RemixHD | Heidelberg

In 2015, the United Nations (UN) adopted the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to serve as a "shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future" (The 17 goals | sustainable development). SDGs are designed to promote better health conditions, economic growth, human rights, environment protection, etc., and unite people to a more prosperous and harmonious world.

As iGEM Team Heidelberg 2023, we are exploring how our project is tackling the mixed plastic waste problem to support the SDGs. We aim to contribute to innovative infrastructure (SDG9) in countries with different waste management infrastructures and improve cities' and communities' sustainability (SDG 11), focusing on municipal mixed plastic waste. ReMixHD wants to upcycle mixed plastic waste into high-quality products to support a circular economy focusing on responsible consumption and production (SDG12). Lastly, we want to present a mixed plastic waste recycling method as an alternative to current methods that result in high CO₂ emissions to combat the climate crisis (SDG 13).

Additionally, as part of our inclusivity efforts, we have been advocating for equality for the hearing impaired and organised a workshop to support women in science.

Furthermore, we are currently conducting an investigative study to track the recycling of mixed plastic waste in alignment with our four SDGs.

SDG 9

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SDG 11

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SDG 12

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SDG 13

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SDG 12 - Our impact

We help to upcycle mixed plastic waste to high-quality molecules!

Did you know?

SDG 12 focuses on sustainable consumption and production patterns to promote responsible resource use and environmental conservation.

We also directly address key targets of the UN regarding SDG 12 with our project:

SDG 12.4: By 2020, achieve the environmentally sound management of chemicals and all wastes throughout their life cycle, in accordance with agreed international frameworks, and significantly reduce their release to air, water and soil in order to minimize their adverse impacts on human health and the environment.

SDG 12.5: By 2030, substantially reduce waste generation through prevention, reduction, recycling and reuse.

SDG 12.8: By 2030, ensure that people everywhere have the relevant information and awareness for sustainable development and lifestyles in harmony with nature.

Spotlight on SDG 12 Challenge

Difficulties in recycling mixed plastic waste

To recycle plastic waste mechanically, it should be separated and sorted in mono-material fractions. Mixed plastic waste usually consists of different plastic materials or multilayer packaging, which will not be sorted into the pure fraction. For polyolefine (PE, PP), there are mechanical and chemical mechanical approaches that are expensive or complex. Other mixed plastic waste is usually incinerated as fuel to generate energy. As a result, there is still room for closing materials loops in the context of mixed plastic.

An expert from a German leading recycling company:

„Mixed plastic waste are usually not recycled to high quality products, rather products like park benches or rail.“

Waste export

One leading action is to close materials loops to achieve responsible consumption and production. However, Germany was the leading export country of plastic waste in 2019, with 1 million tons. (1) Even though only sorted plastic and recyclable plastic have been allowed to be exported to certified recycling facilities since 2021, still 800,000 tons of plastic waste were exported from Germany. The reasons for this high amount of export lie in Germany's cost and lack of workforce. (1)

Feedback - How that affects our solution

Feedback

Valerie Bürstner, expert in sorted fraction commercialization from Interzero Zero Waste Solution, pointed out that more awareness from the citizens and packaging designers is needed to better deal with the mixed plastic problem. "The industry prioritizes functionality and marketing over environmentally conscious material use in product design." She also mentioned that people lack awareness to separate their plastic waste properly, as they do not feel responsible.

Our learnings

Our project needs to make a contribution to shaping public awareness, understanding, and behavior towards waste segregation and disposal. Through better education, we could reduce a significant amount of mixed plastic waste and make tons of plastic material recyclable again.

Feedback

Mechanical recycling is currently Germany's most used recycling method and relies on presorting plastic waste into fractions. However, mixed plastic waste items can not be separated into single plastic-type components. New approaches for the recycling of mixed waste are needed.

Our learnings

After receiving this feedback, we realized that simply addressing the recycling of PET, as in our initial project design phase, would not resolve the core issue – the absence of an effective method for managing mixed plastic. Therefore, we invested substantial time into researching and developing a new approach, wherein co-culturing enables the degradation of different types of plastic through a single method.

Benefits

Upcycling

As most of the plastic is downcycled to benches, plastic bags, and rails, we could upcycle mixed plastic waste and produce a high-quality product. This first reduces the negative environmental impact of waste incineration. What's more, by producing a high-quality product, we could make the recycling industry more attractive for investors and scientists and bring innovation in the long run.

Alternative for chemical recycling Enhance community engagement

Various stakeholders stated that people must know the importance of waste generation and environmental conservation. By implementing the bioreactor in households or communities, we can integrate people into the waste management process and motivate them to further educate themselves and their friends and families.

Risks

Possible CO₂ emission in other processes Skeptism against GMO's

To ensure proper responsible consumption and production, it is vital that people also consume the upcycling product. Since our upcycling product is based on GMOs, it could be the case that people are skeptical of it and refuse to purchase it. In the long run, it will hamper the plastic value chain as well as the circular economy. Therefore, we must foster science education and communication.

SDG 11 - Our impact

We help to reduce the adverse impact of urban mixed plastic waste and combat waste colonialism!

Did you know?

SDG 11 aims to make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable.

We also directly address key targets of the UN regarding SDG 11 with our project:

SDG 11.6: “By 2030, reduce the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities, including by paying special attention to air quality and municipal and other waste management.”

Spotlight on SDG 11 Challenge

The massive amount of municipal solid waste

Municipal solid waste is one of the biggest environmental challenges in the modern era. The scale of this issue is astonishing, with cities producing tons of waste daily. New comprehensive and multi-faceted solutions are needed.

Insufficient infrastructure and inadequate recycling deteriorates inequality in terms of decent life quality

Nowadays many metropoles suffer from poor waste collection, disposal infrastructure and recycling programs. Due to this inequalities, such as urban poverty, are exacerbating.

Zack Kong from Originnovation:

"The poorer regions are paid to deal with the waste from the richer regions.”

