WANBO Zero Waste Initiative – ‘Circular Island School’
With a focus on reducing Island School’s carbon footprint and making it a more sustainable place, the environmental ambassadors, have launched an ambitious zero-waste initiative. With recycling stations at both campuses, a service is now offered whereby the wider community can bring in other waste items to be recycled. These items include Type 2 (HDPE) and Type 5 (PP) plastics, food and liquid cartons and polystyrene.
Less than 10% of all the plastic generated globally is actually recycled? That’s an additional 300 million tons of plastic entering our oceans, beaches and landfills every year.
‘Circular Island School’ with Precious Plastic, aims to tackle this problem by repurposing waste plastic – giving them a second life. Grace Zheng (12F), one of the student leaders on the project said, “We will use the machines built by students (and funded by the John Ying Wah Gibson Award) to transform plastic waste into useful objects such as lamps.”
The team with students from the King George V School *Photo taken before Covid-19
“We are promoting the idea of a circular economy, focusing on the importance of sustainability in a highly industrialized society.”
Once the plastic has been sorted out, it will be cut and broken down using a shredder. Then the plastic flakes will be melted and extruded into different moulds to create parts such as beams and poles. Lastly, using a range of other machines, the plastic components will be combined to create items such as stools, benches and more.
You can support this project by bringing in plastic waste you have at home to one of the waste collection stations in either Tai Wai or Sha Tin Wai. However, do make sure you have cleaned and washed the plastic before you deposit them into the bins! Currently, only Type 2 HDPE (high-density polyethylene) and Type 5 PP (polypropylene) plastics can be collected. Check the number under your plastic containers and review this link if you are unsure of what to bring in.
Adding the shredded plastics into molds
Go to Instagram page @preciousplastic.is for regular updates and announcements, as well as opportunities for students to get involved.
At the website https://ispreciousplastic.weebly.com/ you can read more about the recycling process, going from collection to refinement.
As a part of their initiative, Circular IS is holding a sustainable poster design competition. The competition is open to all students in Y7-9 and the posters should revolve around one of the three following questions:
1.What is a circular economy?
2. What are the different types of plastics?
3. How can we reduce plastic use in our everyday life?
There is no limitation to what media or material you can use to create your posters – however if you are hand-drawing your posters, make sure to either scan it or take a high-quality photograph so it can be seen and read clearly.
Entries should be emailed to grace.zheng@online.island.edu.hk before the 4th of December. 3 winners will be chosen and their posters will be printed and featured around both campuses.
