HOUSE OF THE WEEK

An abundance of space at FMI City

CERTAINLY, space is not a problem in this house – once you get there. Over the Hlaing River, 45 minutes from downtown, there is a large one-storey house in a big compound waiting for someone ready to trade time for space. ...more

Yangon Weather Forecast, Burma

Composite maker looks to export in Feb

A RECYCLING venture about to be launched could bring in additional foreign currency revenue for Myanmar. Entrepreneurs are preparing to start exporting a composite wood-plastic material, made in part from recycled plastic bags, from next February, said U Aye Lwin, chairman of the Dagon-Seikkan Industrial Zone.

The initiative is aimed at saving jobs in existing plastics factories that are slated to close in coming months following a November 30 bag ban, and possibly creating new employment.

As part of their research, a group of six businessmen visited China from November 28 to December 5 to study the technology and methods used in the production there of the wood-plastic composite, which already has export markets in Australia, Germany and New Zealand, said U Aye Lwin.

The process involves cleaning and crushing used plastic bags, which are then mixed with wood chips and chemicals to form the composite. The work can be done by existing factories, and could lead to more factories being built, he said.

“Wood plastic is more durable than ordinary wood and can stand more exposure to sunlight, wind and insects,” said a spokesperson for the Association of Plastics Entrepreneurs.

There are more than 100 plastics factories in Yangon, employing 10,000 workers, mostly female.