Feedback - How that affects our solution

Feedback

After talking to Stephan Knauer, operational deputy manager of the Heidelberg City waste collection and management center, we recognized the rather tricky role of bioplastic in the current waste management system in Germany. Stephan mentioned that bioplastic bags are becoming popular as an environmentally friendly product. However, current bioplastic products cannot be biologically degraded under the conditions in typical composting plants, such as the one in Heidelberg. Usually, higher humidity and longer time are needed. As a result, bioplastic instead contaminates the compost product.

However, bioplastics are a promising alternative to conventional plastics and offer several advantages. One must consider that different kinds of bioplastics come with different kinds of properties. If you want to know more about bioplastics and its current research, click here.

Our learnings

- The carbon from waste should be considered a reservoir of precursors for innovative products that do not pose problems to our current waste management system, unlike PHA. Possible products can be medicine, biofuels, fertilizers, recombinant proteins, fibers, and more.
- A new method for the recycling of bioplastics is needed. In the design process, we need to consider utilizing an additional helper strain that can depolymerize bioplastics such as PHA into intermediates to produce new recombinant products. By this, the problem will be solved, and current municipal solid waste management issues will be remediated.

Feedback

During the visit of the plastic waste sorting plant, we are told that the composition of household garbage differs from city to city. Recycling facilities receive plastic waste in different arrangements concerning the plastic-type portion. Various plastics' sorting, processing, and recycling often require specialized machinery and processes.

Our learnings

The capacity for customization of the platform is pivotal in advancing the sustainability of human settlements. Tailoring the platform to accommodate and address specific needs, challenges, and dynamics of various urban areas is integral to developing solutions that are not only effective but also inclusive and contextually relevant. Therefore, we must focus on enhance ReMixHD into an adaptable recycling method.

Benefits

Reduce waste export

Since mixed plastic waste is technically demanding to be recycled, they were reported to be exported from economically prosperous regions (usually cities) to peri-urban regions and poorer countries. In this way, the right of rural regions to a clean living environment is undermined. With ReMixHD, mixed plastic wastes should stay and be recycled efficiently onsite without being further transported.

Alternative for chemical recycling Improve urban life quality

A dense population and high consumption of finished products with plastic packaging result in high municipal plastic waste, leading to dirty streets without an efficient waste management system. Also, incineration of waste leads to urban air pollution, which undermines the health of urban citizens. ReMixHD provides an efficient and simple way to recycle mixed plastic waste and keep a clean city.

Risks

Possible CO₂ emission in other processes Inequality between rural regions and cities

At the same time, we should not ignore that ReMixHD is a biotechnological system that relies on maintenance, which needs technical expertise and money. Therefore, it is easier to operate in urban regions while somewhat problematic in rural regions. In the long run, the rural regions might be disadvantaged and rely on external support. That, again, will depend on the disparity between urban and rural regions.

SDG 9 - Our impact

We help to innovate the recycling industry by developing a sustainable approach for mixed plastic!

Did you know?

SDG 9 aims to promote sustainable industrialization, foster innovation, and develop resilient and sustainable infrastructure to support economic growth and human well-being while minimizing negative environmental impacts.

We also directly address key targets of the UN regarding SDG 9 with our project:

SDG 9a: “Facilitate sustainable and resilient infrastructure development in developing countries through enhanced financial, technological and technical support to African countries, least developed countries, landlocked developing countries and small island developing States”

SDG 9b: ”Support domestic technology development, research and innovation in developing countries, including by ensuring a conducive policy environment for, inter alia, industrial diversification and value addition to commodities”

To better understand mixed plastic waste challenges around the world, we reached out to stakeholders in 8 countries, where our Remix bioreactor holds the potential for groundbreaking change.

Spotlight on SDG 9 Challenge

Absence of centralised waste management infrastructure

In many countries without established waste management infrastructure, plastic waste is presented as mixed plastic waste due to the absence of plastic waste segregation. Without a centralized system, mixed plastic waste is usually sent to landfills or collected informally by waste pickers. Therefore, innovative infrastructure is needed to promote environmental conservation and efficient resource usage.

Dismas Owino from Green Miles:

„There are a lot of plastic waste collection companies (in Kenya) not well equipped with the technological know-how to recycle over 70% of plastics as most are contaminated and are not termed as recyclable.“

Feedback - How that affects our solution

Feedback

From Zero Waste Malaysia, we learned that there is a prevalent issue of waste management and recycling efforts, where a lack of collaboration among stakeholders and innovators potentially hinders the development and implementation of comprehensive and effective recycling infrastructure and solutions that are especially needed in developing countries.

Our learnings

Collaboration and knowledge exchange are crucial to building resilient infrastructure, promoting sustainable industrialization, and achieving tangible improvement. Partnerships and connections throughout the entire recycling chain are essential, so our goal was to engage with as many stakeholders as possible. We aim to develop a practical recycling approach by harnessing varied perspectives and expertise.

Feedback

Based on the feedback from Dismas Owino from Kenya, we are aware that across the globe, distinct geographic areas confront their own distinctive challenges when it comes to managing waste, demanding a wide range of tailored solutions to effectively tackle these issues.

Our learnings

- During our project design we need to consider the fact that different localities have varying infrastructures, and a custom solution should be developed to integrate smoothly with existing systems.
- Moreover, every location has a different demand, and it is vital to evolve technologies that can produce tailored products. Modifications of the output of the ReMix based on the end-use location will allow us to contribute to fostering the circular economy within the region.

Feedback

Another important aspect is the price, mentioned by Xuan from Vietnam. “A bioreactor for households sounds amazing but people only see the incentive in buying it when the prize is no higher than around 100 Dollar.”

Our learnings

We realized that we need to focus on a centralized application rather than pursue the idea that every household might have a bioreactor. Local communities should be the end users. Moreover, we need to conduct a cost analysis.

