Using its recycled plastic Shell Pakistan builds road

F.P. Report

KARACHI: Shell Pakistan introduces a plastic infused road in Karachi by recycling discarded Shell lubricant bottles. The organization collaborated with start-up BRR Enterprises and local authority District Municipal Corporation South to construct the road, which helps reduce plastic waste materials and promote environment friendly practices.

Over 2.5 tons of discarded Shell lubricant bottles were recycled for the construction of a 730 feet long and 60 feet wide road on which Shell House is located in Karachi.

The discarded Shell lubricant’s plastic bottles were incorporated in the construction of the asphalt road using the dry process method, reducing plastic waste. Plastics pose threat to nature by being non-biodegradable and toxic. According to research, a simple plastic bag can take up to 500 years to decompose while a plastic bottle can take around 300 years.

Plastic roads offer higher flexibility, durability and a lifespan almost three times longer than regular roads. Moreover, the construction materials for regular roads are more expensive, whereas plastics are practically free, taking down construction costs by several folds. The innovation is considerably more sustainable. And most importantly it contributes to helping our social problem of plastic waste.

The Chief Executive and Managing Director of Shell Pakistan Limited, Waqar Siddiqui, inaugurated the newly built road in Karachi and stated, “This is the first time we have used our discarded lubricants bottles to make a road and I’m amazed to see the result. This innovative method helps reduce plastic waste and can provide an environmentally friendly option for future infrastructure projects in Pakistan. Innovative solutions such as this need to be tried and tested, and I hope will be adopted to contribute to building a cleaner society.”

Shell provides energy in a responsible way: we aim to limit any impact on the environment and support the transition towards a lower-carbon future. We recognise the importance of climate change, along with our role in helping people to achieve and maintain a good quality of life.