Stuck on ideas for a decentralised app? Check out this concept that uses Centrality’s protocols to UNfuck the world, starting with our planet

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A good application starts with a good idea. So, our recent Developer Learning Weekend was as much about encouraging ideas for decentralised applications as it was on getting hands on experience with blockchain programming.

One idea that caught our attention was a soft-plastics tracing scheme using decentralised technology. A concept at this stage, the DApp sets out to reduce environmental waste by tracking the lifecycle of soft plastics. Soft plastics exchanges many hands during its lifecycle so the DApp sets to incentivise recycling and penalise disposal to every party along the way.

The developers behind the idea received an award for The Most Creative Use of Centrality Protocols. Software Engineer Charles Salmon deployed the smart contract with his teammates Mark Crook-Rumsey and Tizian Gottschlich.

This concept not only addresses one of the most pressing global issues, it also fits with Centrality’s ethos to “UNfuck the world.” Soft plastics is quickly accumulating around the globe, after the Chinese government introduced last year a ban on imported ‘foreign garbage’ that it would previously sort and recycle. Without plastics being directed to China, soft plastics are accumulating in landfills and incinerators in many markets around the world.

Here is the breakdown of the concept:

How it works

Blockchain technology is used to tag soft plastics entering the market.

Participants

Manufacturers

Suppliers

Retailers

Recycling stations

Basic Flow

A smart contract is deployed. When a manufacturer manufactures a batch of soft plastic, they invoke a method on the smart contract to record the batch number, size of the batch and the timestamp of creation. When a supplier receives a batch of soft plastic, they invoke a method on the smart contract to record the batch number and the timestamp of receipt. When a retailer receives a batch of soft plastic, they invoke a method on the smart contract to record the batch number and the timestamp of receipt. When a retailer sells a unit belonging to a batch of soft plastic, they invoke a method on the smart contract to record the batch number and the timestamp of sale. The sale price could incorporate a fee which would be refunded upon recycling the unit at a participating recycling station. When a recycling station receives a unit belonging to a batch of soft plastic, they invoke a method on the smart contract to record the batch number and timestamp of receipt. If a fee was incorporated into the sale price, this could be refunded at this point.

Which Centrality protocols will be used and how

This could be a smart contract deployed in the CENNZnet network.

Have an idea that could change the world? We want you to build it using our tools and resources. Check out the Centrality Developer Portal then tell us about your experience.