Is irradiation the answer to plastic pollution?

591 pieces of sachets, 174 shopping bags and 163 sando bags are roughly the amount of plastic the average Filipino uses yearly. This has made the country the world's third biggest polluter with 2.7 million metric tons of plastic waste generated each year.

The Philippine Nuclear Research Institute of the Department of Science and Technology wants to address the growing concern over plastic pollution in the country. They think the answer may be radiation technology.

DOST-PNRI hosted a National Stakeholders Meeting on Plastic Recycling where it introduced the use of radiation technology towards reducing plastic pollution and creating a more sustainable future for the Philippines.

Held at the Park Inn Hotel in Quezon City, on 6 November, DOST Secretary Dr. Renato U. Solidum said radiation technology can significantly enhance the durability and recyclability of plastics.

Solidum explained the technology: Bombarding plastic waste with a beam of high-energy particles, radiation can change the molecular structure of the plastic, making it more durable and recyclable, offering a sustainable solution to the plastic pollution problem.

Solidum was joined by International Atomic Energy Agency Deputy Director General Hua Liu, who is under the framework of IAEA's Nuclear Technology for Controlling Plastic Pollution.

Project leader Dr. Jordan Marid explained the meeting will serve as a platform "to raise awareness on the potential applications and contributions of nuclear science and technology in plastic recycling and the circular economy."

"It also aims to foster partnerships among key stakeholders, including representatives from government agencies, private companies, high schools, colleges, and universities," Marid added.

Through irradiation, a "nuclear solution" to help combat the worsening plastic pollution problem in the country. Certain types of plastic waste could be modified for recycling by altering the structures of the material and enabling its different components to blend better, according to Madrid.

On the other end, Dr. Carlo Arcilla, director of the DOST's Philippine Nuclear Research Institute, said the initiative is also in line with the Philippines' participation in the NUTEC Plastics Project of the IAEA, which supports the use of nuclear and radiation technologies for environmental and industrial development.

He said that the radiation technology "manipulates the behavior of polymers in plastic" so it creates stronger bonds and, in turn, creates stronger materials.

This results in a new product that is stronger, more dense, and with enhanced properties, that reduce the emission of greenhouse gases and chemicals that could be harmful to the environment.

Aside from upcycling the plastics, Solidum said the radiation technology could also be used in agricultural crops for sterilization to ensure that there would be no insects when the products are exported.