Tag Archives: Swansea University

A MOUNTSHANNON man’s innovative start-up company is funding ground-breaking research on marine microplastics, with a view to proving how prevalent the issue is. Dr Alvin Orbaek White, who works at Swansea University, has pioneered a technology that changes waste plastic into valuable compounds for the energy industries, reducing plastics pollution in the process. The research will be instrumental in addressing the global transition to more efficient, cleaner energy resources and providing a new life for waste plastics, keeping them out of land and sea. Dr Orbaek White’s company TrimTabs is supporting research currently underway in Barcelona where artist and boat builder Mark Reddan is working with marine scientists to look at how plastics are entering the food chain. “Part of what we want to do is to get our technology out of the lab and addressing the issue of microplastics which are in everything from our tea to our washing machines,” Dr Orbaek White said. “There’s an annual currach festival …

A MOUNTSHANNON man’s cutting-edge research into positive uses for waste plastics, has secured more than a quarter of a million euro in backing from the Welsh government. Dr Alvin Orbaek White, who works at Swansea University, has pioneered a technology that changes waste plastic into valuable compounds for the energy industries, reducing plastics pollution in the process. The research will be instrumental in addressing the global transition to more efficient, cleaner energy resources and providing a new life for waste plastics, keeping them out of land and sea. A past pupil of Waldorf Steiner School in Raheen and later, Scariff Community College, he credits his inspirational work with the passion instilled in him by a number of his former teachers. “I had some great teachers. At Scariff Community College, TJ O’Halloran was really passionate about Science, and Pat Sweeney instilled a love of Maths.” His college years were spent at NUI Galway where he undertook his Bachelor’s degree, before obtaining …