Feedback

From Ndapandula Shihepo from Namibia, we also learned that especially for implementation in areas with poor infrastructure, like in remote places, accessibility and connectivity are limiting factors.

Our learnings

The feedback illuminated the advantages of developing a versatile solution for locations unable to sort waste.

Benefits

Reduce landfills

Plastic recycling depends on individual waste pickers in regions without waste segregation. Otherwise, plastic waste is automatically presented in the form of mixed plastic waste that is sent to landfills. With ReMixHD, we can support regions without waste separation infrasture by directly degrading and recycling mixed plastic. In this way, we can reduce landfills and local plastic waste pollution.

Reduce local health risk

By reducing landfills, we could reduce numerous health risks from mixed plastic waste: Microplastics and the toxic chemical exposure of plastic in the sunlight, such as bisphenol A, would otherwise leach into water and soil. They are taken in by animals and enriched in the food chain, which, in the long term, poses a considerable threat to human health.

Risks

Negative impact on local economy

In countries without waste management infrastructure, recycling is mainly done by waste pickers, who collect specific types of plastic objects and sell them to recycling companies. The introduction of ReMixHD could impact their income negatively, as manual plastic waste sorting is no longer needed. This could undermine SDG 8 – decent work and economic growth. At the same time, new jobs can be created by ReMixHD, as technical experts are needed to operate and maintain the bioreactor.

Possible energy demand

ReMixHD relies on the biological recycling of Pseudomonas fluorescens, which occurs at 30 degrees Celsius, a much lower temperature than chemical recycling. However, the energy supply for operating ReMixHD could still be a challenge in regions with unreliable power infrastructure. ReMixHD might occupy the limited energy source of the local communities.

SDG 13 - Our impact

We help to reduce CO₂ emission with our sustainble system!

Did you know?

SDG 13 addresses urgent climate action, emphasizing the need to combat climate change and its impacts to protect the planet and its ecosystems.

We also directly address key targets of the UN regarding SDG 13 with our project:

SDG 13.3: Improve education, awareness-raising and human and institutional capacity on climate change mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction and early warning.

Spotlight on SDG 13 Challenge

Plastic life cycle produces abundant CO₂!

SDG 13 is about taking urgent actions against climate change and its impacts. As we know, greenhouse gases (GHGs) lead to climate change. Throughout the lifecycle of plastics, they have a significant carbon footprint and emitted 3.4% of global greenhouse gas emissions in 2019, equivalent to around 1.8 billion tons (Plastic leakage and greenhouse gas emissions are increasing, n.d.). Besides the production of plastic, the incineration of plastic waste also releases a significant amount of CO2 into our atmosphere each year (Leng et al., 2018).

„FOR EVERY METRIC TON OF PLASTIC PACKAGING WASTE RECYCLED, MORE THAN ONE TON OF CO2 EMISSIONS IS AVOIDED, AS IT REDUCES THE NEED FOR VIRGIN MATERIAL PRODUCTION AND ASSOCIATED ENERGY USE.” (The hidden climate polluter: Plastic incineration, 2021)

- gaia

Feedback - How that affects our solution

Feedback

Sylke Freudenthal, sustainability manager from Veolia, told us that from Long-term viability and resource efficiency must be included in an efficient fight against the climate crisis — contributions to sustainability lead to competitive advantages, especially in alignment with frameworks like the EU Taxonomy.

Our learnings

To determine how environmentally sustainable ReMixHD can be considered, we need to look deeper into the CO₂ footprint of our approach. For this reason, we calculated the CO₂ emitted as part of a drylab project.

Benefits

Reduce waste incineration

Waste incineration is also a massive contributor to CO₂, which is usually used to reduce landfill waste volume. ReMixHD is a sustainable alternative to degrade mixed plastic waste from landfills.

Alternative for chemical recycling

Chemical recycling is often highly energy-intensive due to the complex reactions and high temperatures. The energy demand leads to a high level of CO₂ emission. ReMixHD is based on biological recycling at 30 degrees Celsius. Therefore, we need less energy for our operation and could reduce a significant amount of CO₂ emission.

Risks

Possible CO₂ emission in other processes

We should also keep in mind that other processes, like mixed plastic waste pretreatment, bioreactor production and maintenance, and the downstream process of upcycling products, may also contribute to CO₂ emission. Therefore, it is essential to find sustainable solutions for every step of the whole process.

Kenya

Waste management in Kenya:

In Kenya, most of the waste ends up in landfills. The segregation and recovery of the waste are all done manually by humans. Usually, the collected plastic is sold to specialized companies that create recycling products out of it. However, there needs to be more innovation. They melt it and use it for new products. Also, still buying new plastic is often cheaper than recycling it.

About our stakeholder:

Dismas Owino is the Executive Director of Green Miles Zero Waste Services Limited. This well-established waste Management company has developed a waste disposal and recycling solution to eliminate the need to move domestic and commercial waste to landfills. By educating staff in public institutions like hospitals, shopping centers, and schools, waste is properly separated and cleaned onsite where it is generated. This way, it can be directly put into further recycling without contamination and set to landfill.

Feedback on implementing ReMixHD:

Dismas commented that „innovative solutions are necessary,” but one also has to consider that "different countries have different challenges regarding waste and therefore diverse solutions are required.“The landfills provide a living for many people living around the landfill though termed as illegal waste pickers, and there is a need to reduce disposal to landfill as per the current Climate Change effects. The government and like-minded entities like Green Miles Zero Waste Services offer solutions geared towards proper waste disposal and Zero waste to landfill, Green Miles Zero Waste Services system has solutions that intend to reinvent the wheel and provide waste pickers better avenues off the dumps, hence more noncontaminated recyclables at better value can be used for more innovative and better recycling for the circular economy. There are a lot of plastic waste collection companies not well equipped with the technological know-how to recycle over 70% of plastics as most are contaminated and are not termed as recyclable, hence ending up in Landfills. Therefore, we are committed to designing our solution to respect and uplift local communities by distributing profits evenly within the population.

