The construction company VolkerWessels (Netherlands) is experimenting with a new type of material that is more recyclable and sustainable compared to traditional asphalt road construction methods.
Instead of using petroleum-based products for road construction as has been the norm, a Dutch company named VolkerWessels aims to utilize recycled plastic sourced from the ocean or waste materials from factories to create road-building plastic. This initiative, called PlasticRoad, plans to construct a road from waste over the next three years, designed for cycling, and if successful, will be rolled out on a larger scale.
A road made from recycled plastic can withstand temperatures from -40 to 80 degrees Celsius.
According to the plan, the sections of the recycled plastic road will be pre-fabricated in a factory and then transported to the construction site for assembly, similar to playing with LEGO blocks. During the manufacturing process, traffic sensors and components for traffic lights and public works may also be integrated. The development team stated that there will be voids beneath the road surface for future cable or water pipe installations. After the recycled plastic road is damaged, VolkerWessels hopes it can be recycled again for further use.
So, can recycled plastic replace asphalt – the material engineers have used for years to build everything from regular roads to highways? According to VolkerWessels, roads made from recycled plastic can withstand temperatures from -40 to 80 degrees Celsius. With this capability, they are reportedly three times more durable than conventional roads and can last up to 50 years. Furthermore, recycled plastic roads are said to be less susceptible to corrosion, thereby requiring fewer maintenance resources.
More importantly, using recycled plastic for road construction instead of traditional asphalt is more environmentally friendly. Asphalt is believed to contribute “contributing” 1.6 million tons of CO2 to the atmosphere each year, accounting for 2% of total emissions from the road transport sector. It is known that VolkerWessels’ plan is still in the preliminary stages, but they believe that actual construction will be expedited soon. Notably, the city of Jamshedpur in India has used recycled plastic in the construction of a 50 km road, with part of this road incorporating a mix of asphalt and shredded plastic waste.
