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Venezuelan students turn plastic waste into classroom desks

In the northwestern part of Venezuela, a local foundation has turned piles of broken furniture and discarded plastic into desks.

El Zulia Recicla in the capital of Zulia, Maracaibo has so far refurbished 160 desks using plastic waste collected from students.

The foundation does not build new furniture but instead repairs metal frames that are damaged and replaces the missing parts with molded panels manufactured in its workshop.

The research director of the foundation, Nicolino Bácho, said: "We show that desks with damaged wood and falling apart can be restored."

Already, 20 desks were delivered to Ramon Reinoso Nunez school, where previously students sat on the ground or used backpacks for chairs.

Maritza Jaimis, the school's director, said: "We have a lot of desk issues. Theft and wear take their toll over time."

She said, "We had hoped that they would take more but are grateful for the 20 restored ones."

The foundation, which is partly funded by France's embassy, has a goal to provide 200 desks in 10 schools located in areas that are vulnerable. This initiative is part of a larger effort to raise awareness about the environment and reduce plastic pollution in the region. Mariela Nava, Efraino Otero and Mariela Nava report.

(source: Reuters)