Ifen Seelen (SDE), Meghan Rahul Khasnis (FOE), Tan Bing Chieh (FOS), Xu Caiyi (SOC), Zhuang Xunheng (FASS)
Academic Advisor: Mr. Lim Cheng Puay
Microplastics (small plastic pieces less than 5mm) is a significant source of marine pollution. Brandon et al (2020) estimated that there is now 8.3 million pieces of microplastics per cubic meter of ocean water. Chemical additives of microplastics can release toxins which can harm marine life. They also cause bioaccumulation of toxins in humans, and can lead to health problems such as infertility and cancer. The Small Things Big Impact project aims to mitigate the environmental and human impacts of microplastic by raising awareness on the prevalence and impacts of microplastic and encouraging youths to consider environmentally friendly alternatives to facial washes containing microbeads. Through a series of workshops and social media campaign, the team managed to engage at least 60 youths in understanding this and to consider more sustainable facial product options.