Ports need protecting – but plastics really don't appreciate the sea...

AIMPLAS, the Plastics Technology Centre, is collaborating with the Microbiology and Ecology Department of the Universitat de València on the DURPROMAT project, led by the industrial company DURPLASTICS. The project has received funding from the Valencian Innovation Agency (AVI).

They are working to develop a new type of plastic that is more resistant to impact, UV radiation and the action of marine organisms. Currently, ports are protected by fenders made of virgin high-density polyethylene (HDPE). The new material will contain up to 50% recycled materials and be 100% recyclable. It will not degrade by more than 30% and will be at least 20% more impact resistant.

The project results will be implemented at industrial scale and could be used to make other plastic products in contact with the marine environment, such as buoys and buoyancy systems. The new material may also be employed to replace metal materials used to manufacture products in contact with corrosive environments that can generate polluting substances as they deteriorate and rust.