The Land Transport Authority or LTA is embarking trials to build roads with recycled waste materials.
This is part of its larger effort to ensure long term sustainability.
LTA is exploring the use of both processed road construction wastes and industrial waste
Lim Bok Ngam, Deputy Chief Executive of LTA says in the future all new roads would be made up of 70 per cent recycled materials :
"So going forward what we intend to do is we want to increase the amount of recycled materials in new roads. So, in the long term our aim is to achieve about 70 per cent recycled materials in the new roads. So, hence the term green comes in, that means sustainability."
According to Mr Lim, it's hard to determine how much savings can be reaped from using the recycled materials.
However, he says by using more of residue from the incineration of wastes there will be less reliance on imported materials.
In the long run, Mr Lim also believes it will benefit Singapore environmentally :
"The other advantage really is today many of this IBA is being dumped at Semakau as landfill, but we think that if we can make use of them to construct roads, the amount that is dumped everyday could probably be reduced by half. So, I think potentially this can extend the life of the Semakau landfill area."
First to be put on trial for six months, is part of a road stretching 200 metres along Tampines Road, between Hougang Avenue 7 and Defu Avenue 2.
--938Live