Background
The Ministry of Public Works and Transport (MPWT) is the government agency responsible for technical oversight and standards related to road construction methods in Cambodia. The ministry hosted a technical presentation on 30 September 2026 in which Umayanga Nanayakkara, founder and CEO of Sri Lanka–based AGC Innovation (PVT) Ltd, described a method for converting plastic waste into rubber-modified concrete for pavement use. The Ministry of Public Works and Transport provides technical oversight and authorization for new road construction methods in Cambodia.
AGC Innovation described the process, quality characteristics, and environmental and cost considerations for its recycled-plastic rubber concrete, and asked for permission to implement a pilot project in Cambodia to test the material on road infrastructure. AGC Innovation reported that approximately three tonnes of plastic waste can be incorporated per one kilometre of road using its recycled-plastic rubber concrete method. MPWT officials, including the Director General and other technical staff, welcomed the company’s interest and discussed potential cooperation to produce the processed rubber locally.
Key Developments
On 30 September 2026, MPWT Director General Heng Ratnapiseth allowed AGC Innovation’s founder to present technical details to directorate-level and technical staff. The company provided an overview of its corporate history, conversion process for plastic waste, technical standards for the resulting rubber concrete, and claimed outcomes from prior implementations in other countries. AGC Innovation formally requested authorization to run a pilot programme in Cambodia and outlined local production cooperation for plastic-derived rubber feedstock.
Institutional Role
MPWT’s participation in the meeting positioned the ministry as the focal institution for assessing new pavement materials and coordinating technical evaluation in Cambodia. The directorate-general shared comparative information on international use of similar recycled-plastic pavement methods and signalled institutional openness to study and support pilot-level testing while involving relevant technical departments.
Operational Implications
Testing recycled-plastic rubber concrete would require technical assessment of material performance, specifications for pavement applications, and arrangements for sourcing and processing plastic waste into a construction-grade feedstock. Any pilot phase would involve coordination among road technical units, potential local producers of processed material, and monitoring of quality criteria and environmental outcomes.
