It is the first-of-its-kind prototype that aims to help in the global fight against global plastic pollution.
Recently, the Department of Science and Technology-Philippine Nuclear Research Institute (DOST-PNRI) showcased a prototype house built with radiation-processed plastic tiles and panels, which is displayed at its compound.
Through the Post-Radiation Reactive Extrusion (PREx) project, researchers were able to demonstrate that low-value plastic waste can be transformed into durable construction materials like tiles, bricks, and panels.
DOST-PNRI Director Carlo Arcilla explained, “A lot of them [plastics] are coming from sachets. These are quite common in the Philippines. They are treated with radiation.”
He furthered, “What does the radiation do? It enables the bonding of the plastics to be modified, so that there will be stronger bonds. If you did not apply the radiation, the product, even if you heat it, will not be very sustainable.”
Arcilla added that radiation-induced processing can only be done using an electron beam or gamma radiation. Although he clarified that the radiation does not make the plastics radioactive, making the technology safe for handling and everyday use.
Meanwhile, DOST Secretary Renato Solidum, Jr., said that aside from its significant contribution to circular-economy innovation, upcycling plastic waste materials can also be a business opportunity.
“We also wanted to change the mindset of our people at the community level. One of the things that we need to change is when people see plastic, they don’t see plastic, but they see money. If you think that what you see is money, you won’t throw it away. So essentially what we’re trying to do now is really combine science, technology, innovation, and business,” he said.
He then noted that the common Filipino residential house model is a concrete example of the country’s achievement in leveraging nuclear science and radiation technology as an “innovative yet realistic solution for reprocessing plastic wastes.”
“Thanks to the IAEA NUTEC Plastics initiative, and the collaboration of scientists from the DOST-Philippine Nuclear Research Institute, Industrial Technology Development Institute and their counterpart, Envirotech. I am proud to say that we have made great progress since then,” he added.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)’s NUTEC Plastics, which stands for the Nuclear Technology for Controlling Plastic Pollution, is an initiative launched to help countries tap nuclear science to monitor and reduce plastic pollution.
The Philippines is one of the nine pilot countries in the plastics upcycle component of the said initiative.
Hence, the PREx model house was the first prototype physically demonstrated exclusively in the country during the first visit of the IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi last Wednesday, November 26.
The PREx model house is one of the initiatives of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) aimed at providing science-based, innovative, and inclusive solutions across four strategic pillars: human well-being, wealth creation, wealth protection, and sustainability.