Where Did It All Go?

This concept was developed for an idea competition to raise awareness about plastic pollution. Every minute, 1 million plastic bottles are sold worldwide, and 1,500 are discarded. While most people assume that disposing of plastic in garbage bins ensures recycling, in reality 91% of plastic bottles are not recycled, and only 2% are successfully turned into new bottles. The rest often end up in the ocean—an issue that remains invisible to the public eye.

The proposed design is a smart garbage can with a built-in plastic sorting device. It separates plastic from other recyclable waste in real time and transfers it to a transparent demonstration cylinder filled with water. As the plastic accumulates, the cylinder creates a vivid and interactive portrayal of how ocean plastic builds up over time. The strength of this concept lies in its interactive nature and its ability to translate an abstract global crisis into an intimate, visible experience. Scalable and adaptable, the design can replace regular trash cans in any location, transforming everyday waste disposal into a moment of environmental awareness.

Team : Afra Anan Saba, Sadrila Abbasi, Fahmidur Rahman

Project Type: Idea Competition - 120 Hours