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Malaysia to introduce glow-in-the-dark paint for highways, but cost could jeopardize project

Written by Bruno Teles
Published 22/01/2025 às 19:43
Malaysia to introduce glow-in-the-dark paint for highways, but cost could jeopardize project
The project has been criticized because photoluminescent paint is extremely expensive, costing 20 times more than regular paint. The high cost makes it unfeasible to implement on a large scale, making the idea difficult to sustain.

The photoluminescent paint, applied to a 245-meter stretch, promises to improve highway safety even without lighting, but it costs 20 times more than regular paint and is already making the government rethink the idea.

To improve safety on dark and dangerous stretches of highway, the Malaysian government has decided to use photoluminescent paint instead of traditional lights. It sounds like a brilliant idea, literally, but there’s a catch: this solution is up to 20 times more expensive than conventional paint.

What is photoluminescent paint and how does it work?

Photoluminescent paint is a material that “absorbs” light during the day and glows at night, without relying on electricity or external energy. It’s like those stars we stuck on the ceiling as children, only in giant size and with a much more practical application.

This innovation replaced reflective studs on a 245-meter stretch of road in Hulu Langat, a district known for its lack of street lighting. The paint provides constant visibility, which is especially useful in adverse weather conditions. For many drivers, it felt like driving in a “futuristic video game.”

In rural areas without streetlights, the paint has emerged as a solution to increase road safety. After all, reflective studs require car headlights to “illuminate” them, while the paint is visible even in pitch darkness.

In addition to making nighttime driving easier, the paint reduces reliance on expensive infrastructure such as streetlights and can save lives in places where low-visibility accidents are common.

Why did Malaysia choose this alternative for highways?

Photoluminescent paint works by absorbing light during the day and releasing a bright glow at night, without the need for electricity. This ensures that roads remain visible even in complete darkness or inclement weather conditions.
Photoluminescent paint works by absorbing light during the day and releasing a bright glow at night, without the need for electricity. This ensures that roads remain visible even in complete darkness or inclement weather conditions.

Malaysian highways face unique challenges, especially in rural areas. A lack of street lighting and high maintenance costs make innovative alternatives more attractive – at least in theory.

In many parts of the country, streetlights are a luxury. The roads are dark and dangerous, making life difficult for those who depend on them to work or travel at night.

Rain, fog and even tropical storms are common in Malaysia, drastically reducing the effectiveness of reflective studs and even vehicle headlights. Photoluminescent paint seemed like an ideal solution to these problems.

As revolutionary as the idea may be, the math doesn't add up. The photoluminescent paint costs 749 Malaysian ringgits per square meter, while conventional paint costs only 40 ringgits. This exorbitant price was the main reason for the government to reconsider its large-scale implementation.

Imagine that instead of painting the entire highway, the government had to choose between 1 kilometer of photoluminescent paint or 20 kilometers of regular paint. The financial impact would be huge, especially for an already strained public budget.

Even though the public praised the initiative, experts from the Ministry of Public Works concluded that the cost did not justify the benefits. In a press conference, Deputy Minister Ahmad Maslan summed up the situation: “The cost is too high, so we probably won’t continue with the glow-in-the-dark lanes.”

The balance between innovation and financial viability

This experience in Malaysia raises an important question: to what extent is it worth investing in innovative highway technologies?

Security is essential, but public budgets are not infinite. Finding solutions that balance cost and effectiveness is a constant challenge, especially in countries with emerging economies.

While Malaysia has taken a step back, other countries could adopt the idea. On high-risk highways or tourist areas, photoluminescent paint may be an interesting option, even with higher costs.

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Bruno Teles

I talk about technology, innovation, oil and gas. I update daily about opportunities in the Brazilian market. With more than 3.000 articles published in CPG. Agenda suggestion? Send it to brunotelesredator@gmail.com

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