ISC X BBC Unlocking Science - Trash to Treasure

First published online at International Science Council

NTU Singapore is one of the few universities in the world to have its own Waste-to-Energy Research Facility. All municipal solid waste on campus is treated and turned into useful materials like NEWSand - a glass-like material used to replace sand in concrete. This helps minimise waste going to Singapore's Semakau Landfill, which is expected to run out of space in 2035.

NTU scientists have also invented ways to turn food waste into antimicrobial food packaging and found sustainable methods to recover precious material from electronic waste to manufacture new batteries and electronics.