Researchers at the Mexican Transportation Institute (IMT) are studying the possibility of using sargassum seaweed to fill potholes, transforming it into bio-asphalt and ensuring durability.
This project will be used on rural roads and highways where the use of synthetic petroleum-derived products can be reduced, connecting the most isolated communities in the state.
This new project aims to reduce the macroalgae bloom, as this year its accumulation could reach 40 million tons, deterring tourism due to the heavy influx.
Tulum councilman and businessman Jorge Portilla proposed declaring an environmental and social emergency due to the increased arrival of sargassum on the municipality’s coasts, considering that the phenomenon has directly impacted tourism and caused a decrease in hotel occupancy, both in the beach area and in the city center. (Desperation in Tulum: calls for social emergency due to sargassum).
Portilla pointed out at the time that the problem requires a coordinated response between the state and federal governments, as well as the participation of international organizations, in order to promote actions that address the phenomenon at its source in the open sea. He considered that a declaration of environmental emergency would facilitate the allocation of greater resources to tackle the problem.
Source: reportur
