Portable water device designed to help world’s poorest wins PVC Redesigned 2019 competition

The winner of the VinylPlus, IOM3, ad MaDE 2019 PVC Redesigned competition has been announced as Karen Silva of London South Bank University for her Yuna portable water filtration and storage device.

The competition was part of the BPF’s VInylPlus UK project Designed in a Circular Economy with PVC.

As recycling is well established within the PVC sector, the aim was to engage designers to showcase innovative concepts for the sustainable reuse of PVC, which involved various applications of the material, both rigid and flexible, and industrial and consumer.

The winning entries focused on real world challenges from access to clean drinking water, efficient storage, and resuse of rain water, to menstrual hygiene in developing nations.

Associate Professor Robin Jones, of London South Bank University, said: “The designs showed both creative flair and an attention to detail, and in tackling real-word issues demonstrated a great depth of thought into the product’s lifecycle and practical use.”

Matt Davies, Senior Industrial Issues Executive at the British Plastics Federation, said: “Recycling is a strong part of the PVC industry, with nearly 74,000 tonnes of the material recycled in 2018 in Europe.”

“These novel reuse applications offer an exciting new avenue for the material, complimenting recycling efforts whist addressing key sustainable development goals.”