Key Highlights of the 2022 Waste and Recycling Statistics
In 2022, about 7.39 million tonnes of solid waste were generated, of which 4.19 million tonnes were recycled. Waste generated by the non-domestic and domestic sectors both increased compared to 2021 – from 5.12 million tonnes and 1.82 million tonnes respectively in 2021, to 5.53 million tonnes and 1.86 million tonnes respectively in 2022.
The overall recycling rate increased to 57 per cent, largely due to the increased amounts of Construction & Demolition waste as a result of more demolition projects. The recycling rates of Paper/Cardboard and Textile/Leather waste dropped, as the amount exported for recycling dropped due to high freight costs compared to pre-COVID-19 levels. The recycling rate of Glass waste increased from 13 per cent to 14 percent, while the recycling rate for Ash & Sludge waste increased from 9 per cent to 11 per cent. The recycling rate of Wood waste was also lower as the amount of Wood waste disposed of increased, reflecting the continued recovery in construction and other industrial activities.
The non-domestic recycling rate increased by 2 per cent to 72 per cent, while the domestic recycling rate decreased by 1 per cent to 12 per cent. The decrease in the domestic recycling rate was largely due the drop in Paper/Cardboard and Textile/Leather waste recycled as lower quantities were exported for recycling.
2022 Waste Statistics and Overall Recycling Table
| Waste Type |
Total Generated
('000 tonnes) |
Total Recycled
('000 tonnes) |
Recycling Rate |
Total Disposed
('000 tonnes) |
| Ferrous metal | 1,338 | 1,331 | 99% | 7 |
| Paper/Cardboard | 1,064 | 394 | 37% | 671 |
| Construction & Demolition | 1,424 | 1,419 | 99% | 5 |
| Plastics | 1,001 | 57 | 6% | 944 |
| Food | 813 | 146 |
18% | 667 |
| Horticultural | 221 | 188 | 85% | 32 |
| Wood | 419 | 298 | 71% | 121 |
| Ash & sludge | 241 | 27 | 11% | 213 |
| Textile/Leather | 254 | 5 | 2% | 249 |
| Used slag | 169 | 166 | 99% | 2 |
| Non-ferrous metal | 92 | 91 | 98% | 2 |
| Glass | 73 | 11 | 14% | 63 |
| Scrap tyres | 26 | 25 | 95% | 1 |
| Others (stones, ceramics, etc.) | 249 | 30 | N.A.1 | 219 |
| Overall |
7,385 | 4,188 | 57% |
3,197 |
Note:
Figures are rounded to the nearest thousand tonnes and percentage point.
1The recycling rate for the "Others" category is not meaningful as it is an aggregation of miscellaneous waste types that are managed and recycled differently.
Metal recovered from incineration bottom ash for recycling is excluded from waste disposed of.
Wood and horticultural wastes recycled include 414,000 tonnes sent to facilities (e.g. biomass power plants and Sembcorp Energy from Waste plant) for use as fuel.
The overall recycling rate increased to 57% in 2022, largely due to the increased amounts of Construction & Demolition waste generated as a result of more demolition projects.
Please refer to the document Waste and Recycling Statistics for the waste and recycling statistics from 2017 to 2021.
Please refer to this website Statistics on the Environment for more statistics, reports and publications (e.g. Key Environmental Statistics).