The Plastic Crisis: Alternatives to Conventional Recycling

According to the 2016 Economic Study of the Canadian Plastic Industry, Markets, and Waste, 87% of plastic waste ends up in landfills or the environment. At a 13% success rate, it is safe to say that the plastic recycling system has largely failed and is in need of an overhaul. Recycling was never meant to be a solution, it was intended as the ‘least worst option available’. With that in mind, we would like to highlight a few alternatives to conventional recycling happening here at Concordia University.

Ali Zaker is a PhD candidate in Building, Civil and Environmental Engineering department under supervision of professor Chen. His research focuses on the conversion of municipal solid wastes to value-added products via pyrolysis process where a solid waste undergoes thermal degradation in the absence of oxygen. In short, turning plastics into high-quality liquid fuel.

Concordia Precious Plastics Project or CP3 is a student-initiative with the goal to repurpose plastic waste on campus, specifically waste associated with 3D printing, into new items. They will cover the basics of plastics, this includes a brief history of the material, the plastic types and identification number, its environmental impact, and what people can do at home to increase the chances of their waste being recycled.

Please join us on Thursday, February 11, to learn more about the people at Concordia coming up with alternatives and solutions to the plastic crisis.

Participate in the event by registering for the Zoom webinar or watch live on our Facebook.

Have questions? Send them to info.4@concordia.ca

Speakers 

Matthew Leddy, Zero Waste Coordinator, Zero Waste Concordia (Co-host)

Meredith Marty-Dugas, Sustainability Ambassador Coordinator, Sustainability Ambassadors Program (Co-host)

Ali Zaker, Ph.D. candidate, Department of Building, Civil and Environmental Engineering (BCEE)

Sara Ordonselli, Concordia Precious Plastics Project (CP3)

Wanda Stamford, Concordia Precious Plastics Project (CP3)

Maeva Ramboni, Concordia Precious Plastics Project (CP3)

Adriana Daca, Concordia Precious Plastics Project (CP3)