Date: 6 Nov 2020
The concept of circular economy, which recognizes the importance of using resources to the best advantage and only as needed, from production to usage and recycling (Make - Use - Return), and open innovation, which refers to collaboration in research and innovation development with all sectors, both locally and internationally, to foster a network and create better innovations at a faster pace. are two strategic key factors that have driven SCG to the forefront of the industry in Thailand.
An example of our successful projects is the Innovative Recycled Plastic Road, which demonstrates a concrete result of applying the aforementioned principles and reflects the determination of the organization to benefit not only the business but also the environment and society.
A Solution to Every Challenge
According to data from theUnited Nations Environment Program, throughout the world, as many as 50 billion plastic bags are used each year, half of which are single-use plastics. In Thailand, according to a 2017 report of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, 27 million tons of waste is generated annually, with 2 million tons being plastic waste and with about 45 billion plastic bags being used each year.
Keeping plastics in use for as long as possible in a sustainable way throughout the cycle of production, usage, and recycling according to the concept of circular economy is an important mission for SCG and its partners. And thus, the Innovative Recycled Plastic Road Project, in which used plastics are mixed with asphalt to construct roads, was born.
Joining Forces to Solve Problems
The idea for the innovative recycled plastic road was conceived by the Dow Chemical Company, which had been working on recycled plastic asphalt roads in India and Indonesia prior to Thailand. Subsequently, the Chemicals Busines, SCG, and Dow Thailand Group joined hands to build similar recycled plastic roads in Thailand.
Researchers at the Chemicals Business experimented to find the right proportions for the raw materials, which will affect the mixture’s strength, durability, water permeability, and lifetime. More importantly, the mixture had to be designed to suit Thailand’s terrain, which differs from that of Indonesia and affects the temperature on and under the road surface.
A study on the innovative recycled plastic road conducted by the Department of Civil Engineering, the Faculty of Engineering, Chulalongkorn University, tested and compared recycled plastic roads with regular asphalt roads, and found that the surface of the recycled plastic road featuring plastic waste as a component was 15-30% stronger than regular asphalt roads and that the traction increased by approximately 6%, making this innovation effective not only in helping to reduce plastic waste in the country, but also in improving the quality of asphalt roads.
Plastic types that are suitable for the innovative recycled plastic road include plastic bags with handles, heat-resistant bags, straws, PP, PE and PET coffee cups, and various non-metal coated packaging, such as dishwasher detergent pouches. These plastics melt at temperatures of about 160 °C or lower, which are the levels for asphalt production for road construction.
Striving towards Sustainable Development Goals
The Innovative Recycled Plastic Road Project align with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals or SDGs in three important dimensions, namely the environment, society and economy, as follows:
More environmentally friendly: The innovation reduces the amount of waste plastic through repurposing, decreases road wear, and helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions from asphalt production for road construction.
More sustainable than raising awareness: Making the benefits of waste plastic visible to the public can encourage people to take up plastic waste separating and recycling as a profession and ultimately lead to the development of residential settlements
Stronger roads: This innovation not only creates added value to plastic waste but also reduces water seepage and enhances resistance to water erosion, thus prolonging the life of roads and reducing road repairs.
Keep Expanding the Network
The innovative recycled plastic road in RIL Industrial Estate in Rayong is a prototype created by a technological cooperation between SCG and Dow Chemical. The inaugural road spans 220 meters and measures 3 meters in width and 6 centimeters in thickness.
The project was then expanded through cooperation with various companies. Among these is SC Asset Corporation Public Company Limited, which sought to pilot the innovation and be the first company in Thailand’s real estate industry to repurpose used plastics according to the circular economy model. Another example is Amata Corporation Public Company Limited, which constructed Thailand’s first functional recycled plastic road in an industrial estate, thus contributing to the realization of a Smart City by creating a smart environment, in line with the government policy aiming to support the development of a Smart City, especially in the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC). The last example is CP All Public Company Limited, which constructed recycled plastic roads in their project “7 Go Green Recycled Plastic Road.”
On October 8th, 2020, SCG signed a memorandum of understanding with the Department of Highways, the Department of Rural Roads, Dow Thailand Group, and Chiang Mai University, to jointly study and develop plastic waste for use as a raw material in asphalt concrete for road construction to create new standards for the country's road making while also promoting proper waste management and resource efficiency, in line with the concept of circular economy and the government's BCG Economy (Bio - Circular - Green Economy) policy.
SCG and its partners have constructed a 7.7 km prototype asphalt concrete road that used a total of 23 tons or about 23,000 kilograms of plastic waste. Watch a video about the innovative recycled plastic road at: https://bit.ly/360yP05