4 minute read
Capstone Program
REDUCING PLASTIC WASTE WITH INNOVATIVE PLASTIC RECYCLING SYSTEM
A team of students from Al Rashidiya Girls’ School has proposed a way to improve the efficiency of solar panels using a superhydrophobic chemical coating.
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PROJECT TITLE Recycling Plastic Bottles Using the “Happy and Smart Machine”
TEAM MEMBERS Hessa Alteneiji and Salama Dehooei
SCHOOL Al Rashidiya Girls’ School
MENTORS Dr. Abdulla Ismail, RIT Professor of Electrical Engineering and Dr. Ghalib Kahwaji, RIT Professor of Mechanical Engineering
SCHOOL INSTRUCTORS Engineer Nada Hawari and Engineer Akash Rajan Hessa Alteneiji and Salama Dehooei, grade 12 students from Al Rashidiya Girls’ School, have spent two years designing a plastic waste collection and processing machine and app to reduce CO2 emissions and raise awareness about the importance of cutting down on plastic waste.
Their “Happy and Smart Machine” project, part of the pilot Capstone Program led by the Ministry of Education, supports the UAE Vision 2021 goal of diverting 75% of municipal solid waste away from landfills.
Plastic waste is a global environmental problem. According to the United Nations Environment Programme, only around 9% of all plastic waste ever produced has been recycled, with around 12% being burned and the remaining 79% collecting in landfills, dumps, or the natural environment. These are worrying figures, as it can take up to 450 years for a plastic bottle to break down. Without prevalent recycling, a good amount of plastic ends up in the oceans, where it contributes to the deaths of millions of marine animals. Humans are also affected by plastic waste, as we end up ingesting or inhaling large amounts of microplastic particles, which can contribute to cancer and disrupt hormonal systems.
In response to the problem posed by plastic waste, Alteneiji and Dehooei sought to increase recycling in the UAE by designing a system that incentivizes the collection and processing of plastic for reuse. The system has two major parts: a plastic waste collection and processing machine and a mobile app.
The machine’s key components include motor-powered blades that shred plastic bottles into granules, mechanical screening of the granules by size, collection and measurement of the granules, and a computer application that calculates the amount of CO2 emissions that are saved by reusing the collected plastic granules.
The smartphone app enables users to calculate and track the CO2 emissions they save from the plastic they recycle. It also awards points according to those numbers, with the highest point earners receiving weekly or monthly achievement medals.
Explaining what inspired them to develop the idea, Alteneiji and Dehooei both pointed out the large number of used disposable
EXPLAINING WHAT INSPIRED THEM TO DEVELOP THE IDEA, ALTENEIJI AND DEHOOEI BOTH POINTED OUT THE LARGE NUMBER OF USED DISPOSABLE WATER BOTTLES THEY WOULD SEE SCATTERED AROUND SCHOOL AT THE END OF THE DAY
water bottles they would see scattered around school at the end of the day.
Looking back on their experience with the Capstone Program, Dehooei said, “During this two-year research project, we were able to conduct extensive background research on the main topic that includes a problem affecting society. We managed to harness fieldwork knowledge and experience to implement a proper solution for the problem.” Alteneiji added, “The most important thing I learned from the Capstone Project is that finding the solution to any problem requires consistent research in order to be applied in real life.” When asked how the project impacted their view of science, the team members had different insights. Alteneiji said, “The project gave me a clear view of the basic steps for scientific research and has broadened my general knowledge regarding different topics. Before, I thought scientific research was purely based on theory, but I learned it’s more than that, which I found interesting.” Dehooei, on the other hand, learned the importance of conducting research you are passionate about. “We would not have achieved the desired goals if the project did not seek to solve a problem that caught our attention,” she said.
Both students credited the Capstone Program’s intense and iterative design process with enhancing their appreciation of the depth of academic research. “When I had to design my own project idea using the CAD software Fusion 360, I realized that scientific research is more than just looking for a problem, brainstorming, proposing a solution, and stopping there,” Alteneiji said. Dehooei added, “At the beginning of the project I had an abstract idea about scientific research, but in reality, it turned out to be a detailed and delicate process requiring us to redo multiple investigation steps to stay on the right track.”
Their experience with the Capstone Program contributed to the girls’ wish to pursue scientific studies in university. Alteneiji shared, “I plan on studying industrial engineering. When I complete my studies, I want to work in a field where I can be a part of creating good quality products, reducing product costs for improved future outcomes.”
“I wish to pursue a demanding scientific career that would further and serve a bright future for the UAE. However, I have not yet decided between studying engineering or going to medical school,” Dehooei said.
The Ministry of Education’s Capstone Program aims to promote creativity and innovation, provide a first-rate education for Emirati school students, and develop their skills in academic research from an early age. The goal is to produce a generation of young Emirati researchers who will be an asset to the country’s higher education sector and in the fields targeted by UAE Vision 2021 and the Science, Technology, and Innovation Policy.
