TEP4854

Plastic Fantastic

– a healthy and circular plastic society

In this village you will help guide industry, citizens, and policymakers to make a healthy and circular plastic society.

Introduction

The village is affiliated with Team Plastic, an interdisciplinary research group within NTNU Health and Life Science

Plastic is a material we use and find everywhere in our society. Plastic is a versatile material and an essential part of modern life. We use it for example in paints, tires, packaging, clothes, electronics, or buildings; almost any product contains plastic. Unfortunately, a lot of plastic is either littered or is reaching the environment otherwise, to the extent that we now find plastic even on top of our highest mountains, and in our deepest oceans.

In the environment, plastic potentially impacts people, animals, plants and ecosystems.

We need to understand better how plastic enters our bodies and the natural world, and how materials science, recycling, and new materials can help reduce health and environmental risks from plastic materials.

How to make it happen

Sustainable solutions clearly cannot be based on technology alone. An integrated and multi-disciplinary approach is essential!

• Ways to find and monitor plastic in society and nature
• Understanding how we use plastic today
• Solutions for circular use and reuse of plastic
• Replacing or reducing plastic use
• Designing new materials and products
• Changing citizen perception and habits
• Art for plastic | Art from plastic

Assessment

In this village, project delivery is an oral presentation supported by one poster – as a basis for assessment accounting for 50% of the team’s grade – while the other 50% will be based on the process report. All EiT villages have the same assessment criteria, which can be found in the document "Formal framework in Experts in Teamwork - a guide for students and teaching staff".

Relevant background

The village welcomes students from all backgrounds, provided you are motivated to better our use of plastic. Envisioning sustainable solutions and exploring new opportunities requires insights from every discipline!

Partners

The village collaborates with plastic users, waste managers and governance actors in the Trondheim region. Exeternal parters contribute initial problem statements and stakeholder perspectives to the village theme.

How do I register for EiT?