650 children learn about recycling at BASF Kids’ Lab

• New “recycling” experiments to celebrate BASF 25th anniversary in Vietnam
• Sparks interest in chemistry and natural sciences among next generation of Vietnam’s researchers
• New experiments in Vietnamese available online at BASF Virtual Kids’ Lab 

Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam – November 8, 2019 – In celebration of its 25th anniversary in Vietnam, BASF will bring fun experiments to approximately 650 children with its interactive science program, BASF Kids’ Lab. The event is taking place from November 8 to 9 at Ho Xuan Huong Stadium in Ho Chi Minh City. Co-organized with the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training for the ninth consecutive year, the program will introduce two new experiments to help children learn how recycling can contribute to effective waste management and the responsible use of natural resources.

Participants include primary students from Nguyễn An Ninh and Nguyễn Thị Nuôi Primary Schools from Hóc Môn District, Tân Thông and Tân Phú Trung Primary Schools from Củ Chi District as well as Quang Trung and Phạm Văn Chiêu Primary Schools from District 12. The program is also offered to children of BASF employees and customers, as well as 40 children from Ánh Linh Charity House, District 7 under the guidance of BASF volunteers and university students.

BASF Kids’ Lab is a global program that aims to develop children’s interests in natural sciences from their early age. BASF has implemented this program in Vietnam since 2011 in partnership with the Department of Education and Training.

“This year, BASF is celebrating its 25th anniversary in Vietnam with a range of initiatives that have a positive impact on the future of Vietnam’s next generation, and Kids’ Lab is at the core of these activities. The new experiments will help children understand the essential role that recycling plays in minimizing waste and using our limited natural resources in a responsible manner,” said Erick Contreras, Managing Director, BASF Vietnam.

In addition, they will take part in various games and quiz to increase their understanding of the 3Rs (reduce, reuse, recycle) of waste management.

Poly Lab experiment

Children will work together to learn about plastic classification and why it is one of the major steps in the recycling process. They will experience different ways of sorting plastics, including identifying the resin code and discovering the plastic's density using a saline solution. As part of the three-step experiment, children also learn more about major resources which are used to produce plastics, including petroleum and other renewable materials, such as corn starch liquid.

Recycling paper experiment

In this hands-on experiment, children will learn how waste paper can be recycled into a new, colored paper. They understand how recycling paper can help save forests and reduce adverse effects on the environment.

Launching three more Virtual Lab experiments

BASF will offer three online experiments in Vietnamese in its Virtual Kids’ Lab (http://thinghiemvui.basf.com), an online platform that allows children to take part in a variety of interactive chemistry experiments. It enables young people to experience the joy of chemistry anytime and anywhere.

Through the “Looking for the sender” experiment, children can learn more about chromatography, a laboratory technique for the identification and separation of a mixture. The “Chemistry Lab Bakery” experiment explains the chemical processes involved in baking a cake. Last but not least, the “Bubbling Refreshment” explains how carbon dioxide makes beverages bubbly and fizzy.

Apart from Kids’ Lab, BASF Vietnam celebrates its 25th anniversary with a community program involving customers, partners and employees. The company donated four public playgrounds to promote a sense of exploration and develop a variety of skills among more than 12,000 children. BASF also launched two new classrooms with a total area of over 170 square meters which benefit 70 children in Dong Nai province.

Note to Editor:

A dedicated Facebook page has been set up for participants and interested parties to share photos and comments: BASF Kids’ Lab Asia Pacific Facebook.

About BASF Kids’ Lab

Education is the key to the future of our children, and it plays an important role in the development of society. With our Social Engagement Strategy, we want to open up learning opportunities and to encourage children's sense of discovery and teach good science methods and skills. This helps us to meet the challenges of tomorrow and to create a sustainable future.

The BASF Kids’ Lab program is an interactive, fun and free chemistry education program designed for kids aged 6 to 12 years to discover the world of chemistry through simple and safe hands-on experiments. The program has been brought to more than 30 countries across the globe, including the United Kingdom, the United States, Australia, Singapore, India and Japan. It was established in 1997 in Ludwigshafen, Germany. The program has been introduced to Vietnam since 2011, benefitting about 4,800 children.

About BASF Vietnam

BASF has been active in Vietnam since the establishment of its representative office in 1994 and is celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2019. BASF Vietnam Limited was set up in 2009. The company operates two production sites for construction chemicals, located at Vietnam-Singapore Industrial Park, Bình Dương province, and Vân Trung Industrial Park, Bắc Giang province. BASF Vietnam also maintains three sales offices in Hồ Chí Minh City, Hà Nội and Đà Nẵng. The company offers solutions to Vietnam’s key industries, including agriculture, construction, automotive, footwear, paint & coatings and electric & electronics. BASF sales to customers in Vietnam were approximately €331 million in 2018. BASF employed 193 people in Vietnam as of the end of 2018. Further information is available on the Internet at www.basf.com/vn.

About BASF

At BASF, we create chemistry for a sustainable future. We combine economic success with environmental protection and social responsibility. The approximately 122,000 employees in the BASF Group work on contributing to the success of our customers in nearly all sectors and almost every country in the world. Our portfolio is organized into six segments: Chemicals, Materials, Industrial Solutions, Surface Technologies, Nutrition & Care and Agricultural Solutions. BASF generated sales of around €63 billion in 2018. BASF shares are traded on the stock exchange in Frankfurt (BAS) and as American Depositary Receipts (BASFY) in the U.S. Further information at www.basf.com.