Mingdao High School's On-Campus Summit

Mingdao High School's On-Campus Summit is a notable platform where numerous students share insights and innovations annually. Recognizing its influential reach, we chose to utilize this summit to amplify awareness of the plastic pollution crisis and how our iGEM project aligns with the objectives of the SDGs, particularly emphasizing our project's potential impact in furthering these global goals.

In our presentation at the summit, we elucidated the relationship between plastic and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), underscoring that while plastic's multifaceted applications benefit several industries, its ramifications resonate differently with varied SDGs. Specifically, we spotlighted Goals like 3: “Good Health and Wellbeing,” Goal 6: “Clean Water and Sanitation,” Goal 8: “Decent Work and Economic Growth,” and Goal 9: “Industry Innovation and Infrastructure.” While acknowledging the benefits conferred by plastic, we emphasized the environmental and health challenges posed by its inadequate disposal and resultant pollution. In this context, we enhanced the understanding of the value of collective action - both from industries and individuals - and seized the opportunity to discuss our iGEM project's prospective contributions.

In our mission to optimally disseminate the centrality of SDGs in addressing the plastic issue, we felt Mingdao High School's On-Campus Summit offered an excellent opportunity for a detailed discussion, supported by thorough research and empirical data. Though working out direct audience interaction may present challenges, our strategy centered on the preferences and interests of our primary participants - the Mingdao High School community. To this end, we conceived a visually engaging presentation segmented into vivid sections, each spotlighting a specific SDG. This design aimed to captivate at first glance, creating extended dialogues. Mindful of our audience's familiarity with technical jargon, we ensured our content remained accessible and relatable. We believe that in combination with all our other outreach initiatives, especially with our collaboration with another student organization, is also helpful in shedding light on the dilemma of plastic recycling and disposal within our community.

Exchange with Professor Hsiao Chun Yang

In order to understand the production and applications of plastic materials, we reached out to Professor Hsiao Chun Yang (楊孝淳) of Feng-Chia University (逢甲大學). His expertise and field of study surround fibers and composite materials. We took this as an opportunity to further understand the process of plastic production so that we could take the properties of the material into consideration in our later research and experiments processes.

On our visit to Feng-Chia University, Professor Yang first introduced us to his research on composite materials, including the manufacturing of plastic membranes, augmenting our knowledge on the general manufacturing process of plastic products. We also expressed our hopes of understanding the application of plastics, the place and value of plastics in the market, and the professor’s views and suggestions on our product. In response, Professor Yang again indicated the irreplaceable position of plastic in the market, which increased our concerns for the plastic crisis but also reinforced our belief of the necessity for research on plastic recycling.

Professor Yang acknowledged our efforts on plastic waste processing and introduced us to the concept of “sustainable ecology,” so that our objectives would not only be limited to plastic itself, but also bear in mind the long-term maintenance of ecological balance and other derived topics. This is a potential field of study for us to delve into by extension of our project, and we are eager to try in the future in order to continue magnifying the impact of our product.

Exchange with Professor I-Son Ng

Professor I-Son Ng (吳意珣) from the Department of Chemical Engineering at National Cheng Kung University (成功大學) is an expert in appying biological methods to degrade plastics, having dedicating a great portion of her career in relevant research. We invited her to share her research on PETase enzymes, which is not only related to our project topic, but also the very source of inspiration for our project development when we first found relevant news reports.

Professor Ng conducted her research, and thus obtained data and content more valuable than what we have found online. She introduced several ways they use in their lab to improve the activity of PETase, including mutagenesis, applying signal peptide for secretion, and peptide engineering. Subsequently, we asked the professor a few questions, including: “After plastic is decomposed from a polymer to a monomer, will it cause chemical pollution to the environment? If so, how can it be dealt with?” Professor Ng responded that this topic is still currently under study, but their idea of a potential experimental method would be to expose plants to the decomposed monomer and observe how the substance may affect organisms. If there are no negative effects observed among the plants, then theoretically, the monomers’ harm to the environment should be minimal.

We learned about the pros and cons of the various methods of plastic recycling. Professor Ng highlighted that currently, both chemical and physical methods of degrading plastics have major flaws, such as pollution by organic solutions of high temperatures, and the potential comptonization of the quality of the recycled materials. This was also why the professor decided to study biological methods of plastic degradation.
In addition, the professor gave us some suggestions when we decided to utilize the SpyRing cyclization technique for enzymes. She stated that our technical method may not apply to all types of plastic materials, hence she was initially skeptical about the success of our experiment. Nevertheless, Professor Ng offered us a thorough, comprehensive overview of biodegradable plastics and provided answers to many of our doubts and questions. We are grateful to her for inspiring us with new concepts, viewpoints, and valuable technical advice on our project design.

