Solutions to win: Vinnytsia students rally to collect over 2.5 tons of plastic in aid of Ukrainian army

As part of the All-Ukrainian action "Voroham – kryshka" [a wordplay in Ukrainian that simultaneously denotes that enemies will have a bottle cap, and enemies will meet their death – ed.]. in Vinnytsia, schoolchildren collected more than 2.5 tons of plastic.

The Vinnytsia City Council reported this.

What is the problem?

Plastic recycling is the process of collecting plastic waste and turning it into valuable products.

Since plastic does not biodegrade, approximately eight million tons of plastic waste accumulates in the Earth's oceans yearly.

Plastic waste settles in landfills and lies in the ground for hundreds of years, pollutes the soil and water, and causes the death of animals.

Therefore, general efforts to reduce its share in waste are significant.

What is the solution?

It has been observed that in a month, 99 schools, kindergartens, after-school programs, and vocational training centers in Vinnytsia gathered plastic bottle caps to be sent for recycling to the "OVES" fund, which spearheaded the campaign.

How does it work?

Proceeds from recycled caps should be transferred to support the Ukrainian defenders.

"As soon as we heard about such an action, we immediately decided to support it. Together, with joint efforts, our kindergarten collected more than 33 kilograms of bottle caps," the head of preschool education institution No. 59 Aliona Karpina said.

The schoolchildren liked the action because it was an opportunity to help the military, who defend Ukrainians on the front daily, explained the sixth-grader Victoria.

"Such things must be done because Ukrainian soldiers stand in defense of our country, and thanks to them, we can study and enjoy life," says sixth-grader Victoria.

According to calculations, the majority of caps were collected by:

• Lyceum No. 27 – 240 kg;
• Lyceum No. 29 – 220 kg;
• Lyceum No. 12 – 143 kg.

For reference:

As a reminder, as of January 1, 2030, as part of the waste management reform, all landfills in Ukraine must either close or meet European environmental safety standards.