P.VARSHITH N.ACHINAIDU K.

SAIKRISHNA

Plastic is everywhere in today's lifestyle. It is used for packaging, protecting, serving, and even disposing of all kinds of consumer goods.

With the industrial revolution, mass production of goods started and

plastic seemed to be a cheaper and effective raw material

Disposal of waste materials including waste plastic bags is a menace

and has become a serious problem, especially in urban areas, in terms of its misuse, its dumping in the dustbins, clogging of drains, reduced soil fertility and aesthetic problem etc.

 If a ban is put on the use of plastics on emotional grounds, the

real cost would be much higher, the inconvenience much more, the chances of damage or contamination much greater.
As every km of plastic road needs 2 tones of plastic waste, the

environmental hazards caused by the non-biodegradable item is

reduced.
Use of plastic-waste has been a concern for scientists and

engineers for a quite long time as a result they found a way nothing but roads from plastic.

WHY WE HAVE TO USE PLASTIC WASTE

BASIC PROCESS OF PREPARING PLASTIC ROADS

APPLICATIONS OF PLASTIC ROADS

ECONOMY OF PLASTIC ROADS LIST OF ROADS LAID USING PLASTIC

BENIFITS
CONCLUSION

 Disposal of waste plastic is a major problem .

It is non-biodegradable . It mainly consists of low-density polyethylene . To find its utility in bituminous mixes for road construction . Burning of these waste plastic bags causes environmental

pollution . Laboratory performance studies were conducted on bituminous mixes . Laboratory studies proved that waste plastic enhances the property of the mix .

 The plastic waste (bags, cups, Thermacole) made out of PE, PP, & PS are

separated, cleaned if needed and shredded to small pieces (passing through 4.35mm sieve) .
The aggregate (granite) is heated to 170oC in the Mini hot Mix Plant and the

shredded plastic waste is added, it gets softened and coated over the aggregate.
Immediately the hot Bitumen (160oC) is added and mixed well. As the polymer

and the bitumen are is the molten state (liquid state) they get mixed and the

blend is formed at surface of the aggregate.

The mixture is transferred to the road and the road is laid. This technique is

extended to Central Mixing Plant too.

Plastic roads in kancheepuram district in Tamilnadu:

The district administration of Kancheepuram in Tamil Nadu is

currently laying down 39 km of plastic roads in rural areas.

The chemistry involves transforming all polythene materials into

pulp and mixing it with tar and jelly.

The Engineers of that expects plastic roads to be far stronger

than normal roads and have more resistance power during heavy

showers.

 In addition, plastic roads will save 10 per cent of tar as compared to

bitumen roads.
Experts claim that this road technique will address the problem of

disposal of plastic waste in an environment friendly manner. According to K.K. Polyflex, Bangalore, which manufactures plastic goods and which is said to have come up with the new technique two years ago, plastic roads are good for construction since the durability of the roads increases three-fold.
In addition, there will be a reduction in the frequency of road repair

works, as chances of water seepage will be marginalized due to the presence of plastic.

a. Materials:
For 1000Mx3.75M (25mm) Road

: 11.250 tons (60/70

grade) bitumen needed

Shredded Plastics Required

: 10% by weight

(passing 4.74mm sieve& retaining 2.36 mm).

Bitumen replaced (saved) by 10/ % Plastics Actual Bitumen Required Aggregate (11.2mm)

: 1.125 tons : 10.125 tons :70.875 Cu.M

 Aggregate (6.7mm) Aggregate Dust

: 43.125 Cu.M : 23.625 Cu.M

b. Cost:
The total cost including material as mentioned above, labor

charge etc. (At Madurai) is approx. 5.00 lakhs; however, the cost may be different from place to place and have to be calculated accordingly. The cost break-up is given below:
(I) Collection of littered plastics

