Roads Made From Plastic – Tough, Economical and Secure

Recycled plastic has been put to great use by various industries, lately. The construction industry uses recycled plastic in the form of sewage and drainage pipes for roads. Plastic roads are in the focus now which in future will put in use a major chunk of the recycled plastic. It started with Zwolle in the Netherlands, by building a 30-meter bicycle track which used 70% of recycled plastic and 30% of polypropylene.

What the future holds?

Inventors plan to build roads with 100% recycled plastic if everything goes well in the future. The plan includes building footpaths, railway platforms and car parks as well. With the advancement of this technology, the future could see plastic roads with sensors for monitoring traffic, assistance to autonomous vehicles and wireless recharge of battery operated vehicles.

Are they any better?

The binding properties of plastic roads make them last three times longer than the ones made with asphalt and the ordinary mixture. Needless to say, the material costs and construction time for plastic roads are lesser compared to the conventional ones. Since the tar has plastic, rainwater is unable to seep through it which results in lesser road repairs.

What else do they offer?

Apart from this, anti-slip features and also be integrated with crushed stone pieces used to dress the road’s surface. In case the road sections need to be replaced, they can be recycled as well. Potholes can be covered easily as the roads can be built using individual patches. These patches can be conveniently switched out when damaged.

A lot of countries plan to go ahead with this technology. Plastic roads not only make a positive impact economically but also use plastic waste in a better and thoughtful way. The growing advancement in technology ensures a better and safer environment to live in.