IGEM Team Meetup with National Chung Hsing University

The iGEM community has always been supportive and stimulating when students offer unique insight into each other’s visions and resulting projects as young scientists who care about dire global issues. To obtain an objective perspective and peer feedback on our ideas, we invited the National Chung Hsing University (NCHU) iGEM team to an online exchange session with us.

During the session, we presented our respective project ideas and shared the actions we were undertaking and the progress made to achieve those visions. While the two teams were exchanging feedback with each other, the NCHU team found our idea of producing a self-degrading plastic material very intriguing, but they also pointed out that it would be paradoxical if the biodegrading enzymes in the product could not be controlled, rendering the plastic material to commence its breakdown process the moment it is produced. Our team found this a highly valid point and took note of this as an aspect that requires future testing and improvement. Additionally, they raised concerns about the biodegradability of bioplastics in natural environments, as these materials are still already difficult to decompose on their own. Moreover, the two teams collaborated on recording a podcast episode where we discussed the experiences and challenges of high school students participating in iGEM, aspiring to continue the cycle of mutual learning and sharing in the iGEM community.

Although NCHU team acknowledged our conceptual innovations, they had some reservations about our project idea. On the control of degrading enzyme-embedded plastic, our product has to be precisely designed to address this particular issue for a real-world application. We had a delightful discussion during our online session with the NCHU team, exploring new fields of knowledge and receiving valuable feedback from each other. Our interaction was enjoyable, yielding not only insights but also the pleasure of discussing biotechnology.

IGEM Team Meetup with Chung Shan Medical University

After our exchange with the NCHU team, we became more certain that through conversations between teams, we can explore and learn from the different dynamics and working methods of various iGEM teams. This would allow us to embrace diverse perspectives and ignite new ideas through the collision of thoughts. Therefore, we seek more opportunities for exchange, this time with the Chung Shan Medical University (CSMU) iGEM team.

During this online session, we delved deeply into each other’s project topics, raising numerous questions, particularly about concepts that were relatively unfamiliar to us and research procedures that we were comparatively inexperienced with, such as the dry lab process. CSMU team’s enthusiasm and excitement about their project’s cause and purpose truly inspired our team to develop the same level of dedication to our project. Ultimately, team exchanges and sharing serve as an excellent way to create a win-win situation. The parties participating in this process not only stimulate each other’s growth but also learn to listen and engage with others’ opinions, identify flaws in project topics, and facilitate enhancement. It also allows us to share our passion with young scholars passionate about synthetic biology. We thoroughly enjoyed these two online exchanges, and we are grateful to both iGEM teams for this opportunity.

We gained a lot of new knowledge and insight, whether on our projects, the iGEM experience, or our shared passion for synthetic biology. In terms of feedback, our conversation touched upon the application of polycaprolactone (PCL) plastic in the 3D printing industry. Members of the CSMU team pointed out that due to the current developments in the 3D printing industry, the future market for PCL in 3D printing might gradually shrink. This raised points for us to reconsider and research further, particularly on how the industrial value of biodegradable plastics and the public’s perception of those materials would influence the presentation of our product to the market.

Exchange with Non-Profit Organization - Greenpeace Taiwan

Greenpeace is a prominent non-governmental organization advocating for environmental protection, with its influence and pro-environment actions extending all over the world. By reaching out to Greenpeace for an interview, we hope to learn about their vision, insights, and efforts on the ongoing issue of plastic waste, especially regarding biodegradable plastics.

We invited Shang-Ching Huang (黃尚卿), regional project director of Greenpeace East Asia, to share her experiences, which include his participation in regional and global actions addressing a variety of issues, ranging from alleviating plastic pollution or other marine pollution, all the way to reducing the initial source of pollution altogether. However, Director Huang personally still emphasizes more on the priority of actions reducing plastic pollution. On biodegradable plastics, she elaborates, “Greenpeace still maintains a distrustful attitude towards biodegradable plastics because there are currently still many technical difficulties in their decomposition process, while there is yet to be an established, effective recycling system designed for biodegradable plastics. It is actually not much different from other types of plastic, and it does not help much with the current pollution problem.”

Director Huang’s words mark significant deficiencies in current frameworks, whether technical or societal, in processing biodegradable plastics to maximize their value in reducing non-degradable plastic waste. Far from being discouraged by her words, we were even more motivated to rewire the development of our project with more consideration for those existing hindrances. We believe that our product would be a valuable contribution to the efforts in resolving technical barriers, while our extended awareness-raising and outreach actions within our community, inspired by Greenpeace, would contribute to alleviating societal impediments.

