In the 12th grade at IGS (Integrative comprehensive school) Bothfeld the students have to write a paper on a research question of their own choice as part of their seminar subject. The topic on which the 40 or so visitors to the IKK have to write their paper is “Sustainability” or “Plastics in the environment, everyday life and industry”.
A very broad subject area! It was really helpful that the teachers were supportive and enabled the pupils to accept an invitation to a workshop at the IKK.
As part of the ReKon project, a workshop was offered that used practical examples to look at recycling concepts for a wide variety of plastic fractions from the mobility, energy, electronic and electrical appliances and health/pharmaceutical sectors. Together with the participants, relevant questions for the technical papers were discussed and an overview of the various fields of research at the IKK was given.
Above all, the insight into the test halls and practical experiments as well as the opportunity to carry out parts of a life cycle assessment themselves were considered extremely exciting and helpful by the students.
The students' supervisors were also impressed by the exchange of information: “It was a really great opportunity for the students to gain an insight into research at the university and to gather ideas for their dissertations.”
The challenges that plastics currently present us with always lead to very emotional presentations. A research institute like the IKK, on the other hand, remains factual and technical in all its observations. This helps the students when evaluating the topic and writing their specialist papers.
