 307,611 272,932 279,806
USA 56,898 34,004 25,055 41,893 42,198
Japan 32,452 27,431 33,925 30,631 42,029
China 28,357 31,544 30,455 30,073 31,194
Malaysia 19,580 18,978 24,635 28,357 30,242
Hong Kong 19,130 28,200 39,153 14,151 24,033
South Korea 16,087 6,775 7,956 16,704 18,631
Indonesia 21,172 20630 16,900 30,541 12,343
Germany 11,406 31,268 19,291 15,668 11,403
Thailand 8326 6953 5411 6378 7,522
Australia 8393 2199 1722 3439 6,830 Table 31: Exports of Instruments and Apparatus for Measuring or Checking Pressure of Liquids or Gases (excluding regulators) (HS Code 902620) Source: Trade Map Unit: US Dollar thousand
Environment & Water Technologies – Singapore Market Study - Page 188 of 204
Imported value Imported value Imported value Imported value Imported value Exporters in 2014 in 2015 in 2016 in 2017 in 2018
World 49,639 58,538 48,425 42,161 49,197
USA 16,342 17,768 20,115 13,836 21,070
Malaysia 1,525 10,668 1,359 1,055 5,426
United Kingdom 8,199 8,550 4,189 6,878 3,689
China 1,684 1,430 2,418 2,126 3,655
Japan 6,922 6,695 5,057 6,059 2,441
Germany 4,316 3,220 1,573 2,248 2,359
Switzerland 960 1579 1,101 1,634 1,939
Mexico 433 237 2,220 775 1,352
France 1146 1235 903 1182 1,202
Denmark 141 65 264 592 689 Table 32: Imports of Instruments or Apparatus for Measuring or Checking Variables of Liquids, n.e.s. (HS Code 902680) Source: Trade Map Unit: US Dollar thousand
Exported value Exported value Exported value Exported value Exported value Importers in 2014 in 2015 in 2016 in 2017 in 2018
World 77,516 60,725 58,125 52,867 64,203
USA 2,218 1,191 1,152 5,777 11,288
Malaysia 11,312 15,478 6,667 3,467 8,929
Indonesia 11,701 7,794 7,941 4,403 6,915
Germany 174 261 1,337 5,132 4,993
China 8,895 3,724 6,963 2,663 3,532
Thailand 2,722 8,452 2,595 2,155 3,050
Saudi Arabia 837 158 1,219 29 2,576
Oman 1 1 18 122 2,504 Russian 1 9 1195 7905 2,070 Federation Australia 362 631 381 1074 1,742 Table 33: Exports of Instruments or Apparatus for Measuring or Checking Variables of Liquids, n.e.s. (HS Code 902680) Source: Trade Map Unit: US Dollar thousand
Environment & Water Technologies – Singapore Market Study - Page 189 of 204
5.4 PUB Collaborators
Universities, Research Centres and International Organisations Advanced Environmental Biotechnology Centre - SINGAPORE Agency for Science Technology and Research - SINGAPORE American Water Works Association - USA Canadian Water Network - CANADA Centre for Environmental Sensing and Modelling - SINGAPORE Centre for Remote Imaging, Sensing and Processing - SINGAPORE Centre for Water Research - AUSTRALIA Cooperative Research Centres - AUSTRALIA Delft University of Technology - NETHERLANDS Deltares - NETHERLANDS DHI-NTU Water and Environment Research Centre - SINGAPORE DVGW-TZW Water Technology Centre - GERMANY Global Water Research Coalition - NETHERLANDS Imperial College London - UK International Desalination Association - USA International Water Association - UK International Water Resources Association - USA KAUST Water Desalination and Reuse Centre – SAUDI ARABIA KWR Watercycle Research Institute - NETHERLANDS Massachusetts Institute of Technology - USA Michigan State University - USA Monash University - AUSTRALIA Nanyang Environment and Water Research Institute - SINGAPORE Nanyang Technological University - SINGAPORE National Centre of Excellence in Desalination - AUSTRALIA National University of Singapore - SINGAPORE
Environment & Water Technologies – Singapore Market Study - Page 190 of 204
New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organisation - JAPAN Ngee Ann Polytechnic Centre of Innovation for Environmental & Water Technology - SINGAPORE NUS-Environmental Research Institute - SINGAPORE Pôle EAU - FRANCE Queensland Government - AUSTRALIA Sandia National Laboratories - USA Singapore Centre on Environmental Life Sciences Engineering - SINGAPORE Singapore Membrane Technology Centre - SINGAPORE Singapore Polytechnic - SINGAPORE Singapore University of Technology and Design - SINGAPORE Singapore Water Association - SINGAPORE Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology - SINGAPORE Singapore-Peking-Oxford Research Enterprise for Water Eco-Efficiency - SINGAPORE Stanford University - USA Stowa Foundation for Applied Water Research - NETHERLANDS SWELIA Association - FRANCE The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation - AUSTRALIA Toray Singapore Water Research Center - SINGAPORE Toshiba Aqua Research Centre - SINGAPORE Trent University - CANADA Tropical Marine Science Institute - SINGAPORE Tsinghua University - CHINA UK Water Industry Research - UK United States Environmental Protection Agency - USA University of Canterbury – NEW ZEALAND University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign - USA University of Maryland - USA University of New South Wales - AUSTRALIA University of North Carolina - USA University of Oxford - UK