China

Waste management in China:

In China, government or government-owned companies organize waste collection and treatment. Since each territory organizes its waste management, there are differences among different provinces. In most provinces, waste is mainly separated into recycling, food waste, and others. However, downstream processing may lack enough capacity to have further steps of classification and handling. Therefore, some provinces still have backup landfill locations, such as “huge” incineration plants set up in the same province. Since mainland China has many lands, landfills have become the top solution to discard waste. Construction waste may become another issue under the bubble of the real estate industry.

About our stakeholder:

Zack Kong founded Twentyfifty/Outsect/Originnovation, a startup producing disposable utensils based on grain flour. With his 100% compostable gluten-free fork, Zack aims to revolutionize the market of disposable utensils as the plastic waste crisis threatens our planet. The 100% food-based utensils also show enormous advantages compared to biodegradable plastic PLA, which takes much longer to be composted.

Feedback on implementing ReMixHD:

Zack mentioned that it is crucial to determine whether we need to keep the medium clean to help our bacteria regenerate. Regarding difficulties during the upscaling process, he also shared some names of companies that work with bioreactors and upcycling waste.

Columbia

Waste management in Columbia:

In Colombia, significant steps have been made in waste treatment since 2015, driven by sectorial public policies aimed at sustainable practices. Important efforts in this context are the introduction of a four-bin system for household waste as well as the formalization of the activities of waste pickers (known as “recicladores”) (Calderón Márquez et al., 2020). However, around 90% of mixed waste still finds its way into landfills due to its low costs in comparison to recycling techniques. At the same time, the waste management still lacks centralization as different organizations and entities are involved in the recycling and reuse of waste materials and in most cases, the households decide which of them will collect their waste.

About our stakeholder:

Basura Cero Global a Colombian non-governmental organization (NGO) that is promoting Circular Economy and the principles of 3R (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) in companies as well as private households on a national and international level. Their approach encompasses connections with research units, government bodies, and numerous institutions across Latin America, including Mexico, Brazil, and Costa Rica.

Feedback on implementing ReMixHD:

Our approach is designed to work efficiently with the available resources, making it a viable option even in resource-constrained environments. We are committed to assisting communities in their goal of achieving a substantial increase in recycling, targeting 12% of overall recycling within the next two years. Furthermore, our collaboration goes beyond waste management, as our co-culture approach can be adapted to support the similar recycling projects from Colombian research groups. By doing so, we aim not only to bolster their regional research efforts but also to assist them in translating their research findings into practical and impactful applications.

Laos

Waste management in Laos:

Souksaveuy told us that there is no waste separation in Laos. Waste is collected by truck and transported to landfill. Similar to neighboring countries , plastic waste is usually manually collected by informal waste pickers, which is sold to mechanical recycling companies invested by foreign companies. She also mentioned that plastic waste from Developed countries is exported to Laos, which is recycled in the foreign-invested companies.

About our stakeholder:

Souksaveuyn Keotiamchanh founded Zero Waste Laos, a nonprofit organization solving environmental issues. The organization mainly focuses on education to empower youth for a sustainable lifestyle. They offer workshops and collaborate with other organizations and companies to work on various projects, including waste management.

Feedback on implementing ReMixHD:

Souksaveuy pointed out that we need to do a cost analysis to operate our bioreactor and clarify the drawbacks of our system.

Malaysia

Waste management in Malysia:

Waste treatment in Malaysia mainly relies on landfills, as there are around 170 landfills in Malaysia. However, only 10 meet the standard of a sanitary landfill, an engineered structure that prevents waste from escaping into the natural environment during natural disasters. There are four reasons why the household recycling rate is meager (9.7%) (Poh et al., 2016): the recyclables are 1) too dirty, 2) made from mixed material. 3) There is a lack of facility and technology due to low-profit value. 4)The labeling of the recyclables is unclear.

About our stakeholder:

Tasha Sabapathy is the program outreach and communications executive at Zero Waste Malaysia. "Established in 2016, Zero Waste Malaysia (“ZWM”) is a non-profit organisation and community group based in Malaysia advocating for sustainable development and aiming to increase the local community’s awareness of sustainable living. We strive to build a waste-free and sustainable future for Malaysia."

Feedback on implementing ReMixHD:

Tasha suggested we loop in some recycling collectors and facilities in our research to understand their struggles and how our project could collaborate with existing partners. She wrote in our email contact, „To improve our infrastructure, we must collaborate and not compete.“

Vietnam

Waste management in Vietnam:

Xuan told us that among all the waste in Vietnam, around 71% of them are discarded in landfill, 16% of them are composted, and 13% are incinerated. According to the current local law, by the end of 2024, solid waste must be separated into four categories in Vietnam: organic, recyclable, others, and hazardous. In practice, households have no waste separation since it has not been obligated, and people do not feel responsible. On the one hand, domestic plastic recycling depends on informal waste pickers who manually collect recyclables. On the other hand, plastic wastes have been imported from Japan, the US, and Europe for recycling.

About our stakeholder:

Xuan Quach is the coordinator of the Vietnam Zero Waste Alliance (VZWA). She and her colleagues are campaigning to reduce solid waste and waste incineration and extend landfills' life. By educating students and staff from schools, hospitals, etc., they become role models for other institutions and raise awareness for sustainable lifestyles among Vietnamese. VZWA also works closely with GAIA, Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives.

Feedback on implementing ReMixHD:

For Xuan, it is important that our solution could degrade plastic entirely without leaving microplastic. Also, she suggested we do a cost analysis of our bioreactor because people only see the incentive in buying such a bioreactor when it costs no more than 100 dollars.

