A new road building technique for the 21st century is advancing fast in India today.
More than 33,796 km of roads in India are plastic roads, according to a World Economic Forum report. A new report, however, states that the actual length of Indian roads using the innovative, home-grown technique runs for more than 100,000km as of October.
Using recycled plastic to build roads not only curbs pollution but also creates jobs, said experts. And there’s more to it.
India’s plastic roads made from recycled materials are not only greener, but are also stronger and maintenance-free — they could last about three times as long as conventional road structures, according to new research.
According to a World Economic Forum (WEF) report, plastic can make roads more durable against extreme weather — floods and extreme heat. The Indian plastic roads solution is apart from a European road building technology using recycled plastic.
Plastic waste — mostly water or soda bottles — are first sorted. After sorting, the material is cleaned, dried, and shredded.
The shredded plastic is mixed and melted at around 170°C. Hot bitumen is then added and mixed with the melted plastic. After mixing the mixture is laid as one would with regular asphalt concrete.
Latest reports show that India has already built more than 100,000km of roads using plastic waste, which are proven to be tougher than traditional asphalt roads.
In October, the Indian government announced an investment of 6.9 trillion rupees ($11 billion) to build 83,677km of roads over the next five years.
Now, calls are growing for public works authorities to build roads with a tested technology using plastic waste, which reduces costs and makes roads more durable and thus safer. Each kilometre of a single-lane tar road can consume one tonne of plastic waste, and the plastic can double or even triple the life of the road.
At least 11 states have used the technology to build more than 100,000km of roads.