Plastic gets complicated: a marathon of innovation for the ecological transition at Montpellier University
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 the ecological transition, around the theme of single-use plastic packaging. Ten "coup de cœur" prizes were awarded to the most outstanding projects among the 49 submitted by the school's student engineers.
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 single-use plastics, whether by changing behavior in terms of waste and sorting, or by innovating in the fields of reuse and recycling, thus responding to the technological and industrial challenges of our time.
Indeed, the figures are alarming. Plastic is ubiquitous in our daily lives, with over 6.9 billion tonnes of plastic waste generated since 2015, of which less than 10% has been recycled. By 2060, projections indicate that greenhouse gas emissions linked to this material could reach 4.3 billion tonnes, a major challenge that the projects in this edition have sought to address.
Two highlights of the week
On October 22, the issue of plastic packaging was addressed by three experts at the Pol'Innov challenge conference, brilliantly moderated by CSR and innovation expert Géraldine Karbouch of innovation4impact. Quentin Passet, founder of Eio, which collects plastic waste from rivers and transforms it into 100% recycled plastic spectacle frames, shared his experience of innovative and sustainable entrepreneurship. Valérie Guillard, winner of the Stars of Europe Special Jury Prize, is a researcher at the Agropolymer Industry and Emerging Technologies Laboratory, and detailed her project "GLOPACK, the packaging of tomorrow: biosourced, biodegradable, active and intelligent".
The exchanges enabled our students to gather key information on technical and scientific aspects, as well as on the management of such projects.
The closing ceremony saw the screening of the short film "plastic symphony", in the presence of the team who made it, Elisabete Silva, Nicolas Brobecker and Franck Molina. The film sheds an artistic and committed light on the issue of plastic pollution, a theme dear to the hearts of the organizers and participants of the Pol'Innov challenge.
Projects at the heart of the ecological transition
The student teams stood out for their commitment and creativity in responding to these environmental challenges. Among the projects rewarded were innovative solutions for sorting plastic in the medical sector, the reuse of plastic for housing insulation, and initiatives in favor of sustainable food. The winners also received a Reus'eat cutlery kit, a concrete and sustainable alternative to single-use plastic, a strong symbol of Polytech Montpellier's commitment to waste reduction.
By integrating innovation and sustainability at the heart of its teaching methods, Polytech Montpellier confirms its vocation to train engineers committed to the ecological transition. The Pol'Innov challenge is an inspiring and unifying event for students, partners and the entire university community.
Teamwork with the support of our partners
Throughout the week, 245 students benefited from the support of numerous institutional and private partners, including the Montpellier metropolis, SUEZ, the U cooperative, the University of Montpellier, Aglo Pôle de Sète, business incubators, and many others. These partners shared their expertise and contributed to enriching the participants' reflections and projects, and their support for this initiative is essential.
Inter-school collaborations also emerged: for the first time, management students from IUT Montpellier-Sète (GEA course) and Montpellier Management's MTEEC master's program joined the challenge. Their contribution enabled the Polytech teams to integrate management and strategy skills, essential for structuring their projects with a professional perspective.
The list of 49 projects is available to anyone interested, and several companies have already decided to continue some projects by taking on the student-engineers as interns.