Shell Pakistan has recently unveiled a plastic-infused road in Karachi made from recycled lubricant bottles. Teaming up with start-up Brr Enterprises and the local authority District Municipal Corporation South, the oil giant led the road construction project.

Source: PackagingInsights

Shell asserts that plastic roads offer increased flexibility, durability, and a lifespan nearly three times longer than traditional roads. Additionally, using plastics instead of standard construction materials significantly cuts down on costs.

This is the first time we have used our discarded lubricant 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.

Waqar Siddiqui, the chief executive and managing director of Shell Pakistan

The construction of a 730-foot (222-meter) long and 60-foot (19-meter) wide road near Shell House in Karachi utilized over 2.5 metric tons of recycled Shell lubricant bottles.

The dry process method was employed to incorporate discarded plastic bottles into the asphalt-based road construction.

We aim to limit any impact on the environment and support the transition toward a lower-carbon future. We recognize the importance of climate change, along with our role in helping people to achieve and maintain a good quality of life.

adds the company

Research indicates that plastic bags can take up to 500 years to decompose, while plastic bottles can linger for around 300 years.