Exchange with Government Agency - Environment Protection Administration

Regarding access to biodegradable plastics, the central government has demanded that the material of trays should be replaced by polylactic acid (PLA) or other biodegradable plastics. However, it is technically more difficult to apply PLA in manufacturing beverage cups and disposable tableware, for PLA is hardly distinguishable visually from normal non-biodegradable plastics, hindering effective assortment during recycling processes. To understand current governmental policies on plastics usage and its stances on degradable plastics, we interviewed the Environmental Protection Administration via phone call to receive insight into the issue directly from bureaucratic stakeholders.

We first asked about the current situation on reducing the usage of plastics as well as restricting the amount of plastic used. Regulations have restricted the use of disposable tableware and plastic straws. There’s also a policy that encourages people to stop using plastic by offering them a discount of 5 NTD or more if they decide to bring their own reusable, waste-reducing bottles. In addition, according to the governmental agenda, disposable plastic cups will be banned completely by the end of 2024. It is difficult to implement an immediately comprehensive plastic ban as it is an integral part of civilians’ lives and many industries, hence the alternative priority is to promote the use of recyclable plastics as well as other eco-friendly materials and designs.

It is apparent that even the government is currently encountering challenges in handling and reducing disposable plastics. At this time, it can be difficult for biodegradable plastics to realize their value, and instead, lead to more derived problems. By bearing those two problems in mind while designing our project purpose, we now produced a product that, we believe, offers a solution by eliminating the shortcomings in processing single-use disposable plastics while enhancing the economic and environmental value of biodegradable plastics in terms of effectiveness in its processing. Finally, we would like to sincerely thank the staff of the Environmental Protection Agency for sharing their knowledge and experience during our interview.

Survey on Public Knowledge and Interest

With considerations for how our product, a new self-biodegradable plastic material, would be received by the public if applied for industrial and commercial use, we decided to gather feedback and opinions from the public and students regarding our concept via a public survey. Simultaneously, we also externally promoted the ideas of biodegradable plastics, proper plastic disposal, as well as our project concept in the process. Moreover, the survey included information and short articles aimed to raise plastic awareness and emphasize the importance of environmental protection.

We requested the junior and high school participants of our other outreach activities to fill in the survey for us. More importantly, we distributed our online survey to the general public through email and also handed out physical copies at metro stations. This way, we increased the chances of engaging with a greater abundance of groups and communities, diversifying our respondent pool in terms of varying age, occupations, socioeconomic status, stances on public affairs and issues, etc. This approach allowed us to obtain a broader range of responses, minimizing biases and maximizing our capacity and accuracy in estimating the status quo of our potential market and consumers.

In the survey, we inquired about respondents’ opinions on plastic pollution. The majority expressed concerns about the severity of the plastic problem and the inadequate recycling of plastic waste. Consequently, most respondents believed that taking action was necessary. However, they also acknowledged the difficulty of abandoning single-use plastic given the current reliance on the material in their daily lives. Notably, we found that the student demographic specifically is mostly concerned about environmental issues, yet they do not have in-depth knowledge to how critical the status quo truly is. Nevertheless, during the process, we still found that many people were interested in this topic, and some even came to ask us more related questions.

At the time we conducted the survey, we were still deciding between two options of project development ideas—a self-degrading plastic material (due to enzymes contained) or a plastic-degrading solution. Hence, we briefly outlined those two initial concepts in the survey and asked respondents if they agreed with our product ideas and, if so, which one they preferred. We ultimately found that the majority of the public supported both concepts but preferred plastic that could self-degrade over being placed in a solution, which was a strong motivating factor behind our final decision. They believed our product could make a difference in plastic pollution, thus expressing an interest in learning more about it.

Given the results of our survey, we believe that our product aligns with mainstream public opinion and has a strong potential for widespread acceptance in the market. However, we also identified the control of costs as a potential challenge for us, for the respondents indicated they were willing to pay double the price of regular plastic products on the market for our product. Overall, this public survey assisted us immensely in grasping a conception of the potential market development for our product.

Chiao-Jen Elementary School Scavenger Hunt

The objective of organizing a scavenger hunt at Chiao-Jen Elementary School is to impart biology knowledge to elementary school students in an engaging and enjoyable manner. Our target audience comprises approximately 100 students ranging from second to sixth grade, necessitating a game design that accommodates the diverse age groups present. As a public school, the resources and facilities of Chiao-Jen Elementary are also relatively scarce for the children enrolled, which was why we decided to bring them this opportunity of exposure to synthetic biology, a field which they are not as privileged to be familiar with. Our primary aim is to facilitate a foundational understanding of bacteria, thereby equipping the young students with essential knowledge in this field of biology, hopefully inspiring them further interest to learn more about microbiology and synthetic biology in the future.

