President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. of the Philippines opened a new chapter in plastic waste reduction by announcing an expanded partnership with global scientists to use nuclear technology to curb plastic pollution.
The announcement at the International Atomic Energy Agency's High-Level Forum on Nuclear Technology for Controlling Plastic Pollution is causing a chain reaction of good in the Philippines, which, according to Earth.org, was responsible for 36.38% of global oceanic plastic waste in 2019.
According to the Manila Times, the president highlighted the country's work with the IAEA's Nutec Plastics initiative, which uses radiation processing to strengthen discarded plastics for repurposing.
Using this method, plastics are exposed to controlled electron-beam radiation that triggers a chemical reaction that binds polymer chains together. After irradiation, the revamped plastics move through extrusion, where they are melted and reshaped into boards, tiles, or panels.
This project, Post-Radiation Reactive Extrusion of Plastic Wastes Project (dubbed "PREx"), turns a waste item that once clogged drains or littered beaches into a construction material that can lower building costs and reduce household reliance on new plastic.
"I'm very excited by this new technology," Marcos said. "It is providing a solution, a very important solution to a very difficult problem that we face, not only here in the Philippines, but in the rest of the world."
The PREx prototype comes in the form of a house "built with radiation-processed plastic tiles, panels, and bricks," the Philippine Information Agency reported.
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The president reinforced the Philippines' commitment to building strong networks with regulators, scientists, investors, and communities, and emphasized the passage of Republic Act 12305, the Philippines' first comprehensive law that ensures the safe and peaceful use of nuclear technology.
A previous article about the project by the International Atomic Energy Agency, titled "Reduce, Reuse, Irradiate," exemplifies the role of nuclear technology in the battle against plastic pollution. It is an important safety net, but it is one that should complement, not replace, efforts to cut plastic use at the source.
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