Recycling

Went to an eco event today and from the forum, I learnt that the reason why our country doesn’t have a recycling plant is because of our small population & that we don’t generate enough waste to recycle. Was a little shocked to hear that cause if I recall correctly, Sg Paku landfill only has 12 years of life until it’s fully unusable. Additionally, jabatan is looking at reducing our waste from 1.3kg to 1kg per day & is educating the public on waste as well as supporting educational programs & projects on waste. I am baffled by the contrasting ideas and wondering how big does a population have to be in order to see changes in our country. Would love to read your input.