S2 - Blockchain for Plastics

Inspiration

After conducting background research on the topic of plastic waste sorting, we discovered the HolyGrail 2.0 project, which involves imprinting digital watermarks on plastic products. We brainstormed that these watermarks can be scanned by cameras and then run through computer vision models to detect the watermarks and identify the types of plastic to guide the separation process. We were also concerned by the lack of transparency in the plastic industry because it leads to a lack of data and resources required to track plastics for recycling purposes.

What it does

Our business solution involves the development of accurate computer vision (CV) models that scan the digital watermarks created by the HolyGrail 2.0 project (which has already been adopted by over 150 large entities in the plastic industry; hence, quick integration can be done once the computer model visions are incorporated into sorting facilities). Additionally, we will establish a blockchain to track all plastic products that are manufactured, detailing its qualities from use-case, type, chemical composition etc. This will help to track the amount of plastic in circulation and how much is being recycled effectively. The provision of this data will help Ansell to adapt recycling plants further in the future.

How we built it

We spent several days brainstorming the solution and researching the status quo through online sources like the Scientific American's online blog. We used canva to build our pitch deck to display our solution. We envision the computer vision model to be built with OpenCV or Tensorflow on Python.

Challenges we ran into

One of the biggest challenges we identified from the problem statement was finding a reliable way to identify different types of plastics so that we can sort them. Fortunately, we discovered the HolyGrail 2.0 project which is being adopted by the industry at a rapid space. Our computer vision tools will build on this existing digital watermarking infrastructure to improve the efficiency of plastic recycling plants.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

We're happy that our solution not only tackles the immediate problem of sorting plastics through a CV algorithm that we will develop, but also sets up a blockchain that will help Ansell gain more data about the plastics in circulation which can help them establish better solutions in the future which includes adapting our current plan to be as effective as possible. Essentially, by also increasing the amount of data available, there is greater transparency in in the plastic industry which will aid stakeholders when it comes to optimizing their usage/recycling of plastic.

What we learned

Through this project, we learned a lot about the plastic recycling status quo. It was alarming to find out that only about 10% of all plastics are recycled. Even more so that a lot of the plastics that end up at recycling plants are rejected due to the inability to sort them properly. On the bright side, we learned a lot about organizations and initiatives involved in fixing the issues. Through our project, we hope we can supplement the fight for the cause.

What's next for Blockchain for Plastics

The next item on our agenda is pitching our business solution to Ansell. We are hopeful that we can proceed to actually reach out to the HolyGrail 2.0 project to get a catalog of their watermarks and train a CV algorithm to identify the watermarks through an affordable camera. Our vision is that this camera will be integrated into the plastic sorting machinery present at Ansell's RightCycle recycling plant to help them sort plastics better. Not only will this improve the quality of recycled plastics so that they can be re-used more reliably and cost-effectively, it will also lead to less plastic in landfills and other places that it shouldn't be, helping the environment and global sustainability efforts.