Regional Students Develop Creative Solutions for Plastic Waste
High schoolers participated in the annual EcoThink program to brainstorm environmental mitigation strategies and explore STEM careers.
Students from six regional high schools gathered for the Paducah Site’s annual EcoThink program to address global environmental challenges through collaborative brainstorming.
Sponsored by deactivation and remediation contractor Four Rivers Nuclear Partnership, the initiative engages students in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields.
This year’s session focused on the management and mitigation of plastic waste, featuring insights from Jeff Seay, a chemical engineering professor at the University of Kentucky College of Engineering – Paducah Campus.
Seay discussed the technical hurdles of plastic pollution and demonstrated a small-scale, low-cost reactor designed to convert plastic waste into fuel oil. Following the presentation, students developed and pitched their own waste-reduction and management concepts to Seay.
The program also serves as a workforce development tool, introducing participants to future career opportunities at the Paducah Site. By connecting classroom concepts to real-world remediation and engineering projects, the event aims to foster the next generation of environmental professionals.
About the Author
Jesse Jacobs is Assistant Editor of EPOnline.com.
