Closing the loop on plastic waste

The Star

Star Next-Gen Eco Innovators concludes with Sunway University team clinching victory.  Read more at https://bit.ly/3Ou9a6J  WATCH MORE: https://thestartv.com/c/news SUBSCRIBE: https://cutt.ly/TheStar LIKE: https://fb.com/TheStarOnline

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00:00Team Mecco from Sunway University earned the grand prize of 10,000 ringgit at the Star

00:08Next Gen Eco-Innovators Inter-University Programme for its groundbreaking Meccobin plastic bottle

00:13collection solution designed for B40 communities.

00:17The group emerged as champion from a total of 10 teams, which competed at the Inter-University

00:22Finale held at Manara Star in Petaling Jaya recently.

00:27The team said they are grateful to have been given the opportunity to explore ideas to

00:30tackle plastic waste.

00:32And of course we feel very glad that all our hard work has paid off, all the research,

00:37all the endless meetings, yeah, overall very happy for this opportunity.

00:42Now we have kind of like not that much capital, so if someone could sponsor us, you know,

00:47get us some supporters, we'd be more than happy for them to reach out to us and for

00:51us to explore more on our ideas.

00:53The programme was held across five universities in the Klang Valley, namely Sunway University,

00:59UCSI University, Taylors University, Asia-Pacific University of Technology and Innovation, and

01:06Unitar International University.

01:08UCSI University won both the first and second runner-up prizes of 7,000 ringgit and 3,000

01:14ringgit respectively.

01:16The first runner-up spot went to Team FS2, who presented their innovative solution, Pegnology,

01:22a method for converting non-recyclable polyethylene terephthalate into polyethylene glycol.

01:28We hope that maybe either one of us or anybody else within UCSI, we can take this into research,

01:36let us bring the name of our university out, and let's continue to work for the environment.

01:42Second runner-up, Team PlastX's solution, uses a mobile recycling truck that repurposes

01:46plastic bottles as pet filaments for 3D printing, turning them into practical, sustainable goods.

01:53We already have plans to actually attempt it as a project and to run it in our own school,

02:00and to buy the parts, to actually consult our lecturers, and to actually make it possible.

02:05The Star Next Gen Eco-Innovators programme was launched in September to empower university

02:09students to redefine how the country approaches real-world plastic waste challenges.

02:14Embracing the theme, Transforming Plastic Waste into Sustainable Solutions, the programme

02:19challenged their participants to develop sustainable solutions centred around a circular economy

02:24approach through collective innovative thinking, presented as actionable business proposals.

02:29The aim is to mitigate plastic pollution and enhance plastic waste management.

02:34Star Media Group's Chief Business Officer and the programme's Head Judge Lydia Wang

02:39said it seeks to cultivate the next generation of sustainable champions, and providing them

02:44with the skills and tools to become leaders in driving positive environmental change.

02:50This programme, what is most exciting to me, is the introduction of sustainability real-world

02:57challenges for the students to tackle. By addressing climate anxiety and the pervasive

03:04issue of plastic waste, it encourages the students to internalise the problem and look

03:10for holistic, long-term solutions. Throughout the course of this programme, the students

03:15were introduced to concepts like circular economy, and then looking for long-term solutions

03:21that is commercially viable. These are very critical tools for them when they go forward

03:28into their future to effect sustainable change. As a sponsor, Coca-Cola Malaysia has pledged

03:35its support to the programme in finding solutions to complex plastic waste challenges. A panel

03:40of esteemed judges and industry experts evaluated the innovative solutions based on various

03:45criteria such as relevance, implementation, creativity, originality, feasibility and potential

03:53impact. Other judges were Coca-Cola Malaysia Public Affairs, Communications and Sustainability

03:59Senior Manager Wan Ahmad Shiazwan Mohamad and Malaysia Plastics Recyclers Association

04:04Chief Delegate and Precious Plastics Malaysia Director Yong Yi.

04:09I think this programme is a good programme to engage students involved in plastic recycling

04:18because I'm the industrial guy. We know this is not something that we can learn in

04:25the schools or we learn in real life. This is a topic that not much people will touch

04:33on. So I think this programme will let the students try to research more, understand

04:39more about plastic, upcycle plastic, recycle plastic, know more about plastic. Yes, they

04:46are living with plastic all this while, but I think for recycling plastic, there's not

04:52much information from the schools and also from the public.

04:57The university students made use of SMG's green screen studio, Studio Maya, to present

05:02their innovative solutions to the judges during the finale. Other finalists also received

05:07certificates for their participation in the programme. SMG and Coca-Cola Malaysia hope

05:12the programme will inspire a new generation of sustainability leaders and drive the adoption

05:17of circular economy practices in Malaysia.

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