Food waste to food production — Sustainability @ Tampines Park is Singapore’s first community-based green initiative

Leftovers in the fridge? No problem. There is now a guilt-free approach to disposing of your excess food waste. Tampines Town Council launched Sustainability @ Tampines Park on 5 December 2020, a multi-pronged plan in a bid to transform Tampines into an ‘Eco-town’.

This is in line with the government’s ‘30 by 30’ vision in 2019, whereby 30% of Singapore’s nutritional needs will be locally produced in 2030.

So how does it work? Sustainability @ Tampines Park’s newly coined ‘circular ecosystem’ starts with the contributions of local residents. By donating food waste, the Black Soldier Fly Facility takes care of the breakdown process. Here, soldier flies which consume food waste 70% faster than earthworms are employed to decompose the waste material.

Next, the frass from the fly larvae is used as fertilisers in the Vertical High-Tech Farm. Growing pesticide-free and fully organic vegetables for the community, the crops in this farm
include: red bayam spinach, lettuce, sharp bayam spinach, and nai bai. As freshly harvested vegetables are produced for the consumption of nearby Tampines residents, the crops will be grown along unused vertical space of HDB blocks in the vicinity.

Another purpose of the soldier flies is their role as a source of food for Tilapia fish in the pond. The fish are then farmed for local consumption as well, thereby completing the cycle as residents receive harvested vegetables and fish.

However, do note that large bones, eggshells, seafood shells, durian husks, soups and curries are not to be donated as food waste. For more details regarding Sustainability @ Tampines Park, do check out their website.

Hopefully, more of such eco-friendly initiatives will encourage more of us to do our part in creating a greener, more self-sustaining Singapore. The official launch took place on 5 December 2020. For those who missed it, you can catch the full event online on their Facebook page.

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