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Award-winning flood protection made from recycled plastic

Danish Urban Water Retention (UWR) developed an innovative modular system, assembled like Legos, to manage stormwater and prevent flooding in urban settings.

Award-winning flood protection made from recycled plastic
Published: | 2 min read

The material used in the modules is a customised recycled PP from Polykemi and Rondo Plast, developed to meet tough specifications and enhance the product's sustainability profile. The system won an award in its category at the 2025 Aquatech Innovation Awards in Amsterdam.

UWR

Success thanks to material composition UWR's product consists of square modules placed next to and on top of each other underground, to create either storage or transportation of stormwater, reducing the risk of flooding in urban areas.

To support heavy weight from above, a customised recycled plastic was needed that could meet high stiffness requirements, which Polykemi and Rondo Plast were able to provide. 

“The material is a REZYcom PP with a specific polymer composition, reinforced with glass fibre, which together provide the necessary stiffness. We also have excellent repeatability with the material, so UWR will experience the same performance with every delivery,” says Fredrik Holst, Product Manager for Recycled Materials at Polykemi and Rondo Plast.

Reduced CO2 footprint by 65–70%

UWR’s product aims to increase cities’ resilience to climate change while simultaneously pursuing other sustainability goals.

"We achieved such a high proportion of recycled plastic, reducing our CO2 footprint by a remarkable 65– 70%,” says Christian Rosenvinge.

"The stiffness and strength we achieved mean UWR's clients can place their cubes relatively shallowly in the ground, which has the effect of reducing the amount of soil that needs to be transported away”, says Fredrik Holst.

The journey to find the right material was a collaboration between the customer and the supplier. “UWR took the chance to visit us together with their clients to see our production and let our technical experts demonstrate the material on-site”, explains Fredrik Holst.

From the beginning, UWR aimed to use material based on recycled raw materials, but it took some effort before the two sides found exactly the right one. “We worked closely with the lab at Polykemi, and in the end, we found a recycled plastic material that met all our requirements,” says Christian Rosenvinge. The modules in UWR’s system have a lifespan of 75 years – compared to conventional solutions on the market today, where the lifespan is usually around 25–30 years.

Winner of the Aquatech Innovation Awards 2025

In March 2025, UWR won the Aquatech Innovation Awards in the ”Transport and Process & Control” category for their innovation.

"Winning the award is a great sign of quality. We started production in October 2023, and now have ongoing projects with deliveries to Denmark, Norway, the UK, Portugal, the Netherlands, and Germany. This may lead to more clients discovering our solution,” says Christian Rosenvinge.

Polykemi follows UWR’s journey as a proud supplier. “We're thrilled to be part of this collaboration and follow UWR in their success. They’ve earned this spotlight, and their fantastic system really makes a difference in society! For us, it’s proof that we’re doing the right things as a supplier,” says Fredrik Holst.

About the author

Giulia Daniele

Giulia Daniele

Head of Content across Plastics IQ, BP&R and Interplas, Giulia has been writing for the publication since 2024, becoming a recognised voice in the industry.

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