: Rs. 0.50 lakhs

(ii) Cost of shredder and other equipment

(iii) Lying of road with material, labor etc. Total

: Rs. 0.50 lakhs

: Rs. 4.00 lakhs : Rs. 5.00 lakhs

Place

Process Blend Comp ositio n

Polymer Blending with 5% PE Bitumen Polymer Blending with

Area

Date

Nature of Road

23nd March -02 Concrete 60x 5 Road

TCE

4th October-02

WBM road

Kovilpatti

Metal and the 10% PE Mixing Bitumen with

600x12

Place

Process

Blend Composi tion

Area

Date

Nature of Road
WBM road

Polymer Komarapalayam Blending Metal Mixing Bitumen Polymer Blending Madurai Metal Mixing Bitumen and with the 15% PE with 180x10 and with the 10% Mixture * with 300x12

15th October-02

5th October-02

Concrete road

Place

Process

Blend Compos ition

Area

Date

Nature of Road

Polymer Blending Chennai ** with 12% Mixture *

22nd November02 600x18

wbm road

Metal and the Mixing Bitumen Polymer Blending with with

15th October-02

Concrete Road

Salem

Metal and the 10% PE Mixing Bitumen with

1000x12

Place

Process

Blend Compos ition

Area

Date

Nature of Road

Polymer Blending Erode with 1500x 24

7th May-03

Bitumen road

Metal and the 10% Mixture * Mixing Bitumen Polymer Blending with with

10th May-03

WBM

Thane

Metal and the 10% Mixture * Mixing Bitumen with

300x18

Place

Process

Blend Compos ition

Area

Date

Nature of Road

Polymer Blending Nagercoil with 1500x18

16th May-03

WBM

Metal and the 10% Mixture * Mixing Bitumen Polymer with

WBM with 1.4 km

MaduraiKombadi

Blending

Metal and the 10% Mixture * Mixing Bitumen with

The durability roads laid with plastic waste mix are found

to be better than the conventional ones. The binding property of plastic makes the road last longer besides giving added strength to withstand more loads. While a normal 'highway quality' road lasts four to five years it is claimed that pi as tic-bitumen roads can last up to 10 years. By mixing plastic with bitumen the ability of the bitumen to withstand high temperature increases normally, blending takes place when temperature reaches 45.5C but when plastic is mixed, it remains stable even at 55C.

 So plastic roads would be a boon for India's hot and

extremely humid climate, where temperatures frequently cross 50C and torrential rains create havoc, leaving most of line roads with big potholes.
Another important observation was that the bituminous

mixes prepared using the treated binder could withstand adverse soaking conditions under water for longer duration. Rainwater will not seep through the road. So, this technology will result in lesser road repairs.

 The cost of plastic road construction may be slightly higher

compared to the conventional method. However, this should not

deter the adoption of the technology as the benefits are much higher
than the cost.
Plastic will cost six rupees a kg while bitumen costs Rs 14 a kg. There is no resultant pollution, as plastics are not burnt but only

melt.
Road strength is twice as strong as normal roads. Resistance towards water stagnation. No extra machinery is required.

Less blending during summer.

Spot utilization of waste plastic. Higher load-carrying capacity

Bane converted to Boon

Effective disposal

Use plastic and save forest

of plastic waste has always been a challenge. This therefore makes waste plastic a valuable raw material and converts the plastic waste from a bane to a boon

Use plastic and save

environment Use plastic and generate employment Use plastic and increase the life of the road Use plastic and strengthen national economy Use plastic and make roads of international standard

 Plastics will increase the melting point of the bitumen. The use of the innovative technology not only strengthened the

road construction but also increased the road life as well as will help to improve the environment and also creating a source of

income.
Plastic roads would be a boon for India's hot and extremely

humid climate, where temperatures frequently cross 50C and torrential rains create havoc, leaving most of the roads with big pot holes.

 It is hoped that in near future we will have strong, durable and eco-friendly roads which will relieve the earth from all type of plastic-waste

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