Nepal

Waste management in Nepal:

The current waste management approach in Nepal is predominantly linear, with over 90% of waste ending up in landfills and open dumps. This practice has resulted in severe pollution and health issues in areas where waste disposal occurs. The Informal Waste Sector (IWS) plays a pivotal role in recycling and thus promoting a circular economy. However, the sector faces challenges such as negative working conditions affecting both health and job opportunities. Furthermore, the formalization of the IWS is difficult under the existing technological limitations and structural barriers. Addressing these issues is crucial to advancing sustainable waste management practices in Nepal (Cataldo et al. (2023)).

About our stakeholder:

Health Environment and Climate Action Foundation (HECAF360), dedicated to advancing a sustainable health care, environmentally-friendly systems and climate resilience in Nepal. HECAF360 is at the forefront of eco-friendly healthcare waste management using non-burn technology based on Zero Waste management system under circular economy principles. HECAF360 is firmly committed to transforming Nepal into a toxin-free nation by developing zero waste Schools, Campuses, Hospitals, businesses and Offices with the ultimate goal to make Zero Waste Cities.and executing environment friendly, climate-resilient solutions. HECAF 360 is promoting the creation of green cities, aiming at mitigating adverse effects on public health and environment.

Feedback on implementing ReMixHD:

ReMix offers an innovative solution with low costs, making the most of locally available infrastructure. By integrating our approach, we can play an important role in fostering the formalization of the IWS, a critical step towards promoting recycling and achieving more sustainable waste management practices. Besides, our knowledge can also be implemented in their research on plastic degrading enzymes for usage in bioreactors, thus promoting local research work and its implementation. Nepal will be surely benefitted by this research by implementing it in the remote areas where the waste transportation is an issue or very expensive.

Bioplastics

According to the guidelines of the European Bioplastics association, bioplastics refer to plastics that are either made from natural, renewable raw materials or are biodegradable, or both (European Bioplastics e.V., 2023). Therefore, one must consider that different bioplastics also come with different properties regarding the biodegradability. Renewable raw materials which are not biodegradable are per definition considered bioplastics as well (Pooja, N et al., 2023).

The overall advantages of bioplastic are the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, the ability to biodegrade and the shorter environmental durability. These properties make it an innovative alternative for conventional plastics (Zhou, Y et al., 2022). The degradation is dependent on the chemical structure of the polymer as well as the environmental conditions. The degradation takes place through microorganisms, which can utilize the bioplastic polymers as an energy and nutrient source (Emadian, S et al., 2017).

One common example for a biodegradable bioplastic is chitin, which can be found in crustacean shells. Chitin is also not toxic and is an abundant resource. Therefore, the renewable biomass chitin is a promising raw material for the production of bioplastics (Zhou, Y et al., 2022). There is a need for further research in bioplastics especially in terms of their large scale and sophisticated production technology (Ali, S. S et al., 2023).

Professor Dr. Frank Lyko, a renowned epigeneticist at the German Cancer Research Center in Heidelberg and a founding member of Marmorkrebs Bioproducts (https://www.marmorkrebs-bio.de/) has been devoting himself to intensive research in the field of marbled crayfish for several years. In our Interview, he emphasized the importance of chitin, which is extracted from the crustaceans and has a promising role in the context of bioplastic production. The main focus of the start-up is the development of an efficient and sustainable closed aquaculture system based on innovative biofloc technology, vertical design and special animal husbandry. This system aims to drastically reduce dependence on water, feed, energy, and technical support. It promotes animal welfare, minimizes environmental impact, and increases productivity. Furthermore, Marmorkrebs Bioproducts’ Green Biorefinery represents an automated process that extracts valuable resources from crustacean shell waste, including the valuable chitin for bioplastic production. This results in a reduction of waste and maximization of resource utilization. This innovative approach promises advances not only in aquaculture, but also in sustainable bioplastics production.

Hearing impairment

Our next part leads us back to the interview with the renowned epigeneticist Professor Dr. Frank Lyko head of the division of epigenetics of the German Cancer Research Center in Heidelberg and a founding member of Marmorkrebs Bioproducts. (You can find the Bioplastics Interview here.)

Professor Dr. Frank Lyko has a hearing loss of 80%. He told us that he never saw his hearing impairment in his research work as negative and that it was always important to him to accept challenges. For his education he was first advised by the responsible office that he should attend a school for children with disabilities. Eventually, with the support of his parents, he attended a regular school. He then completed his studies in biology at the University of Heidelberg.

In the interview he told us that he does not know any other hearing impaired scientists so far. We do not know any hearing impaired students in our study environment either. This is really odd for our team because according to the German hearing Impaired Association about 19% of the German population over 14 are hearing impaired (D.S.e.V., 2021). Eva provides us with one possible reason. She works as a school support worker and is the mother of a hearing impaired daughter. She told us that it is difficult to get adequate access to education without a person in the background or the support of the parental home.

Hearing impairment is very individual regarding the degree of the hearing loss and regarding the different accessibilities to spoken language and sign language (Olusanya et al., 2019; Becker and Jäger, 2019). Professor Lyko has access to speech and spoken language. He lip-reads in addition to his hearing aids. It is interesting to know that by reading lip movements one can only distinguish less than 30% of German spoken language (Becker and Jäger, 2019). On the other hand, Eva's daughter is deaf and relies on sign language for communication. But what kind of language is sign language?

Human language capability is not limited to auditory-oral modalities which we use in spoken language. Here speech is formed by means of vocal folds, tongue, and mandible. There are also visual-gestural modalities available which are used for sign languages. Here the language is formed by means of hands, arms, upper body, and the face (Becker and Jäger, 2019; Power et al.,2019).

Just like spoken language, sign language has its own history. It has also developed individually in different regions of the world. Thus, there are different sign languages all around the world, which means that sign language is not universal. For example, if you know German Sign Language (DGS), it does not mean that you can communicate with sign language users all over the world. To just state a view there is for instance Austrian, French, American and British Sign Language. (Power et al.,2019). Even within one country, different dialects can exist, such as in Switzerland or Germany (Braem, 1992). In the north of Germany, for example, there are different signs for days of the week or colours than in the southern part of Germany (Becker and Jäger, 2019). BSL (British Sign Language) also has different dialects depending on the region (Stamp et al., 2015).

