European Sci-Tech Challenge 2025
- How can we make a non-recyclable plastic product more circular through chemical recycling?
- How can mechanical and chemical recycling technologies be optimally combined to process plastic waste more efficiently?”
These were the questions that high school students taking part in the Sci-Tech Challenge programme organized by Junior Achievement Cyprus, together with ExxonMobil Cyprus were asked to address, at the national and European competitions respectively.
The programme took place in Cyprus for the fifth consecutive year and aims to promote STEM career paths.
The national winning team among 10 teams across Cyprus was from Kykkos B’ Lyceum with its clever idea to produce PETase enzymes, through genetic engineering and recombinant DNA, which break down difficult to recycle PET plastics into monomers. The members of the team were: Alexandros Samoutis, Filios Memstoudis, Marina Constantinou, Marielena Neophytou and Dimitra Petraki along with their teacher, Kypros Loizidis.
They then joined 20 students from the other participating countries (Belgium, Czech Republic, Netherlands and Hungary) in Brussels, who had 24 hours to work on this year’s challenge.
All of the students’ ideas and proposals were truly impressive. The winning team was “NeverEnding Plastic” who proposed a comprehensive solution to address the significant challenge of plastic waste recycling. Their innovative approach combines both mechanical and chemical recycling processes to tackle the issue of the 85% of plastic that is not currently recycled.
In addition to the competition, the students had the opportunity to visit and tour the city of Brussels, the ExxonMobil facilities and the European Parliament.
For more information, you can visit www.jacyprus.org/sci-tech or contact info@jacyprus.org .
