Liu Yutong, Mo Zongran, Quek Min Kiat Nickson, Zhong Zhiming, Goh Yen Ther
Academic Advisor: Mr. N Sivasothi
Plastic waste is a major global problem. In Singapore, only 6% of 815,200 tonnes of plastic waste was recycled in 2017 (NEA, 2017). Based on ZeroWasteSG’s (2016) estimate, some 30-70% of total plastic waste were single-use disposables, such as takeaway containers.Our project “Saving Waste with CONTAINSIL” aims to reduce material wastage by NUS consumers with single-use utensils with an alternative design. This will integrate fork/spoon into takeaway containers and be perforated ao as to be easily pushed out of container lids. 88% of 86 respondents indicated that they have takeaway meals between 1 to 5 times a week, and most indicated these were for rice dishes, which the design thus targetted. 90% also indicated they do take plastic utensils, reflecting a high demand. Most (90%) also expressed interest in our idea. based on our calculations on the monthly use of containers within NUS canteens, this design could lead to a reduction of some 245 kg of plastic waste per month.
Keywords: Culture and Lifestyle Trends, Responsible Consumption, Plastic, Takeaway containers, Containers, Utensils