More than 3,000 students are fighting plastic waste through acting, photography, spoken word and recycling competitions in Melaka as a part of the MPMA -- Dow School Environment Challenge 2018.
The Malaysian Plastics Manufacturers Association (MPMA) and The Dow Chemical Company (Dow) partnered together for the fifth time on the challenge which is designed to educate students on waste separation and recycling to help reduce the amount of waste being sent to landfills and ending up in the environment as litter.
The challenge, which kicked off in April, is composed of four challenges designed to educate and inspire students on the importance of recycling and sustainability. The challenges are:
- Recyclables Collection: Students collected recyclables (plastic, paper, aluminum, e-waste) and brought them to schools to be weighed and collected.
- Photography: Students submitted a photo that features the theme of "I Love Recycling"
- Sketch Performance: Students create and perform a sketch with the theme "Litter Villain vs. Recycle Hero"
- Choral Speaking Performance: Groups of students participate in a choral speaking competition themed around the Three R's: "Reduce, Reuse, Recycle"
"This program continues to grow each year and help inspire and educate the next generation of students so they can be better environmental stewards," said Dato' Raymond Sng, vice president of MPMA. "The competition drives a great combination of curiosity and awareness for sustainability along with creativity and expression through the various challenges."
This challenge is part of a bigger platform for social and environmental improvement through education and outreach, ensuring that students understand and advocate for responsible management of waste.
Also part of this education platform is the Eco-Ranger Camp where Dow and MPMA partnered to help teach students about waste management, recycling and understanding plastics as a valuable material. During the camp which took place in May, students worked together with teachers to develop sustainability projects that they later implement in their schools.
"As a major plastic producer, Dow believes that no plastic should end up in the environment," said Dr. Han Zhang, Asia Pacific sustainability and advocacy leader, Dow Packaging & Specialty Plastics. "This can only happen through partnering with organizations like MPMA and educating students on the value of the materials we use every day so we can work together to advance a circular economy."
The MPMA-Dow School Environment Challenge has grown in participation from six schools in 2016 to 17 schools this year. This program was designed by MPMA and Dow to be self-sustaining so that it can continue its mission of educating and inspiring future generations while expanding its reach throughout Melaka. The program will continue to run with partner E Ijau Millennium Explorer, an environmental NGO who is leading the development of eco-schools in Melaka, based on the core principles that were established by Dow and MPMA. Besides E Ijau, the program partnered with a local recycler, Lam Chong Group, for the Recyclables Collection competition. Lam Chong has agreed to continue the recyclables collection program as a way to sustain the practice of recycling among participating schools.
During this year's competition, students performed in front of judges who voted on best performances in each category.
Competition Winners:
Recyclables Collection
Category: Best Paper
Primary/Amount: SJK (C) Alor Gajah, Alor Gajah, Melaka/1375.02kg
Secondary/Amount: SMK Sungai Rambai, Sg Rambai, Melaka/809.75kg
Category: Best Plastic
Primary/Amount: SK Air Baruk, Jasin, Melaka/108.15kg
Secondary/Amount: SMK Dato' Dol Said, Alor Gajah, Melaka/133.70kg
Category: Best Metal
Primary/Amount: SK Alor Gajah 1, Alor Gajah, Melaka/87.85kg
Secondary/Amount: SMK Dato' Dol Said, Alor Gajah, Melaka/243.40kg
Category: Best E-waste
Primary/Amount: SJK (C) Alor Gajah, Alor Gajah, Melaka/171.95kg
Secondary/Amount: SMK Tun Mutahir, Batu Berendam, Melaka/133.85kg
Photography
Category: Champion
Primary: Muhd Arif Haikal bin Hisyam
SK Tehel, Bemban, Melaka
Secondary: Lewis Tan Rui Yi
SMK Gajah Berang, Kampung Chetti, Melaka
Category: 1st Runner-Up
Primary: Ng Qiu Yen
SJK (C) Pay Chiao, Bemban, Melaka
Secondary: Nor Hidayah
SMK Sungai Rambai, Sg Rambai, Melaka
Category: 2nd Runner-Up
Primary: Aryana Delisha
SK Air Baruk, Jasin, Melaka
Secondary: Fatin Zarifah
SMK Seri Pengkalan, Alor Gajah, Melaka
Sketch Performance
Champion: SK Alor Gajah 1, Alor Gajah, Melaka
1st Runner-Up: SK Tehel, Bemban, Melaka
2nd Runner-Up: SK Air Baruk, Jasin, Melaka
Choral Speaking Performance
Champion: SMK Tun Mutahir, Batu Berendam, Melaka
1st Runner-Up: SMK Gajah Berang, Kampung Chetti, Melaka
2nd Runner-Up: SMK Sungai Rambai, Sg Rambai, Melaka
Short-Term Sustainability Project
Champion: SK Air Baruk, Jasin, Melaka
1st Runner-Up: SK Convent Infant Jesus 2, Taman Melaka Raya, Melaka
2nd Runner-Up: SMK Seri Mahkota, Merlimau, Melaka
"Together with Dow, we believe that helping students understand responsible waste management at an early age is a critical component to having less litter end up in our environment," said Sng.
About MPMA
The Malaysian Plastics Manufacturers Association (MPMA), established in 1967, is a progressive trade association and the official voice of the Malaysian plastics industry, representing its members and the industry in Government interaction, spearheading the plastics industry's growth and providing the platforms to assist members to be globally competitive.
One of the main focus areas of MPMA is sustainability. MPMA organises numerous awareness and education programmes on plastics for schools and the public. The programmes also highlight the proper disposal of plastics, plastics recycling and the 3Rs (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle).
About Dow Packaging and Specialty Plastics
Dow Packaging and Specialty Plastics, a business unit of DowDuPont's Materials Science division, combines core strengths of R&D, worldwide reach, broad product lines and industry expertise to deliver high performing technologies for end use markets in food packaging, personal hygiene, infrastructure, consumer goods and transportation. Dow Packaging and Specialty Plastics is one of the world's largest producers of polyethylene resins, specialty resins and adhesives, and is a leading innovator and collaborator across the value chain on sustainable application development and circular economy life-cycle design for plastics.
About Dow
The Dow Chemical Company (Dow) combines science and technology knowledge to develop premier materials science solutions that are essential to human progress. Dow has one of the strongest and broadest toolkits in the industry, with robust technology, asset integration, scale and competitive capabilities that enable it to address complex global issues. Dow's market-driven, industry-leading portfolio of advanced materials, industrial intermediates, and plastics businesses deliver a broad range of differentiated technology-based products and solutions for customers in high-growth markets such as packaging, infrastructure, and consumer care. Dow is a subsidiary of DowDuPont (NYSE: DWDP), a holding company comprised of Dow and DuPont with the intent to form three strong, independent, publicly traded companies in agriculture, materials science and specialty sectors. More information can be found at http://www.dow.com.
