what occurs if the next development in resolving plastic waste actually didn’t originated from skilled consultants nonetheless from school scholar teeming with creativeness and determination?
From class to convention rooms, a workforce of younger, enthusiastic minds began a transformative journey to tackle amongst some of the necessary ecological obstacles of our time– plastic waste.
Star Media Group Bhd’s (SMG) Star Next-Gen Eco Innovators program gave the system for these striving changemakers to remodel their cutting-edge ideas proper into concrete service choices that attend to real-world obstacles linked to plastic waste.
Breaking from observe, this system welcomed an digital methodology for pupil discussions, with people showcasing their cutting-edge choices in SMG’s on-line eco-friendly show workshop,Studio Maya This subtle method structured the process and highlighted this system’s dedication to leveraging fashionable know-how for impactful interplay.
As an enroller, Coca-Cola Malaysia promised its help to this system in finding choices to intricate plastic waste obstacles.
The program completed just lately with an attention-grabbing inter-university ending at Menara Star, Petaling Jaya, on Nov 29, which included 10 teams of school scholar from Sunway University, Taylor’s University, UCSI University, Asia Pacific University of Technology & & Innovation and UNITAR International University.
Team M.eco from Sunway University turned champs with their cutting-edge service referred to as MecoBin, whereas Team FS ² and Team PlastX from UCSI University accomplished within the preliminary and second-runner up areas with their choices PEGnology and Mobile Truck for 3D-Printed Recycled Goods
Team M.eco offering their cutting-edge service to the panel of courts all through the inter-university ending.
Closing the reusing area
The Star Next-Gen Eco Innovators program confirmed that impactful choices for sustainability can originate from the contemporary ideas of school scholar.
Team M.eco– making up Harith Ikmal Zainudin, Jeanette Tan En Jie, Ch’Ng Sue Wei, Penny Chua Si Yun and Tan Kai Ling– began their journey with a standard imaginative and prescient to encourage B40 neighborhoods with a treatment for easy recycling.
Through conceptualizing periods and quite a few conferences, they established MecoBin, a digital recycling container integrated with a point-based incentive system to incentivise reusing behaviors whereas relieving financial issues on impoverished households.
“Our recycling bin for the B40 community aims to promote sustainability and accessibility. By integrating reward systems and running awareness campaigns, we hope to create a lasting impact and make recycling a sustainable habit in local communities,” claimed the group.
The school scholar’ journey actually didn’t stop at ideation, as they functioned relentlessly to fine-tune the logistics of their job.
“Once the plastic bottles are deposited into the MecoBin, they are sent for recycling and reprocessed into recycled polyethylene terephthalate (rPET) bottles. This circular process not only reduces production costs but also promotes sustainable resource management by reusing materials,” claimed Team M.eco.
An going together with utility improves the system by enabling folks to make components for each single container reused. These components will be retrieved for on a regular basis wants, producing concrete benefits for B40 households.
“Our solution contributes to the social responsibility of businesses by offering a platform that directly supports B40 communities while fostering environmental sustainability. It also allows B40 individuals to earn essential household items at no additional expense,” they claimed.
Reflecting on their journey to ending up being victors of this system, Team M.eco confused the relevance of partnership in bringing their service to life.
“Teamwork is definitely the most important factor, along with proper communication techniques. Although we all come from different backgrounds, M.eco brought us together to share the same goal of contributing to local communities while advocating for sustainability.”
Team FS ² putting on a dynamic dialogue for the courts using SMG’s eco-friendly show workshop, Studio Maya.
Redefining reusing with naturally degradable development
Team FS ² introduced a scientific lens to the opponents, recommending a inventive option to conventional plastic container tags.
Comprising Forensic Science and Food Science with Nutrition trainees, Lee Kit Yee, Lynna Lum Lum, Chai Jia Yan, Anjeanette Tiffney, Kew Jun Yi and Yee Jo Ann, the group’s service– PEGnology– makes it doable for an entire plastic container to be reused effortlessly, eradicating obstacles introduced on by non-recyclable plastic tags.
By reworking non-recyclable polyethylene terephthalate (FAMILY PET) proper into polyethylene glycol (PEG), PEGnology adjustments customary flax tags with PEG-based tags, enabling the manufacturing of 100% recyclable plastic containers.
“We wanted to contribute to Coca-Cola’s sustainability efforts by designing a recyclable label to complement the bottle’s recyclability,” the group mentioned.
They included that they have been likewise capable of reap the benefits of understanding and talents gotten all through their analysis research.
“Since we’re a bunch of scholars from an Applied Sciences background, our answer targeted on making use of what we learnt in our Microbiology, Organic Chemistry and Polymer Chemistry courses.
“It is superb that we are able to lastly apply what we now have learnt to real-world functions.
“By replacing traditional labels with our PEG-based labels, we address both environmental and economic challenges, offering businesses a transformative approach to reduce plastic waste by utilising PEG-based labels as a sustainable replacement for traditional non-recyclable flax labels.”
The group likewise reviewed the obstacles they handled all through the expansion process, resembling fine-tuning the chemical construction of the tags to make sure scalability.
“This experience taught us the value of discipline and teamwork, and how sustainability in business is not just about minimising waste – it’s about innovating processes and materials to create value in a way that benefits both businesses and the planet,” claimed Team FS ².
Team PlastX contributors Chin Wen Yen, Rhenu Chandran, Gan Mu You and Oh Khang Chiang.
Repurposing plastic waste with cell fashionable know-how
With a imaginative and prescient to combine sustainability and fashionable know-how, Team PlastX introduced the precept of a cell 3D printing car.
This cutting-edge lorry accumulates animal plastic containers and refines them proper into animal filaments which will be modified proper into 3D-printed gadgets, displaying a hands-on methodology to plastic waste administration.
Team PlastX contributors, Chin Wen Yen, Zainab Alkabbani, Gan Mu You, Rhenu Chandran and Oh Khang Chiang, shared that their service not simply motivates recycling and recycling plastic containers nonetheless likewise boosts space understanding and participation with their stressed car.
“Our cell 3D-printing truck promotes a round financial system by closing the loop and lowering dependency on virgin plastic supplies in manufacturing and manufacturing processes.
“By collecting and processing plastic waste locally, the truck lifts the burden off the community waste management systems and can reduce plastic litter in public spaces,” claimed the group.
Looking prematurely, the group has methods to deliver their precept to life by growing an animal filamentor mannequin and screening its efficiency.
“If we are successful, this would be a good way to repurpose plastic waste and create opportunities for students to engage with 3D printing technology and its applications,” they claimed.
With creativeness and determination, these school scholar are displaying that cutting-edge and lasting choices for the long run can originate from anyone, irrespective of age or expertise.
To register ardour and stay educated concerning future potentialities with the Star Next-Gen Eco Innovators program, click on here.
