Abstract
This paper asks how Singapore’s solid waste minimisation efforts can be improved, and how household behaviour can be more relevant, to effect zero waste. Zero waste arises in respond to the inadequacy of conventional waste management predicated on disposal to arrest the unsustainable growth in waste generation globally. Waste is fuelled by today’s consumerist throwaway economy, population growth and urbanisation, which perpetuates natural resource depletion, environment destabilisation and climate change. Zero waste aspires instead to manage resource, prevent waste, and avoid backend burning and burying. It is, however, difficult to implement in practice. This paper studies the case of Singapore using the qualitative methods of desk research and interviews. It is found that while Singapore may have the necessity, ability and ambition towards zero waste, its people fail to see the intention and their role. Singapore is then partial to the incremental approach of reducing waste to landfill, which sidesteps unreliable household participation and does not unduly disrupt the production and consumption underlying its economic expansion. This paper recommends the city-state repair trust damaged by its recycling programme, and realign its zero waste story to put people’s aspiration and role on centre stage. It is hoped that the findings provide insights to governments, organisations and scholars promoting urban sustainability and zero waste.