We Are Closing the Loop on Plastic

Empowering ITE students to champion our nation's plastic recycling efforts. Follow their innovation journeys from February to May, and support our young innovators as they develop groundbreaking solutions that increase our nation's plastics recycling rate, create new jobs, and inspire future generations—because innovation can solve our plastic problem.

SG Eco Loop
By Singapore Deep - Tech Alliance (SDTA), in partnership with ITE College Central

Supported by the SG Eco Fund
Catalysed by

The Problem

Singapore wants to achieve net zero emissions by 2050.

While there are many areas that could be tackled on an industrial level, plastics recycling is one that would be immediately actionable and measurable at the community level.

Recycling lowers emissions but only half of all waste was recycled.

In 2023, 6.86 million tonnes of solid waste were generated and only 52% of thesewere recycled. Construction and Demolition Waste has a high recycling rate of about99%; Food Waste was about 18% and Plastic Waste was only about 5%.

Fostering a culture of sustainability and collective responsibility.

Singapore residents could be further inspired and encouraged to take collective responsibility through aculture of sustainability.Let’s pilot Plastics Recycling with ITE students to build momentum and ignite broader environmentalinitiatives.

Our mission is to drive sustainable behavioural change in our community by turning problem owners to problem solvers.

A pilot to engage up to 100 ITE students and graduates to develop up to 25 Proofs-of-Concept resulting into: 
  • 0.5% plastics recycling rate annually;
  • 4,800 tonnes of plastic being recycled Saving
  • 12,000 tonnes of CO2 equivalent emissions; and Charting an alternate career pathway for ITE Graduates

The Solution: SG Eco Loop (Pilot)

Our community is the key to increasing our Plastics Recycling rate.

Beyond business or market-led innovations, our nation’s target can onlytruly be realised through novel bottom-up solutions, otherwise known asgrassroots innovations, from problem owners. But often, residents want tohelp but don’t understand the actual realities. This project provides themwith the skills, instincts, abilities, processes and resources to sustainablyincrease the recycling rate.
Driving sustainable behaviour change in our community by turning problem owners into problem solvers.
A pilot to engage up to 100 ITE Students and Graduates to develop up to 25 Proofs-of-Concept(PoCs) resulting in:
  • 0.5% plastics recycling rate annually;
  • 4,800 tonnes of plastic being recycled;
  • Saving 12,000 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent emissions; and
  • Charting an alternate career pathway for ITE Graduates.

Follow Their Innovation Journeys

From February to May, witness the innovative ideas and solutions as they tackle the plastic waste challenge head-on.
1

January

The program kicks off with an intensive one-week skills and capacity-building program, where students will learn from industry experts and develop their own Proof-of-Concept (PoC) projects to drive behavioral change and boost plastic recycling rates in their local communities.
2

February

The excitement builds as teams collaborate and refine their PoCs, turning their ideas into actionable projects.
3

March

The journey culminates in a showcase of the students' innovative PoCs, highlighting their potential to transform Singapore's recycling landscape. The top 5 teams will be selected to present their PoCs at the Sustainable Innovation Asia 2025 event in May. One winning team will receive funding and incubation support to bring their idea to market!
Jan
2025
Launch Communications to recruit participants in ITE College Central
Feb
2025
One-week Solution Development Programme for 25 PoCs
Mar
2025
Post-Event Marketing to Showcase PoCs and Inspire Action
May
2025
Top 5 PoCs Showcase at Sustainable Inovation Asia 2025 Event
Rest of
2025
Follow-up and progress Tracking Support for Participants
Financial support from MSE SG Eco Loop
Financial support from Oscar fund by temasek Foundation
Part II: Co-founding support from SDTA and corporate sponsors

Our team is the driving force behind our mission to create a more sustainable world.

John Smith
Anna Lonsen
David Jones
Jane Austen

Coming Soon in March 2025

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