Plastic is not good for the environment. It’s toxic and decomposes very slowly. The top three plastic waste producing countries are China, Indonesia, and in third place – the Philippines. It’s a big problem, and often problems of this magnitude are addressed by experienced scientists and waste management experts. But not in this case.
Fifteen-year-old Ameen Hataman from the Philippines invented a biodegradable plastic when he was in 9th grade a few years ago. It took him three months to create the plastic, made from a coconut, and bring it to its final stage and ready for mass production. Hataman has since been the recipient of major globally recognized awards, but he says his inspiration for the innovative solution comes from a very simple place – his love for nature, the environment and a science project assignment at school. He loves a challenge, and with the help of his science teacher, he overcame a big one to the benefit of us all!
“I did some research on how plastic was actually doing a lot of damage to the environment,” Hataman said. According to the Environment Department in the Philippines, Metro Manilla accounts for 25% of the daily waste for all of the thePhilippines, and 25% of that waste is made of toxic non-biodegradable plastic. Hataman’s plastic is more durable, biodegradable, and less flammable.