• The teaching and experimentation material was primarily developed for use in conjunction with the „Müllkoffer”.
• The worksheets of modules 1-5 as well as the corresponding solutions and the additional material can be used independently of the experiment utensils in the „Müllkoffer”.
• Almost all of the materials and utensils required to carry out the experiments (exceptions are marked in the instructions) are supplied in the „Müllkoffer”. Some of the utensils can be replaced by household items; many of the consumables can be purchased online and from retailers.
• The film "KUNSTSTOFF" by Wolf-Dietrich Hufenbach suggested in the supplementary material (Idea 1, p. 22f.) is only available via the USB stick in the „Müllkoffer”. It can be purchased on request from the UNESCO World Heritage Wadden Sea Visitor Centre in Wilhelmshaven.
• The video clip on the work of the project "Macroplastics in the southern North Sea" listed in the additional material (p. 33) can also be found online:
  www.youtube.com/watch?v=NN1vp2mmTvo&list=PL3XkRPf4BQ7iiQbFroxfPMdjC6O3FppA_&index=14
• Plastic samples:
  • A ready-made collection of samples of various plastics can be ordered online, e.g. via PlasticsEurope¹ (https://www.plasticseurope.org/de/resources/kunststoff-schule/probensammlung) or Phywe¹ (https://www.phywe.de/geraete-zubehoer/chemikalien-und-reagenzpapiere/chemikalien-sets-klassensaetze/sammlung-7-unterschiedlicher-kunststoffproben-je-sorte-10-staebchen_29491_31504/). However, various plastics can also be purchased as plastic welding rods from specialised craft stores.
  • Microplastics, i.e. plastic powder, are difficult to obtain in small quantities from plastic producers. An alternative address is the pyrotechnic supplies trade. Only a few cosmetics still contain solid microplastic particles, which remain as a visible residue when washed out. The liquid plastics they often contain cannot be washed out of the product. We advise against producing your own microplastics by shredding plastic items in household appliances, as this can be dangerous and damaging to materials!
  • The plastic samples supplied in the „Müllkoffer” were tested for their floating properties in fresh water and concentrated saline solution before use. In order to achieve the desired observations for the respective experiment, plastic samples purchased independently should also be tested beforehand. Please note that different samples of the same plastic may have different properties due to the additives they contain!

¹ There is no connection to the named suppliers.