During his recent address at a high-profile forum in Pasay City, Philippine President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr., stated that the nation will use nuclear technology to deal with plastic pollution and it will involve foreign partners, according to a news article published by Nuclear Engineering International.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news article of Nuclear Engineering International. Some parts in boldface…
Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr has said the Philippines is committed to partnering with international organisations to tackle plastic pollution using nuclear technology. He was addressing the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) International High-Level Forum on the Nuclear Technology for Controlling Plastic Pollution (NUTEC Plastics) in Pasay City.
“It affects biodiversity, public health, supply chains, and the lives of our coastal and urban communities. Addressing it requires going beyond regulation and advocacy. It requires technology that is credible, scalable, grounded in rigorous science,” he said.
“And that is why the Philippines is proud to champion the NUTEC Plastics Initiative of the IAEA. NUTEC Plastics embodies the kind of innovation that we need – solutions that merge advanced nuclear applications with environmental protection, to translate scientific progress into tangible benefits for industry and for society.”
Marcos said the Philippine Nuclear Research Institute of the Department of Science & Technology, together with the Industrial Technology Development Institute and industry partner Envirotech, had developed a new process that transforms low-value plastic wastes into durable, commercially viable materials under the Post-Radiation Reactive Extrusion of Plastic Wastes Project (PREx).
“The PREx Prototype House stands today as a tangible output of this initiative. But beyond a demonstration of breakthrough nuclear technology, it is a prototype of the future circular economy,” he added. Radiation technology enhances polymer properties, reduces material degradation, and creates new industrial uses for plastics, Marcos said.
He also referred to the marine microplastics monitoring laboratory established with the IAEA at the University of the Philippines Marine Science Institute. The laboratory equips Filipino researchers with the tools to quantify microplastics pollution with scientific precision. “Data generated here informs global models, strengthens policy interventions, and helps us track the real-time impact of plastics on marine ecosystems,” he added.
He said the Philippines was committed to building networks with regulators, scientists, investors and community stakeholders, as the Republic Act 12305 (Philippine Nuclear Law) signed in September.
This establishes a comprehensive regulatory framework covering nuclear safety, security, safeguards and the peaceful applications of nuclear technology.
“Our engagement with the IAEA and our support for science-based responses to plastic pollution reflect that same conviction: that durable progress comes not from acting alone, but from strengthening the international system that makes such cooperation possible,” Marcos said.
IAEA launched the NUTEC Plastics initiative in 2021 to help countries use nuclear science to monitor and reduce plastic pollution. The programme now supports more than 100 member states, including the Philippines, in tracking microplastics in coastal areas, identifying different types of plastics, and applying reliable, cost-effective laboratory methods based on harmonised global protocols. It also trains scientists and promotes radiation technologies that turn low-value plastic waste into useful materials.
The role of nuclear science and technology in helping countries tackle the global challenge of plastic pollution is the focus of a major IAEA event that opened on Tuesday in Manila. The International High Level Forum on NUTEC Plastics will showcase concrete results achieved by this flagship initiative launched by the IAEA in 2020.
Addressing the NUTEC Plastics Forum, IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said: “Looking at plastic pollution from the atomic level allows us to understand microplastic pollution and its movements through marine ecosystems, which supports well-informed policy decisions to deal with it. And by using irradiation we can reduce the amount of plastic waste by turning it into valuable products like building materials.”
Masato Kanda, President of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) told the forum’s opening session that, in the Philippines, ADB is planning a $1bn programme to develop a sustainable and resilient blue economy. “Complementing this, we are harnessing digital solutions to simulate the flow of plastic pollution in the Pasig River to help rejuvenate this important waterway. We are also deepening our collaboration with the IAEA across the board: from food security to energy transition.”
NUTEC Plastics presently works with 53 countries to improve plastic recycling and develop bio-based plastics, and with 102 countries to monitor marine microplastic pollution. Every day, the equivalent of 2000 garbage trucks full of plastic are dumped into the world’s oceans, rivers and lakes. Every year, 19-23m tonnes of plastic waste leaks into waterways, disrupting habitats and livelihoods. Since plastic is not biodegradable, it breaks down into ever smaller fragments, which eventually degrade into microplastics. Microplastics can easily infiltrate into ecosystems and the food chain through water, air and soil.
Radiation can transform plastic waste into durable, high value materials and products. It can also create biodegradable bio-based plastics as an alternative to conventional petroleum-based plastics. To date, eight countries have NUTEC upcycling projects underway in cooperation with commercial partners. Argentina, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines are at the forefront in demonstrating the feasibility of using irradiation to recycle plastic waste to produce construction materials, industrial additives, railway ties and other durable products. These countries have already tested prototype processes and are moving toward pilot-scale industrial production.
Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? By having many foreign partners, are you convinced the Philippines will be able to end its plastic pollution crisis using nuclear technology and other related solutions?
You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.
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