Solving the global plastic problem through innovative tech

“Save the ocean, save our next generation.”

TAIWAN – Approximately eight million pieces of plastic go into our oceans every day. That’s hundreds of years of plastic built up into the ocean every single day of the year as plastic takes decades to degrade.

As plastic slowly breaks apart in the ocean, its small pieces spread and create an even bigger, harder to solve problem: micro plastic pollution.

Microplastics are invisible and harmful to both human and marine life when ingested. There are now, at most, 51 trillion micro plastics making its way to the ocean, and eventually, into both human and animal stomachs.

It’s not just our oceans, as micro plastics have been found in our lakes and rivers as well. Researchers and scientists are already focused on studying long running harmful effects as the number grows and grows.

The terrifying reality is that there isn’t signs of its decreasing. However, there are are those trying to found quick solutions through innovative technology.

ROBOTS IN WATER

Young technopreneurs all over the world are finding solutions to the growing plastic problem. In the bustling, cultural city of Taiwan, a startup group is already on its way to bringing its technology to rid of micro plastics in the ocean.

Micro PC started with two university students from Chung Yuan Christian University, Alice Hung and Chiu Shen-fu, who were simply taking a class that tasked them to provide a solution to a worldwide problem.

“Our professor asked us to solve a worldwide problem and we found the micro plastic issue,” said Alice. “Inspired by the professor from our University, and after the course, we still had this kind of motivation to solve plastic micro beads.”

Plastic products, such as tires or water bottles, decompose after certain number of years which then becomes plastic micro beads or micro plastic.

Alice and the rest of Micro PC, sees the ocean as world’s produce, and aims to preserve and take back our beloved ocean through a machine they’ve invented themselves.

Their device is a moving technology that can navigate the waters to capture plastic micro beads while returning clean water. Their device can capture any size of plastic micro beads. At the same time, their device can filter necessary ingredients still needed in the ocean, such as potential food for fisheries or small animals itself.

“The slogan that we have at Micro PC is ‘save the ocean, save our next generation’,” said Alice. She and her team have won the 2019 Asia Pacific Social Innovation Partnership Award back in 2019.

Their device can capture 300 plastic micro beads in just one hour and can be integrated with boats to navigate further parts of the ocean.

RECYCLE WELL

Alice wants to send this technology all over Asia to quickly solve the growing plastic problem. However, she understands that this isn’t the ultimate solution to the problem, as the root of it lies with educating the youth on proper waste management, as well as the government.

“We’re selling the product, but we also do environmental education for children. We teach them the SDGs, and what plastic microbeads are,” she said.

“We have products we have recently invented, but it’s about recycling as well. If you recycle a plastic product well, it will not decompose really fast and it won’t go into the ocean. Please, just do recycle well,” she pleaded.

Alice has also credited the Taiwanese government for strict implementation on plastic recycling, as big companies are part of the initiative to use plastic for t-shirts, towels, or bags.

“There’s an environmental bureau in the city that supports some of the companies who do these kind of plastic reproducing technology,” she explained. “I think in Taiwan right now, they are not only doing good in education but do a really good job in recycling. They have already prohibited to use straws.”

FUTURE OF MICRO PC

Micro PC has already teased about a new technology they’ve invented that introduces AI technology that could recycle and reproduce to work with big companies, as well as social enterprises.

All throughout their journey, Alice still maintains a strong emphasis on reusing and recycling as the main solution to the global plastic problem. As more solutions are being created, corporations and ordinary citizens alike, must do their part as well in preserving the ocean.