In 2021, thousands of used milk bottles in Shanghai found a second life. More than 6,000 bottles, along with other plastic waste, were used in a road project at East China University of Science and Technology, turning material that recyclers often struggled to accept into part of a polymer-modified asphalt surface. The project, unveiled on Earth Day, was developed by Dow and dairy brand Shiny Meadow to tackle the problem of hard-to-recycle plastic. Instead of ending up as waste, the bottles were processed for road paving, offering an unusual route for plastic that had little value in conventional recycling. The approach demonstrated how discarded packaging could be redirected into infrastructure, potentially reducing the amount of plastic sent to landfill while exploring new uses for difficult-to-recycle materials. It also highlighted the potential for partnerships between companies and universities.
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