The pathway made of plastic waste at Pulau Gaya
KOTA KINABALU: Converting ocean plastic debris into pedestrian walkways at a village in Pulau Gaya here, an NGO has achieved Malaysia’s first “Ocean Debris Pathway.”
Michelle de la Harpe, who is the president of the NGO - Meraki Daat Initiative - said the first pedestrian pathway was constructed using upcycled ocean debris and island-waste plastics.
“The 130-metre walkway, located on Kg Lobong, Pulau Gaya, marks the successful conclusion of a pilot project launched under the UNDP Malaysia Island Waste Innovation Challenge,” she said, adding that it was completed on Oct 30, this year.
The community involvement in Kg Lolong in Pulau Gaya
“The project successfully diverted 813kg of plastic waste—equivalent to tens of thousands of bottles—preventing it from entering the ocean or being burned,” Michelle said.
She said the pathway connected the village timber bridge to the local sports court, providing a safe three-foot-wide walkway for residents.
Unlike industrial plastic roads on the mainland, this project was executed entirely "on-site" effectively closing the loop on island waste.
"This was a logistical feat that required us to reinvent how we handle waste in remote areas. We proved that with the right expertise, passion and dedication, we can turn a logistical burden into a community asset,” she added.
A combination of slabs and pavers created by plastic waste at kg Lobong in Pulau Gaya off Kota Kinabalu.
She said that they put in place a multi-pronged cleanup effort to source the rubbish and this included working with Marine Research Foundation (MRF), the team utilised the "Mobula" vessel to harvest floating debris from the waters around Pulau Gaya and Sepanggar.
They also got local villagers and households to directly pick up bottles and also carried beach clean-ups during the ‘Cabaran Kampungku Bersih’ (My Clean Village Challenge), where residents cleaned the coastline daily from August to September 2025.
Michelle said that the project launched in January 2025, proved innovation in adversity when faced with significant infrastructure hurdles, including the lack of three-phase electricity on the island, approvals and logistical delays.
The eco-pavement at kg Lobong in Pulau Gaya off Kota Kinabalu.
The technical team, led by project manager Adora Shariman, adapted by developing a hybrid construction method.
"Due to mould limitations and time constraints, we innovated a system of alternating eco-pavers with concrete slabs. We utilised rainwater harvesting for the concrete mix and local beach sand, keeping our carbon footprint as low as possible," said Adora.
The initiative saw expert-led execution as it was driven by a diverse team of experts, ensuring quality and compliance, including Jenny Sualih, Fikry Rakawi, and Peter Yang (a background in engineering, construction, SIRIM standards, and ISO consultation), Environmentalist Iskandar Ali, and the administrative team, Marsyitah Marzuki and Daniel Wong.
Michelle said the completion of this pilot marked the beginning of a larger vision.
“With the pilot complete, the team is currently conducting final stress tests and certification processes to commercialise the eco-paver technology.
“While plastic-modified asphalt roads have recently been tested in Peninsular Malaysia and Sarawak using industrial waste, the Meraki Daat Initiative’s project stands apart.
“This is Malaysia's first infrastructure project designed specifically for the logistical realities of island communities and the first to rely entirely on upcycled marine debris rather than factory scraps.
The pathway leading to the volleyball court
"We are not just building roads, we are solving the 'island waste trap'," said Michelle, adding that unlike mainland projects that have easy access to heavy machinery and raw materials, the third initiative finds engineering solutions for remote areas where bringing in concrete is expensive, but plastic waste is abundant."
"Our vision is to address two of Sabah's most persistent challenges with a single solution: the poor condition of rural roads and the escalating plastic waste crisis, said Michelle.
"We have proven that ocean waste can be engineered into durable infrastructure. Now, we are ready to scale," Michelle added.
