Coffee grounds and sugarcane pulp are transformed into... plant pots and chess sets.

The project "BIOPLASTIC - Producing biodegradable plastic items from sweet potatoes, sugarcane bagasse, and coffee grounds" by a group of students from Tran Van Giau High School (Binh Thanh District, Ho Chi Minh City) won first prize in the 2023 "Students and Young Entrepreneurs with Startup Ideas" competition at the city level. The project was also selected to participate in the same competition at the national level.

Replacing traditional plastics

According to Mr. Le Van Nam, a teacher at Tran Van Giau High School and the project's supervisor, the project was built on the idea of ​​developing bioplastics to replace traditional plastics from waste materials. The research team selected sweet potato, sugarcane bagasse, and coffee grounds to create bioplastics with properties that are hard, lightweight, durable, environmentally friendly, and safe for users.

Speaking about the project, Vu Thi Hong Minh, a member of the Net-Zero research team, said that the aforementioned products have been tested for chemical indicators such as metal and plastic exposure indices. The project has utilized materials that no longer have economic value or have low value, which are usually burned or discarded, causing environmental pollution.

According to the project team, other bioplastic products on the market are flexible and are mainly used for plastic bags or food wrap. However, the bioplastic developed by the Net-Zero team is superior in terms of rigidity, lightness, and durability, and can be used to make many other useful products. Furthermore, this type of bioplastic is biodegradable in the environment without causing pollution or negative impacts.

The experimental group for the project "BIOPLASTIC - Producing biodegradable plastic items from sweet potatoes, sugarcane bagasse, and coffee grounds" is working in the laboratory.

According to the project team, while traditional plastics take hundreds to thousands of years to decompose, existing bioplastics only need one year. Net-Zero's bioplastics, in particular, take 3-5 years to completely decompose, meaning the product can be used for longer while still ensuring a relatively fast decomposition time.

Many practical values

According to Mr. Le Van Nam, the project aims to sell products primarily made from biodegradable plastic, including chess sets, Chinese chess sets, handmade desk plant pots, and scented candle holders. These products are not only practical, useful, and aesthetically pleasing, but are also considered an effective alternative to traditional plastic products, which are very difficult to decompose.

In their project presentation, the research team confidently asserted that the products offer high economic value, have wide applications, create a potential market for green products, and generate additional job opportunities for the local population.

Students play chess using biodegradable plastic products from the Net-Zero group.

Kieu Ngoc Han, a member of the team, said that the project was developed at the Environmental Technology Laboratory - Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City and Van Lang University (Ho Chi Minh City) with support from experts. The product is currently in the testing phase but has been well received by many customers due to its outstanding advantages and reasonable price.

The research team shared that their goal is not only to develop bioplastic products to replace traditional plastics but also to contribute to a "zero waste" lifestyle, in line with environmental protection programs.

According to the judging panel of the "Students and Young Entrepreneurs with Startup Ideas" competition in 2023, organized by the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training, this project has practical significance for the environment in Vietnam in particular and the world in general, helping to enhance the value of agricultural products. At the same time, the project positively impacts people's awareness of environmental protection issues; promotes sustainable development and creates a healthy living environment for future generations.

The group of students from Tran Van Giau High School (Ho Chi Minh City) participating in the project includes: Vu Thi Hong Minh, Nguyen Thi Hoai Ni, Kieu Ngoc Han, Nguyen Hoang Linh Dan, and Ho Quoc Thuy An.

Spreading the entrepreneurial spirit among students.

The "Students and Young Entrepreneurs with Startup Ideas" competition, organized annually by the Ministry of Education and Training, aims to create an experiential environment; nurture feasible ideas from students; foster an entrepreneurial spirit in them from their time in school; and diversify funding sources for promising projects.

In Ho Chi Minh City, the competition was launched in October 2023, attracting 152 projects with many interesting and creative ideas across various fields.

Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Huu Huy Nhut - Vice Rector of Hong Bang International University (Ho Chi Minh City), and Deputy Head of the City-level Judging Panel - assessed that the participating projects all had depth in their ideas, demonstrating the ability to grasp the needs of life, and therefore had high practical value. This is a positive sign of the widespread entrepreneurial spirit among students throughout Ho Chi Minh City.

Source: https://nld.com.vn/ba-ca-phe-ba-mia-thanh-chau-cay-bo-co-196240224203122492.htm