Recycled plastics for roads in Himalayan region

Recycled plastic wastes can be used in constructing roads. The Himalayan Development Society suggests the Government to encourage its use in building roads in the Himalayan region as plastic wastes abound the mountains and river banks.

Looking at the mess caused by plastic usage in the Himalayan region, we shall treat it as source of raw material. The Government should provide special provision and encourage use of recycled plastics in building roads in Himalayan towns and cities.

Government of Karnataka in association with KK Waste Management Ltd, has already been building plastic roads. Its time to promote it vigorously in the Himalayan region.

Utilisation of waste plastic for road construction

Disposal of waste materials, including waste plastic bags is a menace and has become a serious problem, specially in urban areas in terms of its misuse, its dumping in the dustbins, clogging of drains, reduced soil fertility and aesthetic problem etc. Waste plastics are also burnt for apparent disposal, causing environmental pollution.

The laboratory studies conducted by Central Road Research Institute (CRRI) in utilisation of waste plastic bags in bituminous concrete mixes have proved that these enhance the properties of mix in addition to solving disposal problems. The results indicated that there was an improvement in strength properties when compared to a conventional mix. Therefore, the life of pavement surfacing, using the waste plastic is expected to increase substantially in comparison to the use of conventional bituminous mix.

There are two different processes, namely dry and wet process, to incorporate waste plastic bags into the bituminous mixes. The performance test proved that the fatigue life was doubled and increased resistance to rutting and water damages when plastic waste was used. Field trials have been carried out using dry process i.e. by mixing the appropriate quantity of dry shredded plastic bags with hot aggregate prior to production of bituminous mixes at hot mix plant.