Environment & Water Technologies – Singapore Market Study - Page 191 of 204
University of Queensland - AUSTRALIA University of Waterloo - CANADA University of Western Australia - AUSTRALIA University of Toronto - CANADA Water Environment Research Foundation - USA Water Research Commission - SOUTH AFRICA Water Research Foundation - USA Water Services Association of Australia - AUSTRALIA WateReuse Research Foundation - USA World Health Organisation - SWITZERLAND
Water Utilities and Companies Affordable Water – NEW ZEALAND Aqleo - SINGAPORE Aquaporin A/S - DENMARK Amiad Filtration Systems Anaergia - ISRAEL Aromatrix Technologies – HONG KONG Asahi Kasei Corporation - JAPAN Awa Instruments - SINGAPORE BASF SE - GERMANY Baleen Filters - AUSTRALIA Becton Dickinson - USA Biofuel Research - SINGAPORE Black & Veatch Corporation - USA Blueleg Monitor - NETHERLANDS Blue I Water Technologies - ISRAEL Boerger Pumps Asia - SINGAPORE Boustead Salcon Water Solutions - SINGAPORE Camp Dresser & Mckee - USA
Environment & Water Technologies – Singapore Market Study - Page 192 of 204
Ceraflo - SINGAPORE CH2M - USA CPG Corporation - SINGAPORE Daily Life Renewable Energy - SINGAPORE Darco Water Technologies - SINGAPORE DHI Water & Environment - SINGAPORE Dow Chemical Company - USA Dragon Water Group - GERMANY DSO National Laboratories - SINGAPORE D-RON Singapore - SINGAPORE ecoWise Technologists & Engineers - SINGAPORE Endress+Hauser Instruments International - SWITZERLAND Envipure - SINGAPORE Enviro Pro Green Innovation - SINGAPORE Envirotech and Consultancy - SINGAPORE Evoqua Water Technologies - USA ExxonMobil Asia Pacific - SINGAPORE Fluigen - SINGAPORE GE Water & Process Technologies - USA Global Water Intelligence - UK Glowtec Environmental Group - SINGAPORE GMF-Gouda Singapore - NETHERLANDS GrahamTek Nuwater - SINGAPORE Grundfos - DENMARK HACH - USA Hitachi - JAPAN Huber Technology - GERMANY Hydrovision Asia - SINGAPORE Hyflux - SINGAPORE Institute of Occupational Medicine Singapore - SINGAPORE
Environment & Water Technologies – Singapore Market Study - Page 193 of 204
Integrated Land Management - USA iWOW Connections - SINGAPORE Joyce River Hi-Tech Technologies - SINGAPORE Johnson Pacific - SINGAPORE Kemira - FINLAND Keppel Seghers - SINGAPORE Kinrot Holdings- ISRAEL Koch Membrane System - USA Kuraray - JAPAN Kurita Water Industries - JAPAN K-One Industries - SINGAPORE Lighthaus Integral - SINGAPORE Liqtech - USA Mann+Hummel Ultra-Flo - SINGAPORE Mattenplant - SINGAPORE Meiden Singapore - SINGAPORE Mekorot - ISRAEL Membrane Instruments and Technology - SINGAPORE Memstar Technology - SINGAPORE Metawater - JAPAN Mitsubishi - JAPAN Moya Dayen - - SINGAPORE MWH Asia Pacific - AUSTRALIA Natflow - SINGAPORE Nitto Denko Corporation - JAPAN Optiqua Technologies - SINGAPORE Orange County Water District - USA PulverDryer Technologies - USA PWN Technologies - NETHERLANDS Rand Water - SOUTH AFRICA
Environment & Water Technologies – Singapore Market Study - Page 194 of 204
Rehau Unlimited Polymer Solutions - GERMANY Saline Water Conversion Corporation - SAUDI ARABIA Sembcorp Industries - SINGAPORE SUEZ Environnement - FRANCE Tritech Engineering and Testing (Singapore) Pte. Ltd. - SINGAPORE Trojan Technologies - CANADA United Engineers - SINGAPORE United Envirotech - SINGAPORE Veolia Environment - FRANCE Visenti - SINGAPORE Vitens - NETHERLANDS Water And Sewerage Authority – TRINIDAD & TOBAGO Water Optics Technology - SINGAPORE WH2O Technology- SINGAPORE Wisewater - SINGAPORE Xylem – USA ZWEEC Analytics - SINGAPORE
Environment & Water Technologies – Singapore Market Study - Page 195 of 204
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NEA: Waste management and recycling statistics https://www.nea.gov.sg/our-services/waste- management/waste-statistics-and-overall-recycling
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Straits Times (2015). Construction Firms Invest in Noise Reduction Equipment Leading to Raised Productivity. http://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/construction-firms-invest-in-noise-reduction- equipment-leading-to-raised-productivity
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