Remember the ‘plastic roads’ in Manila City that we reported several years ago? There’s been an important development regarding this—we’re now expecting to see more of these plastic roads around the country soon.
The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has approved and set the standards for the use of low-density polyethylene polymer (LDPE) plastic bag waste in hot mix asphalt (HMA). This means the technology used to build the aforementioned plastic roads can now also be used to build pavements at the provincial, municipal, and local levels. This was confirmed by DPWH-BRS OIC-Engineer IV Neilsen Campit, the mastermind himself behind this initiative.
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We don’t want to get too technical here, but if you do want to take a deep dive, the specifications are indicated in DPWH Department Order No. 139 Series of 2024. To be able to use the plastic bag wastes in HMA, a specific process is followed. After the waste is collected, they’re shredded, heated, and coated before they’re prepped for actual use. You can view the infographic below for a better look:
Mixing process of LDPE plastic bag waste in hot mix asphalt
This project was also Campit’s Re-Entry Action Plan under the Australia Awards. It may have taken a while before he got approval for its widespread use in the Philippines, but it’s finally here. Surely, sooner rather than later, more of these plastic-mixed roads will start popping up around the country.
