Plastic is getting complicated: a marathon of innovation in the service of ecological transition at the University of Montpellier
The Pol'Innov Challenge 2024 awards ceremony, organized by Polytech Montpellier (University of Montpellier), marked the end of an intense week dedicated to innovation and ecological transition, focusing on the theme of single-use plastic packaging. On this occasion, ten "favorite" prizes were awarded to the most remarkable projects among the 49 presented by the school's engineering students.
The 2024 edition dedicated to single-use plastic packaging
This year, the challenge focused on the issue of single-use plastics, an environmental emergency. Student teams were encouraged to develop solutions to reduce the impact of these plastics, whether by changing behaviors around waste and sorting, or by innovating in the areas of reuse and recycling, thereby responding to the technological and industrial challenges of our time.
The figures are indeed alarming. Plastic is omnipresent in our daily lives, with more than 6.9 billion tons of plastic waste generated since 2015, less than 10% of which has been recycled. By 2060, projections indicate that greenhouse gas emissions linked to this material could reach 4.3 billion tons, a major challenge that the projects in this edition have sought to address.
A week marked by two highlights
On October 22, this issue of plastic packaging was addressed by three experts who gathered for the Pol'Innov Challenge conference, brilliantly moderated by Géraldine Karbouch of innovation4impact, an expert in CSR and innovation. Quentin Passet, founder of Eio, which collects plastic waste from rivers and transforms it into 100% recycled plastic eyeglass frames, shared his experience of innovative and sustainable entrepreneurship. Valérie Guillard, winner of the European Stars Special Jury Prize, is a researcher at the Agropolymers and Emerging Technologies Laboratory, and detailed her project "GLOPACK, the packaging of tomorrow: bio-based, biodegradable, active, and smart."
The discussions enabled our students to gather key information on both technical and scientific aspects, as well as on the management of such projects.
As for the closing ceremony, it provided an opportunity to screen the short film "Plastic Symphony" in the presence of its production team, Elisabete Silva, Nicolas Brobecker, and Franck Molina. This film shed an artistic and committed light on the issues surrounding plastic pollution, a theme dear to the organizers and participants of the Pol'Innov challenge.
Projects at the heart of the ecological transition
The teams of students stood out for their commitment and creativity in responding to these environmental challenges. Among the winning projects were innovative solutions for sorting plastic in the medical sector, reusing plastic for home insulation, and initiatives promoting sustainable food. The winners also received a Reus'eat cutlery kit, a practical and sustainable alternative to single-use plastic, which is a powerful symbol of Polytech Montpellier's commitment to reducing waste.
By placing innovation and sustainability at the heart of its teaching, Polytech Montpellier confirms its commitment to training engineers who are committed to ecological transition. The Pol'Innov challenge is a perfect example of this: an inspiring and unifying event for its students, partners, and the entire university community.
Teamwork with the support of partners
Throughout the week, 245 students benefited from the support of numerous institutional and private partners, including Montpellier Metropolitan Area, SUEZ, the U cooperative, the University of Montpellier, Aglo Pôle de Sète, business incubators, and many others. These partners shared their expertise and helped enrich the participants' ideas and projects, and their support for this initiative is essential.
Inter-school collaborations have also emerged: for the first time, management students from IUT Montpellier-Sète (GEA course) and Montpellier Management's MTEEC master's program have joined the challenge. Their contribution has enabled Polytech teams to integrate management and strategy skills, which are essential for structuring their projects from a professional perspective.
The list of 49 projects is available to anyone interested, and several companies have already decided to continue certain projects by taking on engineering students as interns.