Mexico Explores Using Sargassum for Roads, Construction Materials

Mexico is advancing research into the use of sargassum as an input for construction materials and road pavements, as the government seeks to transform one of the Mexican Caribbean’s most persistent environmental challenges into a resource for infrastructure development.

The Ministry of Infrastructure, Communications, and Transportation (SICT) is promoting projects that process marine macroalgae for use in products such as blocks, bricks, paving stones, and asphalt mixtures. The initiative combines research by the Mexican Transportation Institute (IMT), the Universidad Autónoma de México (UNAM), and private-sector participants.

The research could support a circular construction model in which sargassum removed from beaches is processed and incorporated into infrastructure materials rather than being transported directly to disposal sites. SICT said the initiative aims to reduce the environmental effects of sargassum accumulation while supporting the development of durable and more sustainable materials.

Sargassum is a floating brown macroalgae that provides habitat and food for marine species while it remains in the ocean. However, unusually large arrivals to Caribbean coastlines can generate environmental, health, and economic problems once the material accumulates and begins to decompose.

Mexico’s National Commission for the Knowledge and Use of Biodiversity (CONABIO) reports that large coastal accumulations can reduce oxygen and sunlight in nearshore waters, affect marine species, and produce hydrogen sulfide. The deterioration of beaches can also affect fishing and tourism activities.

From Coastal Waste to Construction Input

At UNAM’s Institute for Materials Research, specialists have worked with private-sector participants to develop paving stones, blocks, lattice pieces, bricks, and utility poles incorporating processed sargassum. According to information released by SICT, the resulting pieces have undergone technical validation and comply with applicable Mexican standards. Researchers report that the products remained firm and stable, with performance comparable to conventional concrete materials.

The next challenge is to move beyond laboratory and small-scale production. Researchers are evaluating how to process sufficient volumes of sargassum to manufacture construction products at an industrial scale. Potential initial applications include sidewalks, curbs, and other public works in Quintana Roo, where the availability of collected sargassum could support a regional supply chain. Local processing could also reduce some of the costs and emissions associated with moving wet sargassum over long distances.

However, industrial use will require consistent collection, drying, cleaning, and processing procedures. The composition of sargassum can vary, and material recovered from beaches may contain salt, sand, plastics, organic residues, and potentially harmful substances. These factors mean that quality controls will be necessary before the macroalgae can be reliably integrated into standardized construction products.

Research published by UNAM warns that large-scale valorization can be limited by the material’s variable composition and the presence of potentially toxic substances. This underscores the need to treat sargassum as a controlled raw material rather than directly mixing untreated biomass into construction products.

Sargassum Tested in Road Pavements

The IMT is conducting studies into the use of processed sargassum in asphalt and road layers. Tests are evaluating the macroalgae’s compatibility with asphalt binders, its durability and its potential behavior under the temperatures and stresses experienced by road pavements. Horacio Delgado , Coordinator of Land Transport Infrastructure, IMT, said the studies seek to determine whether sargassum can function as an effective pavement additive. 

Previous research has produced encouraging laboratory results. A study examining powdered sargassum particles in asphalt found that certain particle sizes improved resistance to high temperatures and permanent deformation. The study also reported compatibility between the organic particles and asphalt components, although performance varied according to particle size and concentration.

The IMT has also developed a technical guide for constructing rural road subgrades stabilized with lime and sargassum powder. Published in June 2026, the guide outlines procedures for preparing, placing and compacting soil treated with the two materials.

The document indicates that SICT’s interest extends beyond the surface asphalt layer. Processed sargassum could also be evaluated within the underlying structure of rural roads, particularly where soil stabilization is required.

If validated through field trials, the approach could complement Mexico’s wider adoption of recycled asphalt pavement, construction waste, and industrial byproducts in transport infrastructure. These materials can reduce demand for virgin aggregates and divert residues from landfills, although each application requires technical standards and lifecycle analysis.

The sargassum initiative remains primarily in the research, validation and scale-up stages. SICT has not yet announced a nationwide road-construction program or mandatory technical specification for its use.