Back to Frankie's
ESL Worksheets

The Singapore Green Plan 2012

  1. The following information is based on Chapter 2 of the Singapore Green Plan 2012, available online at: http://www.env.gov.sg/sgp2012/

    Waste Minimisation

    Singapore has only 682 sq. kms. of land, therefore it cannot afford to have many landfill sites. All landfill sites on the mainland have been closed; the only site now in use is that at Pulau Semakau, 8 kms. away. The government plans to abolish landfill sites altogether by minimising the amount of waste generated and by recycling as much as possible.

    Waste Recycling

    The Green Plan (2012) aims to change people’s thinking from "Use and Throw" to "Reduce, Reuse, Recycle".

    In 2001, Singapore recycled 44% of its waste. Most of this came from the industrial and commercial sectors. The government plans to increase the recycling rate to 60% by 2012. For example, only 5% of food is currently recycled, but the aim is to increase this to 30%. Similarly, it is hoped to raise the rate of plastics recycling from 10% to 35% and glass recycling from 15% to 50%.

    The government also wants to reduce the need for additional incineration plants. At present, Singapore needs a new plant every 5-7 years; the aim is to reduce this to one every 10-15 years.

    Singapore’s recycling rate is much lower than that of the Netherlands, where 75% of waste is recycled. It is roughly equal to the Swiss and Austrian rates, but better than those of Hong Kong (35%) and the USA (30%).

    Turning Waste into Gold

    A good example of waste recycling in action is the Eco-Recycling Park at Tuas in western Singapore. This site covers 19 hectares, an area as large as 20 football fields. Various businesses in the park recycle industrial waste, especially plastics, paper, glass and wood. One factory makes bricks from waste. Another business, Citiraya, collects rejected products such as circuit boards, phones and semi-conductor chips from electronics manufacturers and extracts precious metals from them. These metals include silver, gold and platinum. The company extracts roughly 200 kg of gold per month and makes an annual profit of S$3 million.

    Household Recycling

    In 2001, recyclable items such as paper, plastics, cans, glass and clothing were collected fortnightly from 22% of Singapore households. The government hopes to increase this figure to 50% by the end of 2003. In addition, recycling bins have been placed in busy public places such as Orchard Road.

    Pulau Semakau

    Semakau is an island 8 kms from the Singapore mainland. A rock "bund" 7 kms long encloses the water round the island, forming a basin 350 hectares in size and around 20 metres deep. This basin is divided into "cells", or sections. Waste is packed into the cells and so, gradually, the island grows in size. To prevent refuse from leaching into the surrounding sea, the rock bund is lined with a thick industrial membrane and a layer of marine clay.

    Every night, barges carry non-incinerable refuse and ash from the incineration plants on the mainland to Pulau Semakau. Large excavators unload the refuse. It is then transported by dump trucks to the landfill cells, where bulldozers and compactors level and compact it. Once a cell is full, it is levelled off with sand and left undisturbed. Eventually, wild shrubs grow over the area.

    It cost S$610 million to construct the landfill at Paula Semakau. It is estimated that the site will last until 2030 at least. In fact, if the recycling rate can be increased to 60%, Pulau Semakau will last much longer.

    TASKS
    1. Skim through the text and decide which of the following is the best summary of the Singapore government’s plans:
      1. To increase the number of incineration plants so that there is not so much need for landfill sites
      2. To recycle more waste so that there is not so much need for incineration plants and landfill sites
      3. To extract more precious metals from electronic goods
      4. To increase the size of Pulau Semakau

       

    2. Why has Singapore stopping using landfill sites on the mainland?

      3.  

    3. Most of Singapore’s recycled waste comes from "the industrial and commercial sectors". In simple language, what are these sectors? From your own knowledge, give four or five examples of this kind of waste.

      4.  

    4. The government wants to increase the amount of food recycled from 5% to 60%. How do you think food could be recycled?

      5.  

    5. Singapore is much better at recycling than the USA (check the percentages of waste recycled). However, it is important for Singapore to do much better than it does at present. Why?

      6.  

    6. Using information in the text, think of three advantages of recycling.
      1. .
      2. .
      3. .

       

    7. Why does the landfill waste at Pulau Semakau not pollute the sea?

      8.  

    8. On a separate page, draw a flowchart with notes to represent the waste disposal process at Pulau Semakau. You may add small images to make the process clearer. Your first box can contain the words "Ash and non-incinerable waste are carried from Tuas to P/Semakau by barge."

    Frankie Meehan