A group of University of Ottawa students create a solution to help cut down on plastic use
Whether it is at the grocery store or at the fast food restaurant, there is a rush on to curb the use of plastic. Especially since most plastic packaging is only used once.
The Poly Project is a plastic recycling system designed by University of Ottawa students, through a competition driven by Enactus.
"We have two machines. We have a shredder and an injection moulder," says Thuy-Vi Ha, Poly Project co-manager. "So the shredder essentially takes plastic and it breaks stuff into a bunch of small little pieces. And then from there we put it into our injection moulder where it gets melted down to make new products."
Products like coasters, flower pots, backsplash tiles and phone cases just to name a few.
"Enactus is a club run by various university campuses across the world, and we’re fortunate to have one here at the University of Ottawa," says Jennifer Kerwin, Poly Project co-manager.
Enactus also partners with businesses in Canada.
"It tackles plastic pollution," Kerwin says. "So Poly manufactures and sells small-scale plastic recycling systems that allow our operators to turn their communities plastic into brand new products."
"My team and I, we’re going to be travelling to Toronto for the national's competition," Ha says. "So we’re going to be competing against the other top five universities in Canada."
If the Poly team wins the national competition, the next step is a world cup in Puerto Rico at the end of October.
But it’s not just about the awards for these students.
"We think that we can make an even bigger impact and make a more immediate impact within in our community," Ha says. "That’s why we started all these projects, so we could help out our community a lot more."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'A step forward': New screening criteria for sperm donors takes effect
Canadians looking to grow their families with the assistance of sperm or egg donations should soon have more options for donors as the federal health agency does away with longstanding restrictions criticized as discriminatory.
Ontario Provincial Police arrest 64 suspects in child sexual exploitation investigation
Ontario Provincial Police say 64 suspects are facing a combined 348 charges in connection with a series of child sexual exploitation investigations that spanned the province.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his head more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.
What is whooping cough and should Canadians be concerned as Europe declares outbreak?
There is currently a whooping cough epidemic in Europe, with 10 times as many cases compared to the previous two years. While an outbreak has not been declared nationwide in Canada, whooping cough is regularly detected in the country.
Pfizer agrees to settle more than 10K lawsuits over Zantac cancer risk: Bloomberg News
Pfizer has agreed to settle more than 10,000 lawsuits about cancer risks related to the now discontinued heartburn drug Zantac, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the deal.
Case against ex-Mountie charged with helping China can go ahead in Quebec, judge says
A Quebec court judge has ruled that the case against a former RCMP officer charged with helping China conduct foreign interference can go ahead in the province.
Steve Albini, legendary producer for Nirvana, the Pixies and an alternative rock pioneer, dies at 61
Steve Albini, an alternative rock pioneer and legendary producer who shaped the musical landscape through his work with Nirvana, the Pixies, PJ Harvey and more, has died. He was 61.
Ippei Mizuhara, ex-interpreter for baseball star Shohei Ohtani, will plead guilty in betting case
The former interpreter for Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani has agreed to plead guilty to bank and tax fraud in a sports betting case in which prosecutors allege he stole nearly US$17 million from the Japanese baseball player to pay off debts, federal prosecutors said Wednesday.
Watch fighter jet pilots pummel fake enemy ship off coast of Philippines
The United States and Philippines held annual joint-training drills just off the Southeast Asian nation’s western coast on Wednesday. Military forces sunk a 'mock' enemy warship – the BRP Lake Caliraya, which was a decommissioned tanker made in China.