Singapore Mint

Here, we were introduced to the process of coin recycling.

Problems of having coins (consumer side)

• Using a lot of coins for paying purchases of goods and services
  Merchants would be unhappy as it is troublesome to count the coins.
  
• Depositing them into banks
  Banks accept coin deposits on certain days only and during specified hours. Also, they charge service fees to cover costs of handling coins.
  
• Keeping them at home
  People would leave coins at home as we would normally use notes for payment - inconvenient to carry coins.

The problem of not using coins

• More raw materials would have to be mined as less coins would be in circulation, requiring that more coins be produced. This is harmful not only to the miners' health but also to the environment - toxic chemicals would be released into the air, not to mention greenhouse gases that are produced during mining and transportation of the materials.

How is this problem dealt with in Singapore?

Coin recycling

Firstly, the coins are returned to the Singapore Mint, where the old coins undergo inspection. Dirty and damaged coins are filtered out, and the rest are packed into cartons and transported to banks.

Here's a peek at the place where coin recycling takes place:

How are the coins collected?

There's the Coin Deposit Machine (CDM), available at some community centres across the island. It is the first ever self-service coin deposit in South-east Asia, and it is available 24/7. This makes it convenient for residents to deposit their coins into the machine. The money would be credited into their bank account automatically. Meanwhile, the coins collected will be returned to the Singapore Mint for recycling.

Here's how the machine looks like:

The current cycle of circulation

The ideal cycle of circulation

What we can do for our project

• Organize a fund-raising campaign to help a charitable organization, but focus on the collection of coins
• Promote awareness of the problems faced when coins are being hoarded up in our school
• Persuade the canteen stall owners to accept payment only in coins

Senoko Incineration Plant

This is the third incineration plant built in Singapore. It was completed in August 1992 as part of an effort to deal with the increasing amount of refuse generated by us. It is designed to incinerate 2400 tonnes of refuse a day.

In 2000, more than 7000 tonnes of refuse were generated each day. As land is scarce and the availability of dumping grounds is limited, incineration is the most effective method in dealing with refuse. 90% of refuse reduction is accomplished through incineration.

Heat generated from combustion of refuse is used to generate electricity through a boiler. Also, metal is extracted from incinerated refuse to be sold to a steel mill.

Here's a look at the area where trucks dump refuse into the incinerator:

Doors controlled by hydraulic mechanisms open up to allow refuse to be dumped:

The refuse is then deposited into compartments, where the incineration would then take place:

One has to be careful when depositing refuse into them though:

This is how the furnace looks like from a camera (it is 1000°C inside):

The fire is started by combusting oil, and then the fire source is cut off once the furnace hits 1000°C.

What we can do for our project

• Promote awareness of the incineration process and encourage people to practise the 3 Rs - flue gas contains greenhouse gases, even when treated.
  
• Promote our collection drive for recyclables