Oh Chu Xian

Why the founder of deep tech start‑up Magorium thinks the answer to our plastic problem is not a full ban, but a better way of managing our waste

- Chong Seow Wei

In an ideal world, an all‑encompassing ban would eradicate our plastic pollution problem. But the reality is that only some industries can afford for this to happen. The healthcare industry, for example, relies heavily on single‑use plastics for safety and hygiene purposes. From intravenous bags to disposable syringes, plastics help reduce the risk of contamination and the spread of infectious diseases. This is why the sector presents a big business opportunity for Oh Chu Xian’s deep tech start‑up Magorium.

The company converts plastic waste into a material called NewBitumen, which is then used to pave roads. One of its recent campaigns with global healthcare company Sanofi saw Magorium collecting used EpiPens—medical injecting devices containing epinephrine used as an emergency treatment for severe allergic reactions—from hospitals and clinics for recycling into NewBitumen. The material was then used to pave the roads at Sanofi’s facility in Tuas.