The Plastic Odyssey departed Marseille, France, on Oct 1 2022, on a three-year expedition around the world to tackle plastic pollution. - PLASTIC ODYSSEY
SINGAPORE: A unique research vessel that embarked on a three-year expedition around the world in October 2022, with the ambition to stop plastic pollution in the oceans, has arrived in Singapore.
Mooring here on Aug 26, Plastic Odyssey is on a mission to identify, document and disseminate low-cost and easily replicable plastic recycling solutions.
The French non-governmental organisation (NGO) behind the ship, a former oceanographic research vessel, advocates plastic recycling by showcasing its technology that converts discarded plastics into useful materials.
Plastic Odyssey travels to places that are most affected by plastic pollution to create a global network of recycling entrepreneurs, promote sustainable practices, and reduce plastic pollution at its source.
Plastic Odyssey's co-founders Simon Bernard (left) and Alexandre Dechelotte in front of the vessel at ONE ̊15 Marina Sentosa Cove on Aug 26. - ST
The ship’s arrival in Singapore comes ahead of a major meeting in South Korea from Nov 25 to Dec 1, in which countries are expected to come up with a legally binding treaty to end plastic pollution.
At the UN Environment Assembly in March 2022, 175 countries agreed to develop a global treaty on plastic pollution by 2024 that could be implemented as soon as 2025.
Negotiators have already met four times, and it is expected that the final negotiations for the treaty will be concluded at the Busan meeting later in the year.
Since plastic waste can vary greatly in size and shape, it is shredded into small particles of uniform size.
A machine is used to reduce soft plastics, such as plastic bags and packaging films, into small uniform-sized pellets, ready to be recycled into a new object.
Another machine gradually heats and mixes the shredded plastic until a malleable paste is formed, which is then shaped in moulds and cooled to create different objects, mostly building materials such as bricks, tiles and tubes.
Products made from waste plastic on board the Plastic Odyssey. - ST
Sorted plastics can also be sold and shipped for recycling elsewhere. A compactor is used to form square plastic bales, which makes transportation more efficient and increases the amount of plastic that can be transported.
The other machines in the workshop include a washing tank, a crusher, a press and a plate oven.
Plastic Odyssey tackles plastic pollution by supporting recycling entrepreneurs and building small-scale recycling factories that turn plastic waste into usable materials or objects such as roof tiles and paving blocks.
The organisation is currently building 10 such factories in Senegal, and is in talks to build two factories in the Philippines by end-2025.
Each micro-recycling factory – housed in a container – has all the necessary machines, such as the shredder and the extruder, to transform plastic waste into something new and useful.
The NGO also raises awareness and trains people around the world to reduce their plastic usage through educational programmes and resources.
Since the start of its long voyage, Plastic Odyssey has visited more than 20 countries and supported over 200 local recycling entrepreneurs.
Singapore could play a crucial role in supporting plastic waste transformation projects in Asia as a logistical base for recycling solutions.
The country’s plastic recycling rate typically hovered at around 4 per cent to 6 per cent in the past few years.
A chair made from plastic waste on board the Plastic Odyssey. - ST
The Plastic Odyssey team sees Singapore as an important hub for building connections with stakeholders and key players of the plastic ecosystem in the region.
Plastic Odyssey co-founder and managing director Alexandre Dechelotte, 31, said: “Because of its international exposure and international companies that are working here, and the strength of the shipping industry, I think Singapore can be at the forefront of plastic waste management systems in Asia, preventing the plastic movement to the ocean.”
The global maritime expedition tackling plastic pollution will stay in Singapore from Aug 26 to Sept 4 as part of the France-Singapore Joint Year of Sustainability.
This initiative was launched on April 13 during then Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong’s visit to France and demonstrates both countries’ commitment to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.
The Embassy of France in Singapore said: “Plastic Odyssey perfectly illustrates how the Joint Year of Sustainability contributes to exchanging best practices between French and Singaporean stakeholders involved in sustainability.
This project explores innovative solutions to reduce our impact on the environment and promotes a more sustainable use of resources. Advancing towards a less polluted world and creating the conditions for protecting the oceans is one of the key shared objectives of France and Singapore.”
After Singapore, the vessel will head to Cambodia, Vietnam, the Philippines and other countries in South-East Asia.
Running concurrently with Plastic Odyssey’s stopover is an exhibition showcasing alternatives to plastic the team has found from around the world. The Plastic Odyssey Nomadic Exhibition is open from Aug 27 until Sept 3 at the Science Centre Singapore. - The Straits Times/ANN
