Indonesia Successfully Develops Plastic Waste Utilization Technology

According to Indonesian local media reports, the Indonesian government, the Bandung Institute of Technology, the Indonesian Association of the Olefins, Plastics and Fragrance Industry (INAPLAS), the Indonesian Plastics Recycling Association (ADUPI), and Indonesia's plastic raw material polypropylene manufacturer PT Polytama Propindo Cooperated with Dow Packaging's subsidiary Dow Packaging and Specialty Plastics Co., Ltd., it successfully used 3.5 tons of plastic waste and asphalt at the end of 2017 to build a 1.8-kilometer-long road in Tepo, West Java, with a road area of ​​9781 square meters. Meter. This technology is provided by The Dow Chemical Company. According to reports, roads made of waste plastics are more durable and solid than ordinary roads. The pilot project lasted two months. Although Indonesia's road and bridge R&D center is testing the road, Indonesia’s Marine Coordination Department has identified the project as a national project.

In 2017, the R&D Department of the Ministry of Public Works and Housing of Indonesia successfully used a mixture of plastic waste and asphalt to lay a 700-meter-long road surface on the Udayana University campus in Bali. The required length of plastic waste was 1 km and 7 meters in length. 2.5 tons and 5 tons for heavy goods roads. In addition, the mixture of waste plastic and asphalt is more viscous than ordinary asphalt, with a 40% increase in stability and better durability. After the successful test at Udayana University, the plastic asphalt mixture technology will be further used in Jakarta, Bekasi and Surabaya. Plastic recycling associations in 16 cities in Indonesia will be responsible for supplying plastic waste.

Indonesia is the second largest producer of marine plastic waste. This technology of paving roads with plastic waste will be one of the solutions to deal with plastic waste, which will help reduce marine pollution and develop a recycling economy. Indonesia’s President Zoko promised to reduce by 70% marine plastic waste by 2025 at the G20 summit in Hamburg.