The Scottish Plastics and Rubber Association (SPRA) annual dinner dance is a fantastic opportunity for the established innovators and decision-makers in plastics to come together, while it is also an excellent place to introduce the next generation of plastics stars to the industry.
Students
Craig Bean, MEng Tons Polymer Engineering, Polly Wong, MSc Advanced Materials Engineering and Leonardo Binetti, MSc Advanced Materials Engineering.
This year's event took place in Glasgow on March 9th, where the SPRA Scholarship Prize was handed to Leonardo Binetti, MSc Advanced Materials Engineering, while Highly recommended Prizes were awarded to Polly Wong, MSc Advanced Materials Engineering and Craig Bean, MEng Tons Polymer Engineering. All three are students of Edinburgh Napier University and were invited as guests of Impact Solutions. The students were kind enough to take a break from their studies to speak to EPPM.
EPPM: Describe the work that led you to being recognised by the SPRA?
LB: My project was based on producing a recommendation to the board of a large supermarket chain on how they should proceed with bioplastic instead of normal plastic, identifying the entire life-cycle and their true environmental impact. I'm also working on a project that involves the understanding of corrosion under insolation and I'm working on a plastic coating that could resist degradation induced by stagnant water in pipework for the oil and gas industry.
PW: My initial approach was to think about a passion of mine. I vividly recall that the idea of coffee flashing through my mind - I'm certain some lecturers thought I was bonkers. We decided to investigate coffee ground waste as a renewable reinforcement in a biopolymer composite. In the UK alone, 500,000 tonnes of coffee ground waste are produced a year. To be able to convert a valueless by-product into a cost worthy investment was my goal.
CB: As part of some of my modules it's been necessary to study the different recycling processes and the environmental impact plastics are having - specifically in the ocean. I hope to apply what I've learned in my future career to make improvements to existing practices and methods in the field of plastics manufacturing.
EPPM: Do you apply your work to the plastics stories you see in the news?
LB: Plastics exceed most other man-made products [in volume], contaminating the natural environment. My work is related to everyday stories because it explains to supermarket chains how to proceed with biodegradable plastic, which right now the global amount is less than one per cent in the plastic market, but this is expected to increase over the next five years.
PW: It often frustrates me that the benefits of plastics are left unmentioned in the news. As a student, I understand that plastic materials are unavoidable and the only way approach the matter is to work with it. Alongside an increasing interest in cellulose nanomaterials development, my project was fascinating to me and I feel like I've only touched the surface of the topic.
CB: Looking at the news it stands out to me that the main reason for plastics polluting the oceans is the mismanagement of plastic waste. One of the main advantages of plastics is its inert properties and resistance to corrosion, this is the main reason plastics can be negatively portrayed on the news even though the use of plastics has become vital.
EPPM: Do you believe your generation will be the one to solve some of the biggest challenges facing plastics right now?
LB: Well, I am really confident to say that, because of information-sharing, our generation will be able to invent, manufacture and redesign new ways to have a better future. Innovative ideas and open minded people are inspiring to me, owing to the fact that it is possible for me to learn and then develop new ideas to have a better, a greener, cleaner world.
PW: We currently exist in a Silicon Age where composite materials are often the primary options for advanced engineering applications. This exciting age opens a channel for many opportunities for research and development. In my humble opinion, bio-nanomaterials linking hand-in-hand with polymer materials is the future.
CB: The plastics industry is only about 1.5-2 generations old and it has made great advancements. I see no reason that in my generation some if not most of the current challenges can be solved, whether that's by securing alternate sources for plastics e.g. bio-polymers to improve sustainability, or by developing new plastics with superior mechanical properties to replace existing materials to provide a better result. I'm inspired by the thought of the industry I am entering being integral to the success of many cutting edge scientific and engineering ventures and the improvement of existing projects.
