UMCares Impact Stories

Go Green Denstistry

In a world where plastic waste threatens our environment, Go Green Dentistry emerges as a beacon of change. Our project addresses the significant issue of plastic waste in dentistry, particularly in the disposal of sterilization pouches which makes up 12% of our total dental waste. By forging a public-private partnership involving dental clinics, a private practice, and the Faculty of Dentistry at Universiti Malaya, we've implemented a system to segregate and recycle paper and plastic waste generated by these pouches. Plastics are repurposed into keychains, while paper and other plastics are sold to buy-back centers, generating income and reducing landfill waste.