Besides its own history, sign language also has its own grammar (Braem, 1992). So, to stick with the example Germany, German sign language is not just a signed form of German (Becker and Jäger, 2019). It is therefore also not surprising that among other countries in Germany sign language is an accepted language on its own. According to Article 6(1) of the German Act on Equal Opportunities of Persons with Disabilities, DGS has been recognized as an independent language since May 1, 2002 (Hlava, 2018).

Have you figured out how to sign your name using finger spelling? But be careful also the finger alphabet distinguishes between countries (BDÜ, n.d.; Mohammed Ali et al., 2015).

Figure 1: German fingerspelling and fingerspelling of T from American Sign Language (ASL)

Fingerspelling enables the representation of written language. It is used to represent names of people or places. It is also used for words for which there is no particular sign (Becker and Jäger, 2019). Thus, we have not found a sign for the bacterium Pseudomonas fluorescence in German sign language on the Internet. There is often a lack of signs for scientific terms. However, these are important for proper communication in the everyday life of a researcher or if you want to become one. The “Sign2MINT” project is dedicated to develop more German scientific terms in sign language (Sign2MINT, 2023).

1.5 trillion people worldwide are affected by hearing loss (World report on hearing, 2021). There are different degrees of hearing loss. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), there are the following degrees of hearing loss: mild hearing loss is diagnosed at 26 to 40 decibels. Moderate hearing loss is diagnosed at 41 to 60 decibels. Hearing loss of 61 to 80 decibels is called severe hearing loss. Profound hearing loss, or deafness, it is termed, when you have more than 81 decibels of hearing loss. The WHO also stated that in 2018 about 466 million people were living with disabling hearing loss. In this case disabling hearing loss means to have a hearing loss that is for adults above 40 dB in the ear that can hear better and for children a hearing loss above 30 dB in the better hearing ear (Olusanya et al., 2019). Furthermore, the World Federation of the deaf stated, that worldwide there live approximately over 70 million people who are deaf. In total they make use of more than 300 distinct sign languages (United Nations, 2023).

But what about studying if you are hard of hearing and/or speak another native language, namely sign language? At most universities with exception of the Gallaudet University (Giovanni, 2023), the lectures are designed for hearing people. What possibilities are there to enable communication of the teaching content better in universities.

There are several assistive communication devices. Since there are different degrees of hearing loss, the communication aids are very individual. There are technical aids such as frequency modulated (FM) systems or induction loop systems. These can be used with or without cochlear implants or hearing aids (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2019).

There is also the possibility of an interpreting service. There are written interpreters and sign language interpreters. Written interpreters translate the spoken language into a written form as simultaneously as possible. They usually provide help in communication for hearing impaired, who are spoken language oriented and thus understand its grammar and writing fluently (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2019). For a quick reminder: Sign language uses its own grammar (Braem, 1992).

Sign language interpreters offer communicative help for people who require sign language for communication. However, the number of sign language interpreters compared to deaf or hard of hearing people who require sign interpreters is very low in Germany as well as in other countries. In Germany for instance, 200.000 people use sign language for communication, whereas 83.000 people are deaf. However, there are only 800 sign language interpreters (Kolbinger, 2022).

Woman in Science

If the question comes up which famous female scientists there are, the answer is usually Marie Curie. Women in science are an exception and especially Nobel laureates like Marie Curie are rare. She is till today the only women receiving the Nobel Prize laureate twice. From 1901 to 2023, a total of 64 women were awarded the Nobel Prize. This is a small percentage considering that the Nobel Prize was awarded to a total of 965 individuals (All Nobel prizes, 2023; Nobel Prize awarded women, 2023)

In today's everyday life the term gender pay gap has become a common topic. In 2021 within the EU, women earned on average 13% less than men. One reason for this is sector segregation, as approximately 24% of the gender pay gap is due to the overrepresentation of women in low-paying sectors such as care, health, and education. Wage discrimination is also still a fundamental reason for unequal pay, as women still earn less on average than men in the same positions. The principle of equal pay however, has been enshrined in the European treaties since 1957 (Article 157 TFEU) (The gender pay gap situation in the EU. European Commission, n.d.).

According to a study by Humbolt University, female professors in Germany earn on average 727 euros less than male professors, despite the fact that these are supposed to be age-independent basic agreements, regardless of gender. However, these can be increased individually by performance bonuses agreed with the university. So those who are able to negotiate their salaries win (Burchard, 2023).

An article in Harvard Business Reviews clearly shows the low percentage of women who negotiate their starting salary after a master's degree. Thus, 57% of all master's graduates negotiate their first salary, while just 7% of all female master's graduates do so (Babcock, 2003).

It also became clear in our team that only a few people would be brave enough to negotiate their salary and stand up for their value. This was the last wake-up call for us. We as iGEM Team Heidelberg 2023 agree that equality and fair salaries are essential. In this term we want to contribute to the 5th goal of the United Nations "Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls" to help women in science to stand up for themselves and be brave enough to become visible. Professor Dr. Hedda Wardemann, Head of the Department of B-Cell Immunology at the German Cancer Research Center Heidelberg (DKFZ) aptly formulated: "Instead, we should all focus on the fact that science has to be excellent, regardless of gender or culture." (Arseni, 2023).

With the help of MLP, we created the workshop "Know Your Worth"- Lets close the Gender Pay Gap. The Harvard Business Reviews article by Linda Babcock and Sara Laschever states that women don't take what they deserve because they simply don't ask for it. Also, in a panel discussion at the International Day for Women and Girls in Science and the International Women ́s Day 2023 at DKFZ, it was claimed that women doubt themselves more often (Babcock, 2003; Arseni, 2023 ).