Before the scavenger hunt, we first offered an entertaining opening performance to provide background context—a short play that depicts a body’s immune system being compromised by the infection of bacteria; we successfully secured the children’s attention and understanding by personifying bacteria and the immune system. The scavenger hunt session that commenced subsequently consists of four different games meticulously designed by the iGEM organization: “Hand washing,” “Antibiotic,” “Immune Defense,” and “Bacterial division.” Each of the games incorporated the essential concepts of these topics in an engaging manner while simplifying them to suit our target audience’s level of comprehension. For example, in “Antibiotic,” the children must “capture” infectious bacteria, represented by plastic bottles, by targeting them with antibiotics, represented by hoops. We also designed a “password” for children to collect after each of the games, consisting of questions that test their understanding of the knowledge derived from the design of those games.

Since our audience this time is elementary children, who are highly energetic and have a very short attention span, we spent much thought and time adjusting our game designs to simplify knowledge on bacteria to their comprehension, while also deliberating the time and rules of each game to ensure that they would actually engage with those concepts without losing interest. We found this experience to be immensely helpful to our following outreach endeavors to promote our project and vision, especially with our sharpened skills of standing in the shoes of our target audience to minimize obstacles to understanding and enhance engagement.

IGEM x SDGs Winter Camp

Our school annually hosts an SDGs exploration winter camp, accepting applications from elementary school students in Taichung City, but this year, we reached out to our administrators to offer an invitation for collaboration. We hope that through this opportunity, we will be able to reach out to a wider young audience from all over the city, and through designing innovative and creative lesson plans, introduce the fascinating properties and diverse applications of genetic and environmental biology.

Our lesson plans consist of two major experiments and extended inquiry activities: “Secure the DNA” and “Water for Life.” During “Secure the DNA,” under our guidance, the students conducted the strawberry DNA extraction experiment. After the lab, we led a discussion on the significance of genetic engineering in the global contexts of the SDGs, involving Goal 2: “Zero Hunger,” Goal 13: “Climate Action,” and Goal 15: “Life on Land.” Through completing the interactive worksheet, we designed, students learned about how climate change aggravates global food insecurity as crop yield has been reduced by extreme climate conditions in recent years, and how the technological advancement of genetically modified food (GMF) holds hope to alleviate this crisis. On the other hand, the “Water for Life” session brought in Goal 6: “Clean Water and Sanitation” by challenging students to assemble their own simplified water filtration device, using basic materials such as plastic bottles, sand, coal, and cloth. Before the actual experiment, we also led students to collect water samples from the school ecological pond, facilitating their first-hand contact, observations, and engagement with Goal 14: “Life Below Water.”

During the lessons, the students were actively engaging with the guiding questions that we supplemented. The experiment activities are to be credited for this success, for the hands-on experience captured their interest in their bigger, more complex implications for our world. They were fascinated by the visible size and length of the extracted DNA strands and also marveled at how the water samples, green with algae and clouded with miscellaneous particles, became so clean that it’s safe to drink. These responses and feedback demonstrated the accomplishment of our purpose to make those abstract scientific concepts and their imperative global contexts more approachable to our students.

IGEM x SDGs Board Game Event

With the aim of promoting how synthetic biology can contribute to resolving the global plastic pollution crisis, we hosted a board game event incorporating values of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for our target audience, junior high school students. By selecting the medium of a board game, we attempted to facilitate a pleasurable learning process to enhance the participants’ engagement with vital concepts about the issue of plastic pollution, integrating complex knowledge into an educational and entertaining experience. Additionally, this event effectively raises the participants’ awareness of this issue’s detrimental impacts and their personal social responsibility for this issue. In our activity, we connected our theme with Goal 12: “Responsible Consumption and Production” and Goal 14: “Life Below Water,” highlighting the importance of sustainable consumption and conservation of the marine environment in the context of the plastic pollution crisis.

Before the game, we briefly explained the environmental ramifications of plastic, emphasizing that it not only pollutes the oceans but also poses potential risks to people’s health and safety in the long term as pollutants and toxins gradually accumulate in our food source and living environment. The design of the game incorporated key concepts of our project design, with game components representing plastic pollutants and bioplastic-decomposing enzymes, allowing players to engage with our product purpose and objectives as well. After the game, we elaborated on our project in more detail and, once again, urged the participants to take personal action by reducing plastic usage.

