Page 48 - Plastics News January 2017
P. 48
INTERNATIONAL NEWS 10
INDIA 2017
International Plastics Exhibition & Conference
Where the future of plastic is...
JAN 2017
19 20 21 22 23 MUMBAI. INDIA
Cumbria first UK county to trial new ‘plastic road’
Cumbria has become the first UK county to trial a new McCartney, Founder and Managing Director of MacRebur.
product used to create ‘plastic roads’ that are stonger "I'm delighted that Cumbria has been the first council in
and more durable. The bitumen substitute, known as MR6, the country to trial this fantastic new road surface. It will
can be used in standard asphalt mix and is made from provide a stronger and more sustainable solution for road
locally-sourced waste plastic by local firm, MacRebur. The surfacing and filling potholes,” said Councillor Keith Little,
firm recently secured a £ 1m investment from Richard Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport. Subject to
Branson following its win in the ‘start-up’ category of the successful trials, which will be monitored during the next
six months, a plan to roll out the process to other roads
2016 Virgin Media in the county will be developed and implemented in the
Business Voom New Year.
competition. The
product provides Paris bans non-bio plastic
an opportunity to bags in supermarkets
reduce both the
carbon footprint of The city of Paris has banned traditional plastic retail
road construction bags from its supermarkets in favor of compostable
and the life costs
of roads. This is and bio-based bags. In a statement, the Paris mayor’s
achieved by significantly reducing the amount of bitumen office said the decision was a move to reinforce the
needed in the asphalt mix, and also in the reduction provision of “energy transition law” on packaging
of ongoing maintenance work due to the enhanced and the city’s bid to become a leader in the “fight
performance of the road. Cumbria County Council against climate change and the campaign for a circular
trialled the new product at a junction on to the A6 economy.” The move will only allow compostable
near Calthwaite, in early December. The work included biosourced bags as well as paper and cotton bags for
resurfacing a section of the road where the current primary packaging. As part of the campaign, Italian
standard asphalt has failed to be resilient to the number bio-based plastic packaging company, Novamont
of heavy goods vehicles travelling to and from the nearby SpA will offer more than 3 million bio-sourced and
Sand Quarry and water bottling plant. compostable bags to markets. Public awareness
workshops on the end of disposable plastic bags will
The trial is expected to demonstrate the durability of also be held to educate the public on different types
MacRebur's product in a demanding location. The new of existing degradable and biodegradable bags. The
product has already been laid on private roads but this move follows another already-in-place measure by
is the first time it has been used on a public highway. Paris supermarkets to collect unsold food products and
Cumbria is not the only area to take a keen interest in vegetable scraps as part of the city’s environmental
MacRebur's products - McCartney has received requests campaign.
from all over the world. The product will also be used in
road surface repairs following Virgin Media underground
cable works throughout the UK."Cumbria County Council
is trialling our innovative MR6 waste plastic pellets in
their road to make this junction with the A6 stronger and
longer lasting and reduce the risk of pot holes. We have
selected plastic waste from Cumbria to use in the A6
road. Cumbria is leading the way in innovation into their
road networks and at the same time reducing the plastic
waste that is dumped into landfill sites,” commented Toby
• January 2017 • Plastics News 48
