Back to Frankie's
ESL Worksheets

Research Project: Singapore Waste

  1. In this project, you will use the Internet to find out how much waste is generated in Singapore and how it is disposed of. Your first step, with the help of your classmates and teacher, is to draw up a list of research questions. What specific information do you want to obtain about waste in Singapore? The following are just two examples of questions you might want to ask:
          1. How much waste does Singapore produce each year?
          2. What kind of waste does Singapore produce? (How much plastic, how much glass, how much paper and so on?)
  2. You will find the following websites very helpful. They are not in order of importance.
    1. Ministry of the Environment - http://app.mewr.gov.sg/ (you will probably wish to focus mainly on "land waste")
    2. National Environment Agency Interactive Site (you need Macromedia Flash and Shockwave) - http://web1.env.gov.sg/
    3. National Environment Agency – Solid Waste Management http://app10.internet.gov.sg/scripts/nea/cms/htdocs/category_sub.asp?cid=75
    4. Clean and Green Singapore – Raffles Girls School project http://www.rgs.edu.sg/student/cyberfair2002/land.html
    5. Tuas South Incineration Plant: Waste Disposal in Singapore (Media Corp RSI) - http://rsi.com.sg/english/assignment/view/2004111010148/1/.html
    6. Tuas Incineration Plant: Key Facts - http://web.hku.hk/~nushkuex/Visit/tuas.html
    7. Greenpeace Campaign against Incinerators - http://www.greenpeace.org.uk/contentlookup.cfm?SitekeyParam=D-D&CFID=1622859&CFTOKEN=14865295
    8. How safe is the air at refuse incinerators? - http://www.ecologyasia.com/news-archives/2001/jul-01/straitstimes.asia1.com.sg_singapore_story_0,1870,54535,00.html
    9. Use Incinerator Ash to Build Roads? - http://www.ecologyasia.com/news-archives/2002/jan-02/straitstimes.asia1.com.sg_singapore_story_0,1870,99825,00.html
    10. One Million Plastic Bags Change Hands Each Day - http://www.ecologyasia.com/news-archives/2002/apr-02/straitstimes.asia1.com.sg_singapore_story_0,1870,111939,00.html
    11. Assorted newspaper articles on Recycling in Singapore - http://www.ecologyasia.com/html-newsurl/singapore-recycling.htm
    12. Battery Recycling in Singapore - http://www.ecologyasia.com/news-archives/2002/dec-02/straitstimes_021211_1.htm
    13. Business Booming at Recycling Park - http://www.ecologyasia.com/news-archives/2003/aug-03/straitstimes_030825_1.htm
    14. Will Affluence Bury Singapore Under a Pile of Waste? - http://www.ecologyasia.com/news-archives/2002/apr-02/straitstimes.asia1.com.sg_singapore_analysis_0,1870,115922,00.html
    15. Green City or Polluted Paradise? - http://www.ecologyasia.com/news-archives/2001/jan-01/straitstimes.asia1.com.sg_singapore_story_0,1870,20114-980805540,00.html
    16. 8th Most Eco-friendly City? - http://www.ecologyasia.com/news-archives/2001/jan-01/straitstimes.asia1.com.sg_story_0,1870,18949-980200740,00.html
    17. The Need for Waste Reduction - http://app.nea.gov.sg/cms/htdocs/article.asp?pid=1459
    18. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle (Advice on how to reduce waste – not just in Singapore) - http://www.globalstewards.org/main.htm
  3. You may have some questions that cannot be answered by these websites. In that case, you will need to use a search engine. Two useful ones are: www.google.com and www.yahoo.com However, before using them, you will need to think carefully about the keywords you are going to use. Please seek advice from your teacher.
  4. As you read the webpages, you must take notes. Look for the information you need - do not waste paper and ink by copying thousands of words that do not answer your research questions. (On the other hand, if you spot something interesting, you might like to scribble it down anyway.)
  5. At a later stage, you will need to turn your notes into an organised report. Your teacher will guide you on how to do this. It will be impossible to write a report if you do not have notes!
  6. As part of this project, we will be visiting a waste incineration plant in Singapore.

Frankie Meehan