SINGAPORE - Keep naked flames away from waste to prevent discarded aerosols, like disinfectant and hairspray, from posing a fire hazard. Use automation to handle waste to reduce the chances of manually handling biohazardous objects, like used syringes or medical equipment.
These were among good practices to mitigate potential hazards faced by waste management workers in guidelines that were launched at the Workplace Safety and Health (WSH) Forum for Waste Management Industry 2023 on Nov 17.
Produced by the Waste Management & Recycling Association of Singapore, the 23-page WSH Guidelines for General Waste Management is supported by tripartite partners and associations.
In her opening address at the forum, Senior Minister of State for Sustainability and the Environment Amy Khor noted that even though technology and automation reduce physical labour and improve safety, “waste management workers are still exposed to a wide range of hazards in their course of work”.
“On top of the physical and mechanical risks that come with operating vehicles and heavy machinery, they are also exposed to biological and harsh components, such as waste containing foul fluids and heavy metals that can be found in waste collected from post-consumer, commercial and industrial activities,” she added.
Some waste management facilities were also found to have breached safety requirements, said Dr Khor, citing an incident in August where a waste disposal facility was ordered to stop operations after it was found to have multiple safety lapses. These included stacked waste materials against damaged structural columns, poorly maintained building infrastructure and a lack of traffic management to prevent traffic collisions.
To achieve “ambitious tasks and goals for our waste management industry”, Dr Khor called for a sustainable waste management workforce and safe business practices, as the “waste management ecosystem evolves to meet our demanding goals”.
A circular economy approach, by reducing waste, recovering resources at the end of a product’s life and channelling it back into production, can help raise the recycling rate to 70 per cent while reducing waste-to-landfill per capita per day by 30 per cent by 2030, said Dr Khor.
At the forum, which took place at the Architecture & Building Services 2023 event at the Sands Expo and Convention Centre, the concern of disposed lithium batteries catching fire during waste collection, transportation, handling and processing was also voiced.
This is because these batteries can burn even when in water or without access to oxygen, noted general manager Fons Krist at Alba E-Waste Smart Recycling.
The waste management company provides e-waste disposal services as part of its appointment under Singapore’s extended producer responsibility scheme for electronic and e-waste management.
To prevent fires, disposed lithium batteries are stored under the constant supervision of infrared cameras in the middle of the warehouse, away from staircases and fire exits. Fire extinguishers that can put out lithium battery fires are placed nearby in the event of a fire outbreak.
