vneconomictimes – 18:39, 01/10/2019 – by Nghi Do
Stretch of road laid at DEEP C Industrial Zone in Hai Phong.
Ambassador of Belgium to Vietnam, H.E. Paul Jansen, attended the inauguration of the first asphalt road using recycled plastics on October 1 in the northern city of Hai Phong, together with representatives from the Hai Phong People’s Committee and related departments.
Dow and DEEP C Industrial Zones completed the 200-meter section of road enhanced with recycled plastics at the DEEP C Industrial Zone in the city. The project is a collaborative effort between Dow and DEEP C to provide innovative solutions to address plastics waste and advance a circular economy in Vietnam.
“The road project is an excellent example of how businesses are accompanying the government on the sustainable development journey in general and responding to the recent call by the Prime Minister to fight plastics waste in particular,” said Mr. Nguyen Quang Vinh, VCCI General Secretary and VBCSD Vice Chairman. “This model should certainly be replicated in more and more areas.”
The next phase of the project will be completed by November, bringing the total road length to 1.4 km. It will divert a total of 6.5 metric tons of flexible packaging from becoming litter or entering landfills – the equivalent of more than 1.7 million flexible wrappers.
“Dow is working to find new uses for post-consumer plastics to advance a circular economy, retain the value of plastics, and keep waste out of the environment,” said Mr. Ekkasit Lakkananithiphan, General Director of Dow in Vietnam. “The project value chain is an impressive display of cross-sector collaboration. It brings together local governments, infrastructure investors, asphalt suppliers, waste collectors, and the material science industry to help tackle the plastic waste issue in Vietnam.”
“The launch of our first recycled plastic road marks a significant milestone in DEEP C’s journey to become the pilot eco-industrial park in Vietnam,” said Mr. Bruno Jaspaert, General Director of DEEP C Industrial Zones. “These durable, safe new roads not only benefit DEEP C and our tenants but also serve as a powerful message as Vietnam places plastic waste management as a top environmental priority.”
The post-consumer recycled plastic, mostly flexible packaging such as polyethylene film, is sourced from local waste collector URENCO Haiphong. The waste is cleaned, dried, and shredded before being mixed with asphalt at a temperature between 150 and 180C. At this temperature, the plastic is completely melted and bonds to the asphalt, helping to create longer lasting, more durable roads.
Before the pavement was laid, two laboratory tests were conducted by the Vietnam Maritime University, with the outcomes satisfying Vietnamese technical and safety requirements. Upon the successful execution of the project, more asphalt roads using recycled plastics will stretch all over DEEP C Industrial Zones.
CVD 