Dustbin, toothbrush and waste app win at Sri Lanka youth innovator awards
COLOMBO – A ‘smart dustbin’ for waste segregation, a biodegradable natural toothbrush and a waste management mobile application were voted top winners from a slew of noteworthy innovations by young Sri Lankan inventors at the recently concluded SustainAble Climate Action Challenge.
The Challenge allowed creative young Sri Lankans to innovate solutions to waste problems and present them to potential investors.
EcoSort, from the University of Sri Jayewardenepura, won the competition with their ‘smart dustbin’ for waste segregation, while MiswaLanka from the Wayamba University and CollectorLK from the University of Peradeniya, secured 1st and 2nd Runner-up slots for their biodegradable natural toothbrush and waste management mobile application, respectively.
Other notable entries included a Styrofoam alternative for product packaging (by team CompoCell), eco-friendly floor mats made from discarded shoes (by team SoloCycle), and sustainable clothes hangers made from cashew shells (by team Eco Harvest).
Selected participants received mentoring, and gained technical expertise and soft skills to transform their innovations from concepts or basic prototypes into marketable products and services.
The competition brought together undergraduate students from institutions across Sri Lanka and was organized by the European Union, Dilmah Tea and the Dilmah Genesis Centre.
Dr Johann Hesse, Head of Cooperation at the EU Delegation to Sri Lanka and the Maldives commended the participants for taking action against environmental problems.
“The ‘SustainAble’ Challenge emphasized the obligation to harness young talent for positive change,” Dilhan C Fernando, Chairman of Dilmah Tea said.
The competition was part of the European Union’s ‘Let’s Go Green’ campaign which aimed to raise awareness and advocate for responsible green behaviour, focusing on plastic usage, waste reduction, and energy conservation among Sri Lanka’s youth, consumers, and businesses.
-ENCL/economynext.com
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