For the first time Vietnam built roads from plastic waste

The test road section is 1km long, in Hai Phong. Plastic waste used in the project is mainly used plastic packaging.

The first project of construction of a road from plastic waste in Vietnam is 1km long, at the DEEP C Industrial Complex in Hai Phong, by Dow. The project aims to recycle used plastic plastic packaging into materials to build a more stable and sustainable road.

This 1km test road will transform nearly 4 tons of plastic packaging, expected to be completed in September 2019. After completion, the new road will be evaluated by Vietnam Maritime University before expanding the project on the whole industrial organization.

Changing our thinking will be more sustainable.(Cut from the presentation slide by Mr. Pham Hoang Hai - Vietnam Sustainable Business Council - VCCI).

"We have built more than 90km of roads from plastic waste in India, Indonesia, Thailand, and the United States, and this is the foundation for us to implement this project in Vietnam, " said Ekkasit. Lakkananithiphan - General Director of Dow Vietnam Company said.

According to Dow representatives, the roads made from recycled plastic are evidence that plastic waste is likely to become a valuable renewable resource, contributing to the development of a plastic recirculating economy.

The plastic waste used in this project is mainly used plastic packaging, such as polyethylene plastic film. After cleaning, drying and crushing, the plastic is mixed with bitumen at a temperature of about 150-180 degrees Celsius. At this temperature, the resin is completely melted, mixed with asphalt, helping to improve durability for road.

Roads made from recycled plastic are also capable of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by replacing a bit of bitumen needed in asphalt.

Vietnam is currently one of the top plastic waste countries, in which urban areas like Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City estimate that about 80 tons of plastic waste is discharged into the environment every day.

Regula Schegg, Executive Director of Circulate Capital Asia, said about 150 million tons of plastic are floating in the ocean and each year the amount of plastic waste increases by about 8 million tons. According to the Asian Development Bank (ADB), Asia needs about 26 trillion USD to improve the entire infrastructure from 2016 to 2030. However, we can reduce 45% of plastic through improvement. Good management and recycling of waste in China, Indonesia, Vietnam and Thailand.