A Gorgeous Transformation of Waste Plastics (Dr. Ye Wenhan)

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More articles by Dr. Ye Wenhan:Support EJ Tech

go through Hong Kong Economic Times August 8, 2024

This articleauthorDr. Yip Man-honis the chairman of the Asian Marketing Technology Association and writes a column for the Hong Kong Economic Times“The Words of God“.

Plastic, a material once considered an environmental killer, has now transformed into a green miracle at the Paris Olympics.sidewalkA French startup has transformed discarded plastic into a shining star in the Olympic Games with an innovative technology. The company uses recycled plastic to create the environmentally friendly material SoftSurface, which not only creates countless spectator seats, but also gives the Olympic podium a “green” coat.

SoftSurface has excellent properties and can be processed like wood, with no loss in strength and durability. (Photo from Le Pavé website)

The two founders of Le Pavé, Marius Hamelot and Jim Pasquet, are childhood friends who turned their passion for the environment into entrepreneurial motivation. Initially, they used a renovated pizza oven as a laboratory to try to melt and shape waste plastic. After continuous testing and revisions, they successfully developed SoftSurface, a recyclable, plastic, and environmentally friendly material. SoftSurface has excellent performance and can be processed like wood, with strength and durability that are no less than that. Le Pavé has recycled hundreds of tons of waste plastic and established a complete recycling and production system. The two aim to recycle all waste that cannot be processed and recycle resources.

The Paris Olympics provided Le Pavé with a huge stage to produce 11,000 spectator seats and podiums for the Olympics and Paralympics, all of which were made of recycled plastic. This feat not only won the company international reputation, but also accelerated its growth. Currently, Le Pavé is actively expanding its production capacity and plans to build new factories across France. Le Pavé’s success is not only a business achievement, but also a practice of social responsibility. The company employs local residents, including the unemployed and disadvantaged groups, creates job opportunities for the community, and also cooperates with schools to educate the next generation on the importance of environmental protection.

The Paris Olympics provided Le Pavé with a huge stage, producing 11,000 spectator seats and podiums for the Olympics and Paralympics, all of which were made from recycled plastic. (Photo from the official website of the Paris Olympics)

However, Le Pavé’s development path has not been smooth sailing. The process of plastic recycling is complex and requires overcoming technical and economic challenges. For example, different types of plastics have different treatment methods; recycled plastics are usually of different qualities, which also increases the difficulty of production. In addition, the cost of recycling plastics is high, so the price of the product is relatively expensive. Despite the challenges, Le Pavé insists on environmental protection as its core value and continues to develop new technologies and materials. The two believe that with the advancement of technology and the expansion of the market, the cost of plastic recycling will gradually decrease and eventually become a mainstream industry. Le Pavé’s success story sets an example for other companies and inspires more people to pay attention to the problem of plastic pollution. We believe that through innovation and cooperation, mankind can find a solution to the plastic crisis and create a cleaner and more sustainable future.