With this workshop we want to give young women in science tools to stand up for themselves and to demand what they deserve. During the workshop, we discussed rhetoric’s to help us appear more self-confident and secure. We were encouraged to get aware of our strengths and weaknesses and to use both to our advantage. In the workshop with MLP we learned how to be more self-confident and that you are allowed to be. Furthermore, a salary negotiation was simulated with us and we learned the tricks of the employers. In addition they explained the importance of knowing your own limit for what price we are ready to accept a job. This workshop helped us to stand up for ourselves.

Waste Export

In 2016, Asia emerged as the largest importer of plastic waste globally, absorbing 74% of the world's plastic waste. Despite some of this waste being re-exported, a significant 98% remained within Asia for treatment and disposal. China faced the bulk of this influx, receiving the largest share. This massive export rate highlighted a pressing issue: plastic waste management and recycling practices in Asia were far from ideal. Many countries in the region lacked the essential recycling technology and facilities needed to handle this influx of plastic waste. Moreover, the recycling rates were distributed unevenly, aligning with each country's stage of development. Up until 2018, Hong Kong (China) was the world's largest exporter of plastic waste, closely followed by the USA, Japan, and Germany. However, in 2018, certain plastic waste export bans were enacted in Asian countries, leading to a decrease in overall imports. China, in particular, stopped receiving plastic waste due to these regulations, but countries like Japan, Vietnam, and Thailand saw an increase in solid waste imports. Although the quantity of exported waste slightly increased, the bigger part of plastic waste remained in Asia (Liang et al., 2021). Malaysia, Vietnam, and Thailand also introduced restrictions on plastic waste imports that finally led to an increase of plastic waste export to Turkey, where import rates grew by 241 times between 2004 and 2021. Germany has played a significant role in this dynamic, ranking as the third-largest exporter of plastic waste in Europe (Helbig et al., 2022) and was ranked in 2019 as biggest exporter of plastic waste compared to other european countries (Möck et al., 2022). However, parts of this imported waste is either disposed of illegally or incinerated, polluting the environment and releasing toxic chemicals that pose serious health risks. These harmful substances can accumulate in the environment, affecting nearby communities and contaminating the food chain (Helbig et al., 2022). Despite efforts like the Basel Convention, which mandates that both export and import countries agree on the transfer of hazardous waste, this international framework often struggles to protect the interests of import countries, as export countries frequently breach its regulations (Möck et al., 2022).

Namibia

Waste management in Namibia:

Burning and landfilling are the two main practices in Namibia. There is only one proper landfill in Namibia (Kupferberg Windhoek Landfill). The rest of the officially declared waste disposal sites are dumpsites in addition to some illegal dumpsites. At the dumpsite, waste is burned or covered with sand. However, Namibia exports their waste to other countries especially South Africa for recycling.

About our stakeholder:

Ndapandula (Kapandu) Shihepo is a student associate at the remote desert research station atGobabeb Namib Research Institute. She studies environmental policy and social ecology, in particular the effectiveness of policies to reduce plastic bag use and pollution at central coastal towns in Namibia. Beeing close to the end of her masters she is an expert on plastic waste management in Namibia. As Gobabeb is an international hub for research of all kind that can take place there are even some projects running on-site regarding plastic degradation. In one project, the goal is to investigate the degradation of plastic waste by mealworms.

Feedback on implementing ReMixHD:

Besides Ndapandula, we also talk to other staff members and the management of Gobabeb to provide feedback on our idea. As Gobabeb is a remote place far off the grid (~2h drive from the next town away!) the research station must be completely self-sufficient in every manner of its operations. The on-site waste is collected from the different facilities and packed in a holding cage until there is a large enough quantity to be transported to the Walvis Bay dumpsite. The transportation of waste is paired with other Gobabeb errands to save on fuel usage. Thus, Gobabeb was looking at our solution with great interest as it could allow for on-site recycling of plastic waste. However, the infrastructural challenges to set up a bioreactor in the middle of the desert are important to consider.

Learn about the other SDGs we tackled in our Project!

By clicking on them!

Tracking mixed plastic waste

Since 2021, the European Union (EU) has prohibited the trade of hazardous and non-recyclable plastic waste with non-OECD countries (Plastic waste shipments, 2021). This move was prompted by the environmental and public health damage caused by the uncontrolled plastic waste trade before the ban. (Read more about waste export) Despite these regulations, Greenpeace reported illegal plastic exports from recycling companies.
We are conducting an investigative study to enhance transparency within the current waste recycling system and better understand the life cycle of mixed plastic waste. This study uses location trackers to trace the destination of our mixed plastic waste after disposal, providing valuable insights into the European recycling landscape.

What is the potential impact of mixed plastic waste tracking?

Through our investigative project, we want to capture the attention of iGEM communities and the broader public on the issue of waste export, particularly regarding illegal waste exports. Simultaneously, our efforts to combat waste align harmoniously with the advancement of four SDGs:

Countries that receive plastic waste tend to be countries that need to establish waste management. Better infrastructure and innovation are required to prevent further plastic waste pollution.

Cities tend to produce high amounts of municipal waste as well as mixed plastic waste, which is exported to other countries.

Exporting waste, especially mixed plastic waste, is not sustainable, as plastic resources leave the material loop. To promote sustainability, we need to adopt patterns of consumption that prioritize the reuse and recycling of plastic waste.

Landfills of plastic and waste transport release a lot of CO₂. Combating waste export could reduce CO₂ emissions.

Our Investigative Odyssey to Identify Plastic Waste Export Streams:

At first, we thought the project would be quite simple – just get some trackers, stick them onto the mixed plastic waste, throw them away, and wait for the results. However, after consulting with various technical and environmental experts, we realized the project was more challenging than we had initially anticipated. In the following sections, we'll explain how the feedback from our stakeholders has affected our project.

