Environmental foundation creates machine to transform plastic waste into energy

Race for Water Foundation has arrived here as part of its five-year Race for Water Odyssey or global environmental expedition to raise awareness about plastic pollution and promote a solution that prevents plastic waste from leaking into the oceans.

Its president and expedition leader Marco Simeoni said Race for Water together with its industrial partner, Evaluation Technologique, Ingénierie et Applications (ETIA) had come up with a technology capable of transforming end-of-life plastics into energy, be it gas or electricity.

He said the machine for converting plastic waste into an energy resource uses a unique and patented gasification process.

“The first machine will be implemented this year in collaboration with SUEZ to demonstrate its energy yield and its environmental performances," he told the media in conjunction with the stopover here yesterday.

At the same time, he said, various projects were being studied across several island and coastal towns to illustrate the environmental, economic and social benefits of the value chain that the foundation wished to create for end-of-life plastic.

Also present at the function was Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law) Datuk Liew Vui Keong, who is also Batu Sapi member of parliament.

Marco said the foundation's latest odyssey is its second and began in 2017-2021 comprising 35 stopovers.

"We also will be accelerating energy transitions by demonstrating that a vessel powered by a mixture of solarhydrogen-kite energies is capable of completing a five year expedition.

“In five years, we will participate in some major international events to educate as many people as possible about the urgent need to conserve the oceans. We also welcome guests aboard scientific missions to develop an understanding of the consequences of marine plastic contamination,” he added.

The foundation launched its first Race for Water odyssey in 2015 to conduct the first global assessment of marine plastic pollution. - Bernama