Sarawak Propose To Use Waste Material For Future Road Construction - Recycling Effort

According to Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas, Sarawak intends to be a pioneer in the use of waste materials such as plastic and slag in road construction projects. Uggah, who is also Sarawak's Minister of Infrastructure and Port Development, said that the state's Public Works Department (JKR) is undertaking a study to guarantee that the entire process of incorporating by-products into construction projects meets national requirements.

"Sarawak has shown great innovation in pursuing this endeavour, and I am highly optimistic that if it can be accomplished in Victoria, Australia, using plastic for road construction, then there's no reason why Sarawak can't do the same," he said following his participation in the Road Construction Seminar.

He went on to express his hope that the private sector will take the lead in this project, given that they will be the primary producers of waste materials that may be reused for road development in the long run.

Although Uggah could not provide a timeline, he stressed the significance of private sector participation. The seminar, titled 'Revolutionising Road and Airport Infrastructure: Exploring Cutting-Edge Technologies, Innovative & Recycled Materials, and Real-World Applications,' was organised by the Malaysian Institution of Engineers with the goal of discussing the use of recycled materials in road and airport construction.

Concerning the use of slag, a byproduct of ore smelting or refining, in future road construction projects, the deputy premier stated that the state government would consult with the Ministry of Natural Resources, Environment, and Climate Change because slag is not yet officially recognised as a construction material in Malaysia.

"We are still in the research phase and cannot use slag for road construction for the time being," he continued. Sarawak's ferroalloy businesses in the Samalaju Industrial Park in Bintulu produce roughly 100,000 tonnes of slag per year, which is classified as a waste product. Sarawak earlier announced plans to develop standards for the use of slag as a road construction material, with a pilot project in road construction at Samalaju.

Source: BERNAMA