Abstract:

This abstract is the direct result of a project primed as the First Educational Innovation Award from the Polytechnic University of Madrid in 2019: "Paths without Plastic"

The abuse of single-use plastics has become a global problem, which is mainly generated in developed countries but has its worst consequences in third world countries, either because they do not have the means to recycle the plastics they generate or, even worse, because they import waste from other countries without having the capacity for its treatment.

The “Paths Without Plastic” project proposes to act at two levels, the first one in our close areas of activity, in our case the University, where most of those single-use plastic objects are not essential, working on education and awareness of the people. Secondly, in environmentally threatened areas in developing countries through cooperation projects carried out with different local associations.

This project multiple objectives are:
• Awareness about the problems generated by the abusive use of single-use plastics. An intensive campaign has been carried out. Mainly focused on the UPM Civil Engineering School, through videos, exhibitions, information campaigns, plastics collections, concerts, etc... but also in several companies, such as "Sacyr without plastics initiative"
• Facilitate the reject of single-use plastics, through the use of reusable corporate water bottles which easily allow to avoid plastic bottles.
• Measure the effects of reducing single use-plastics through the carbon footprint calculation.
• Development of cooperation projects based on education and habits changes. In particular around the Corcovado National Park in Costa Rica, with "Palmar Sur without plastics" and "Corcovado without plastics" initiatives.
• Promoting recycling solutions for plastics that cannot be avoided through installations based on the philosophy of “Precious Plastic Project”. Eco-Plastic-LAB at the UPM Civil Engineering School and at Bajos de Haina in the Dominican Republic.

In addition, the recent Coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic highly increased the use of single-use plastics, a worrying consequence that has to be taken into account in our daily live and in future activities and projects.

Keywords:

Single-use plastics, recycling, sustainability, reuse, refuse.