Diary »SCIP plastics«
Research is an abstract concept. But how does it actually happen? What do researchers experience on the way to new knowledge? What challenges do they have to overcome? With diaries, researchers at the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar provide us an insight into their projects – so that others can participate in challenging times and the joy of success.
The research team of Prof. Dr.-Ing. Eckhard Kraft addresses a global problem: the plastic waste in our oceans. Thousands of years pass before it decomposes. Until then, the plastic parts decay into smaller and smaller particles. These are often mistaken for food by marine animals, which can lead to an agonizing death. The engineers at the Bauhaus Universität Weimar, together with a team from Bangladesh and the Institute for Social-Ecological Research, are researching how to ensure that the garbage does not end up in the sea. The research project is called »Sustainable Capacity Building to Reduce Irreversible Pollution by Plastics» - in short: SCIP plastics. Together they are looking for solutions for waste management and are developing a knowledge transfer center on the campus of the »Khulna University of Engineering & Technology«. Their goal – in the future waste should be better collected, sorted and recycled. The researchers have time until November 2024 to find solutions - the research diary accompanies their research.
Episode 1: Travel preparations for an in-person project kick-off meeting
The scientific partnership between the Bauhaus University Weimar and the Khulna University of Engineering & Technology on waste management exists since many years. A scientific conference takes place every two years – except during the corona pandemic. Hence the diary begins with the hope for (re)encounters.
End of September 2022
We are in the midst of travel preparations. At the end of September 2022, we will have our project kick-off meeting in Khulna, Bangladesh with all project partners. The business trip applications have been submitted and we received our visas in time.
The main program points of the trip are already set. A visit to the landfill in Khulna must not be missing. I am curious to see how the situation of the landfill site has developed over the past years. How much did the size of the landfill increase? Has the amount of plastic waste landfilled decreased? What impact did the pandemic have?
My curiosity is mixed with anticipation of seeing familiar faces again and making new acquaintances. The planned meeting with the mayor of Khulna will be an important part of the trip and after a long time without a meeting due to the pandemic, I am looking forward to visiting our long-time partner institution, the Khulna University of Engineering & Technology (KUET) as well as to meeting our project partners from Chittagong University of Engineering & Technology (CUET).
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Eckhard Kraft
Bauhaus-Universität Weimar
Chair of Biotechnology in Resources Management
Project description:
https://www.uni-weimar.de/fileadmin/user/uni/dezernate/dfo/TOP-Projekte/2021/2021_49_Kraft_Skip_Plastics.pdf
Websites about SCIP Plastics
Bauhaus-Universität Weimar:
https://www.uni-weimar.de/en/civil-engineering/chairs/biotechnology-in-resources-management/research/current-projects/scip-plastics/
»Khulna University of Engineering & Technology«: https://kuet.ac.bd/scip/index.php
Contact:
Prof. Dr. Eckhard Kraft, Professor of Biotechnology in Resources Management, Faculty of Civil Engineering, via e-mail (waste[at]bauing.uni-weimar.de) or phone (+49 (0) 3643 / 58 4621).