Lina María García

Colombian environmental engineer pioneering plastic-to-road technology

About Lina María García

Lina María García is a Colombian civil engineer whose innovation in plastic waste recycling has transformed urban infrastructure. Her 2020 invention of a patented process to convert 90% post-consumer plastic into durable road paving material has diverted over 12 million kg of plastic from landfills. This eco-friendly solution, costing 30% less than traditional asphalt, has been implemented in 150+ Colombian municipalities and 8 Latin American countries by 2024.

García's method uses a mix of recycled plastic and crushed aggregate to create roads with superior durability in tropical climates. A NPR investigation showed her roads reduce maintenance costs by 50% while sequestering CO2 emissions. Her company EcoVías has trained 2,000+ workers from marginalized communities in plastic collection and road construction.

García's TED Talk Building Roads from Rubbish inspired similar initiatives in India and Africa. In 2025, she received the Global Green Innovation Prize for scaling her technology through blockchain-tracked plastic collection networks. Her work is featured in the UN's SDG 11 report as a model for sustainable urban development.