How Plastic Waste is Helping Kerala to Become a Green State

With recycled plastic being put to use by various industrial sectors across India, Kerela has come up with an innovative idea to use plastic waste in the construction of roads. Around 9,700 tonnes of plastic waste such as containers, food packaging plastic, bottle caps, disposable diapers, and plastic bottles have been used for the construction of 246 kilometers of road.

Kerela’s Suchitwa Mission is the backbone for the construction of these roads and the aim is to make Kerela a green and a clean state. According to Renjith Abraham from Suchitwa Mission, “Kerala has always been ahead in managing its waste. Last year, on November 1, during Kerala’s foundation day, the state declared its intention of becoming India’s first waste-free state, wherein authorities set a target of making Kerala zero-waste in one year’s time. Since then, a lot of initiatives have been taken in order to reduce waste production in Kerala.”

The construction of the plastic roads began with 500 meters that were blacktopped with polymerized roads. Discarded plastic items such as packaging material, caps and containers from Rajagiri college in Kerala was used for the construction. Not only where the roads durable, but they also needed less maintenance. Reason being, the tar has plastic and rainwater cannot seep through it and damage the roads.

After witnessing the success of Rajagiri college, the former Gram Panchayat president was motivated to implement the construction of roads made from plastic waste, at other places across Kerela. With the help of the Public Works Department (PWD), the panchayat council is now beginning to understand the technicalities behind the construction of these plastic waste roads. For tarring the roads, shredded plastic waste is being used along with bitumen. To speed up the process, a plastic shredder with a capacity of shredding 500 kg of plastic every day, is being used.

With the progress that Kerela is making, we can expect plastic waste to be used to construct roads, footpaths, railway platforms across multiple states in India. If you are in the plastic industry, then Plastivision is a great platform for you to showcase your product range and network with industry professionals. Book your booth today!