Battery choice:

Our trackers were originally designed to operate with lithium batteries. Considering the elevated fire risk associated with lithium batteries, we aimed to transition to NiMH batteries, as recommended by Jakob from Greenpeace. However, upon investigation, we discovered that there were no NiMH batteries compatible with our trackers. Consequently, we have opted for Alkaline batteries, as they are both compatible with our trackers and exhibit a lower fire hazard.

Study design:

Initially, our plan was to dispose of the trackers in German post-consumer waste. However, while visiting a plastic waste sorting plant, we learned that plastic waste is typically compressed, which could potentially destroy the trackers. Consequently, we decided to redirect our efforts towards recycling stations in British supermarkets. We also found a previous plastic waste tracking study showing plastic waste from supermarket recycling containers was being exported to foreign countries.

Reflection:

We are fully aware that disposing of batteries and non-plastic materials in plastic recycling containers is incorrect. Also, we conducted research to understand the potential risks this could pose to downstream recycling companies and the environment. In an effort to mitigate these risks, we have also switched to Alkaline batteries for our trackers.

Additionally, we recognize that there is a significant amount of incorrect battery disposal in trash bins daily. Considering the potential value that our research could bring, we believe it is justifiable to proceed with our study using a limited number of trackers.

First results:

Due to our careful planning and project considerations, we managed to send out our trackers in September and October 2023. We put 9 trackers wrapped in mixed plastic packaging into recycling bins meant for soft plastics at British supermarkets. Given that recycling processes can take a while, we'll be waiting for results for the next three months. This means the project will keep going beyond the wiki freeze and iGEM.

We're really looking forward to digging deeper into the recycling system and collecting valuable data to improve transparency in the European recycling system. We will update our results in our wiki page in the coming months.

Results by December 14th, 2023:

Out of the 9 trackers we released in Cardiff, 5 could be traced during their subsequent transportation, while 4 trackers sent their last signal 4 days after release, indicating the same location where they were discarded. Among the 5 trackers that exhibit further location changes, 2 of them last signaled at a distribution center near Bristol, where they are expected to be transported to other plastic waste processors (Tracker 2 and 4). Tracker 2 is also updating its location. Two trackers were able to update their locations in recycling companies after leaving Bristol (Tracker 1 and 3). So far, all the trackers stay in the UK according to their last signal.

References

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Arseni, L. (2023). ’The world needs science, and science needs women’…but what do women in science need? – interviews and panel discussion with 5 outstanding female scientists. FEBS Letters, 597(11), 1443–1446. https://doi.org/10.1002/1873-3468.14634.

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Becker, C., & Jäger, H. (2019). Deutsche Gebärdensprache Mehrsprachigkeit mit Laut- und Gebärdensprache. Narr Francke Attempto.

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Giovanni, A. D. (2023). About Gallaudet: World leader in deaf education. Gallaudet University. https://gallaudet.edu/about/.

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Sustainable Development Goals

Additionally, as part of our inclusivity efforts, we have been advocating for equality for the hearing impaired and organised a workshop to support women in science.

Furthermore, we are currently conducting an investigative study to track the recycling of mixed plastic waste in alignment with our four SDGs.

SDG 9

Click to learn how we tackle that problem

SDG 11

Click to learn how we tackle that problem

SDG 12

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SDG 13

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SDG 12 - Our impact

We help to upcycle mixed plastic waste to high-quality molecules!

Did you know?

SDG 12 focuses on sustainable consumption and production patterns to promote responsible resource use and environmental conservation.

We also directly address key targets of the UN regarding SDG 12 with our project:

SDG 12.5: By 2030, substantially reduce waste generation through prevention, reduction, recycling and reuse.

SDG 12.8: By 2030, ensure that people everywhere have the relevant information and awareness for sustainable development and lifestyles in harmony with nature.

Spotlight on SDG 12 Challenge

Difficulties in recycling mixed plastic waste

Waste export

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Our learnings

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Our learnings

Benefits

Risks

SDG 11 - Our impact

We help to reduce the adverse impact of urban mixed plastic waste and combat waste colonialism!

Did you know?

SDG 11 aims to make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable.

We also directly address key targets of the UN regarding SDG 11 with our project:

SDG 11.6: “By 2030, reduce the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities, including by paying special attention to air quality and municipal and other waste management.”

Spotlight on SDG 11 Challenge

The massive amount of municipal solid waste

Insufficient infrastructure and inadequate recycling deteriorates inequality in terms of decent life quality

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Our learnings

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Our learnings

Benefits

Risks

SDG 9 - Our impact

We help to innovate the recycling industry by developing a sustainable approach for mixed plastic!

Did you know?

SDG 9 aims to promote sustainable industrialization, foster innovation, and develop resilient and sustainable infrastructure to support economic growth and human well-being while minimizing negative environmental impacts.

We also directly address key targets of the UN regarding SDG 9 with our project:

SDG 9a: “Facilitate sustainable and resilient infrastructure development in developing countries through enhanced financial, technological and technical support to African countries, least developed countries, landlocked developing countries and small island developing States”

SDG 9b: ”Support domestic technology development, research and innovation in developing countries, including by ensuring a conducive policy environment for, inter alia, industrial diversification and value addition to commodities”

To better understand mixed plastic waste challenges around the world, we reached out to stakeholders in 8 countries, where our Remix bioreactor holds the potential for groundbreaking change.

Explore the Globe!

Heidelberg

China

Zack Kong

Nepal

Mahesh Nakarmi

Vietnam

Xuan Quach

Laos

Souksaveuy Keotiamchanh

Malaysia

Tasha Sabapathy

Columbia

Diego Camilo Romero

Namibia

Ndapandula Shihepo

Kenya

Dismas Owino

Spotlight on SDG 9 Challenge

Absence of centralised waste management infrastructure

Feedback - How that affects our solution

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Our learnings

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Our learnings

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We help to reduce CO₂ emission with our sustainble system!

Plastic life cycle produces abundant CO₂!