On 5th December, the first-grade pupils from the Tone Čufar’s Elementary School (Slovenia) participated in the Skrivnosti Plastike (Secrets of Plastics) workshop, organized by the Slovenian National Institute of Chemistry (NIC) ( and Tamara Bizjak), as part of their activities in the SSbD4CheM project. The event aimed to raise awareness about plastic pollution and sustainable solutions.
The workshop began with a interactive presentation on plastic waste, its unexpected presence in daily life, such as in cosmetics, and the environmental challenges of plastic. The children learned about different types of plastics by observation of the recycling symbols on items. Additionally, they used Matoha’s NIR spectrometer to identify plastic fragments, turning science into a hands-on adventure!
Each child transformed a plastic bottle into a snow globe, showcasing how waste can become something useful and beautiful, emphasising the importance of creativity (for reusing materials) and sustainability (instead of discarding them).
In the workshop we engaged with 40 children and four teaching staff. The smiles and enthusiasm of the young participants highlighted the event’s success!
Inspiring the next generation to care for the environment is always a great pleasure!
