Paving The Way With Plastic

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As Indian cities struggle with plastic waste, a new path is being laid quite literally. Roads infused with discarded plastic are gaining traction, promising durability and cost savings. But while innovation meets infrastructure, questions around health and environmental risks linger. Could this waste-to-road shift be the sustainable fix urban India needs, or just a detour?

On May 17, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari announced that the government is actively developing a policy to utilise municipal waste in road construction. Speaking at FICCI’s International Conference on Tunnel Construction, he highlighted that this initiative aims to address waste management challenges while simultaneously reducing costs.

As of 2021, a total of 703 km of NH have already been constructed using plastic waste.

This progress is a result of a government order issued in November 2015, which mandated all road developers in India to incorporate waste plastic into bituminous mixes for road construction near large cities of over 5 lakh people. The objective was to tackle the problem of plastic waste disposal in the country. 

The pioneering technology behind this innovative approach was developed by Prof. Rajagopalan Vasudevan, widely recognised as the “Plastic Man” of India and a distinguished chemistry professor at Thiagarajar College of Engineering, Madurai.

The Gurugram MC has made use of plastic waste mandatory in the construction of arterial roads. Similarly, in the Udupi district, it is obligatory to incorporate 10% plastic waste with bitumen for all road construction projects. Other cities like Ghaziabad, Bathinda, and Ludhiana have also joined this cause. Usually, plastic roads consist of 6-8% plastic content, with the remaining being bitumen.

Utilisation of waste plastic in road construction provides numerous advantages. It provides an effective way to dispose of plastic waste, plus incorporation of plastic waste improves properties of bituminous mixes, resulting in roads that are more resistant to cracks and potholes. This approach also reduces the amount of bitumen required for road construction, which can reduce cost and dependence on fossil fuels.

Despite benefits, concerns have been raised regarding plastic roads. Certain types of plastics used in construction can cause leaching of microplastics or get thermally degraded and release toxic fumes, potentially posing risks to the environment and even construction workers. These concerns warrant careful consideration and implementation of appropriate safety measures.

Does your city have plastic roads?