San Miguel Corporation (SMC) initiated in building the first recycled plastic road in the Philippines.
SMC moves forward in exhibiting sustainability through addressing the ongoing concerns regarding environmental issues, specifically, the severe usage of plastics.
“What we want to achieve is to help address an important environmental issue, and that is plastic wastes. We want to create a sustainable use for waste plastics so that they don’t end up in landfills and our rivers and oceans,” Ramon S. Ang, president of SMC.
With the use of the recycled plastics in construction, roads will last longer and more durable than the conventional asphalt.
On a 500-square meter test site, the said company conducted a pilot testing in producing an asphalt using plastic.
According to the report of Business Mirror, the test was held at the new logistics center in General Trias, Cavite which will be used primarily as a marshalling area for trucks with heavy loads, including 18-wheelers, and heavy equipment.
SMC used 900 kilos of plastic waste, equivalent to some 180,000 sachets and plastic bags in testing the asphalt.
“Recycled plastic waste acts as a binder together with bitumen, in the production of asphalt,” Dow Chemical, the materials science company and the technology partner of SMC, explained.
“Independent lab testing done on San Miguel’s recycled plastics road asphalt shows that it exceeds the standards of the Department of Public Works and Highways,” report stated.
SMC is also plans to use recycled plastics in building major infrastructures.
Apart from building the first recycled plastic road, SMC announced last week that the company will use biodegradable plastics for their products.
The Philippine Bioresins Corporation produces the bioplastics that the company will be using.