Work on the Eco 2000 Batch Mix Asphalt Plant which will be able to produce 160 tonnes of material per hour is nearing completion.
This is according to a release yesterday from the Ministry of Public Infrastructure (MPI).
The release said that the state-of-the-art machinery will also be able to use plastic bags and bottles as well as used tyres to pave roads. This new technology has been proven to be cheaper and more durable as well as time efficient. It will also mean that more roads can be built faster with the use of the new plant.
The plant arrived in July last year. The release said that work commenced on the installation of the plant on January 7, 2020. It is being set up by a team of 25 persons, inclusive of 23 local Demerara Harbour Bridge Corporation (DHBC) staff and two German technicians.
Minister of Public Infrastructure David Patterson yesterday visited the construction site at Garden of Eden, East Bank Demerara and was accompanied by the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Kenneth Jordan.
The release said that the team was led by Rawlston Adams, General Manager of the DHBC. It was noted that the mechanical installation of the plant is currently about 98% completed, while the electrical aspect is approximately 80% complete.
The release said that Patterson expressed satisfaction at the work done to date and anticipates the commissioning of the project within the stipulated timeframe. The timeframe was not disclosed.
The present Asphalt Plant only has the capacity to produce 30 tonnes of material per hour and does so with the use of bitumen, sand, stone and sifting, the release added.
