Waste to Energy: How Tuas Nexus Powers Singapore Cleanly

A New Way to Use Urban Waste

In Singapore’s far west, a steady flow of trucks brings in rubbish that, in most cities, would be buried out of sight. At Tuas Nexus, the story is different: household scraps, packaging, and used water all become part of an integrated cycle that turns sustainable waste management into more than just a plan on paper.

The concept is simple: turn what people throw away into local energy and recover as many resources as possible. With tight land limits and a commitment to lower emissions, Singapore’s model shows what happens when disposal, energy, and water systems work together.

Two Facilities, One Closed Loop

Tuas Nexus is unique because it combines two major plants in one place:

• The Integrated Waste Management Facility (IWMF) sorts, burns, and extracts metals and ash that still have value.
• Next door, the Tuas Water Reclamation Plant (TWRP) cleans used water from homes and industries.

The link is what makes this site stand out. Items that can’t be reused are incinerated to generate heat and steam, which then produces electricity. That power keeps the water treatment running. Sludge left over from cleaning is dried and returned for another burn — pushing energy recovery further than usual.

Why It Matters

Singapore’s only remaining landfill is expected to fill up within decades. Burying rubbish forever is no longer practical. By using what can’t be recycled to produce electricity, the city keeps valuable land free and reduces the need to import fossil fuels.

Sharing space for both waste and water systems also means less land is needed overall. Treated water can be reused in reservoirs or industrial sites, keeping natural resources in a tighter loop.

How the System Runs Day to Day

A typical routine goes like this:

• Trucks arrive and drop off household and food scraps.

• Non-recyclable material is incinerated in modern plants.

• Heat from the process turns water into steam to spin turbines.

• The generated electricity powers the water reclamation facility.

• Sludge from treated water is dried and fed back into the incinerator for one final energy boost.

• Air scrubbers and filters keep emissions within strict international guidelines.

When fully operational, the facility could produce enough electricity for thousands of homes — all from everyday discards that would otherwise be buried.

What to Know Before Others Copy It

Not every material can be reused or recycled safely or cost-effectively. In many cases, controlled incineration to recover energy is more efficient than storing it in landfills.

Air quality is controlled with layers of filters and real-time emissions tracking. The entire system is designed to stay within international standards.

While the closed-loop approach works for Singapore’s space limits, the core idea could be adapted by other cities where space is tight and energy needs are high.