Danial Norjidi

The Ministry of Development through the Department of Environment, Parks and Recreation (JASTRe) is organising a Floating Waste Collector Conceptual Design Competition. Entries can be submitted till November 15.

A press release states, “To address the issue of waste along the Brunei River, the department has initiated the Brunei River Cleanup Project, which comprises daily house-to-house waste collection for Kampong Ayer residents, collection of floating waste along the Brunei River as well as collection of waste underneath the houses in Kampong Ayer.”

“However, the involvement of all levels of society is imperative in tackling the issue of waste in a holistic manner as a whole-of-nation approach.”

The competition is targetting students in post-secondary, technical and higher institutions to harness their potential skills and expertise to develop the technology and mechanisms to effectively manage the waste in the Brunei River that are practical and cost-effective in the short, medium and long term.

The competition is divided into two categories: Category A – Skimmer Boats; and Category B – Floating Trapping Mechanism.

Students will compete in teams to stand a chance to win cash prizes in each category and the opportunity for their conceptual designs to be further developed into prototypes and mechanism/technology for the Brunei River Clean-up Project.

Entry forms and further details on the competition can be downloaded from the department’s website www.env.gov.bn.