We believed that board games as a medium would generate more interest and understanding of our project than conventional forms of promotion, and our event indeed justified this by effectively raising awareness and engagement among our participants. During the event, the students were engrossed in our games, and everyone enjoyed themselves thoroughly. The outcome we anticipated—spreading knowledge about plastic decomposition and linking it to the SDGs—was achieved successfully. Moreover, this initial exposure sparked enthusiasm and motivation among these students to explore the field of synthetic biology.

Our participants were not the only ones who gained insight from this event, however. This experience provided us with an excellent opportunity to showcase ourselves and reflect holistically on our knowledge of plastic pollution, synthetic biology, and other aspects of our project. In the process of answering questions asked by the students, we were led to consider different perspectives, especially the public’s values on this issue, leading us to contemplate various possibilities in how we can further promote awareness and commitment of different groups on plastic pollution. The process of designing the game also prompted us to consider whether our concept contributes to the SDGs and aligns with specific targets within the goals. The SDGs are a landmark set of indicators for global joint endeavors to address the currently direst problems in the world, and dedicating our efforts to them undoubtedly holds significant value.

STEAM Workshop for Junior High School Students

To spread awareness about iGEM and the broader world of synthetic biology, we organized a STEAM workshop specifically tailored for junior high school students at Mingdao. This initiative took place in our state-of-the-art BioLab. The underlying goal was not just immediate education; we aimed to spark an interest in these students, hoping they might one day become integral members of our iGEM club, ensuring continuity and longevity for the Mingdao iGEM team.

During this engaging event, our team members played multiple roles - both as hosts and educators. We introduced the students to a range of inspiring activities, immersing them in the world of biotechnology. This included teaching foundational biolab techniques and intriguing concepts, such as DNA agarose gel electrophoresis and raw DNA extraction. Through these exercises, students got a rare chance to operate advanced lab equipment, a leap beyond what their regular school curriculum offers. In addition, we gave them a tour of our molecular biology workspace, showing them the behind-the-scenes of cutting-edge research.

One of the workshop's highlights was our in-depth presentation on biodegradable plastics and the complex intricacies of degrading enzymes. We’re passionately working on the profound significance, inherent challenges, and promising potential solutions surrounding this pressing environmental issue. We also promoted the essence of iGEM and its overarching mission, underscoring the real-world relevance of our scientific endeavors and the broader implications they hold for the future of sustainability.

After the workshop, many junior students stayed behind to ask questions regarding the iGEM competition as well as our project development process. As we responded, we also reflected on how our work can not only influence other groups but also our very own community in school. We felt that we had successfully designed this workshop experience to inspire more students’ interest in synthetic biology and their future participation in iGEM.

Visit to the Incineration Plant

Even though remarkable efforts are being made around the world to recycle plastic material while raising awareness for relevant environmental protection policies, plastics still cause a considerable amount of pollution today. In order to understand the current problem that we’re facing as a global community and addressing as an iGEM team, while also learning about the significance and impact of our project on the world, we decided to visit a local incineration plant.

Arriving at the Wenshan Recycling Park, we learned, firsthand, about how waste is dealt with at the recycling park. Subsequent to watching an introductory video on the basic principles and operations of the incineration plant, we visited imperative facilities, including the garbage dumping platform, storage pit, turbine power generator, crane control room, and central control room. In order to gain more information on plastic recycling, we also inquired into the issue of plastics not being properly recycled by civilians, thus becoming sorted into the incinerator along with the non-recyclable wastes. The experts at the recycling park replied that the incinerator does receive plastic waste that should be recycled, and sometimes it is indeed difficult to intercept them before the incineration. During the inspection prior to incineration, approximately 16% would be plastic waste that should have been recycled. Among all the ultimately incinerated waste, there would remain to be 4% that are plastic materials that should have been recycled instead of being incinerated, releasing toxins such as dioxin.

This exchange with key stakeholders solidified the concepts of “self-degrading,” “thermal stability” and “efficient decomposition” in our project. With our newly acquired knowledge, on the process of incineration, as well as how plastic waste is processed, we also became more confident that our iGEM project would contribute to the current dilemma of the lack of efficiency and effectiveness in intercepting recyclable plastic materials before incineration to prevent the aggravation of pollution via toxic byproducts. In other words, the thermostable enzyme would indirectly serve as another safety measure of “interception.” We would like to thank the staff of the facility for their professionalism, enthusiastic explanation, and generous sharing.