Page 46 - Plastics News December 2016
P. 46
FEATURES 10
INDIA 2017
International Plastics Exhibition & Conference
Where the future of plastic is...
JAN 2017
19 20 21 22 23 MUMBAI. INDIA
Plastics Road finally kicks off in the country
Most of the states in India following the government order have been using plastics waste in road
construction thus helping to overcome the problem of plastic waste disposal.
AGovernment order in November 2015 made it inspiration from Professor Rajagopalan Vasudevan of
mandatory for all road developers in the country Madurai based-Thiagarajar College of Engineering (TEC),
to use waste plastic, along with bituminous mixes, for MBMC’s Public Work Department (PWD) has prepared a
road construction. This is to help overcome the growing proposal of utilising hazardous plastic refuse for road
problem of plastic waste disposal in India. While many construction work in the twin-city.
states in the country have already developed and
implemented the orders others are following the suit. PMC makes the maiden initiatives
Although earlier a handful of corporate did experiment for Plastics Road
to use plastics in construction of road however this was
restricted only as a part of CSR or on study basis. But The Pune Municipal Corporation's maiden initiative to
with the government making it an order, things actually resurface a road using the
began to work for the betterment of plastics waste over mixture of plastic waste was
the year. completed successfully the
Navi Peth area. The civic body
Starting with the city had taken up a small stretch
of Mumbai Maharashtra of road for resurfacing — a
government was the baby step towards adopting a
first one to decide
using plastic waste in tried and tested technology. The mission accomplished,
building roads. It was it now plans to extend the initiative at 10 more roads in
also decided that in the beginning, municipal corporations phases. Resurfacing of roads with plastic mix is likely to
with a population of over 5 lakh and municipal councils be conducted at Rajendranagar, Vimannagar, Magarpatta
that have a population of over 2 lakh will be asked to City, Koregaon Park, Mithanagar, Balewadi, Model Colony,
include plastic waste for building roads in 50-km radius, Yerawada and the Baner Road area. Officials stressed they
the official said. For every 100 kg of tar used to build would be seeking weekly report of every work. The civic
asphalt roads, 3 to 6 kg of plastic will be mixed in it, he body said it used plastic waste in the bituminous mix for
said, adding materials like plastic carry bags, sacks, milk resurfacing the road at Navi Peth. The mixing was done
pouches, bin linings, cosmetic and detergent bottles, according to the prescribed guidelines of the Indian Road
drinking water bottles, bottle caps, household Congress (IRC). About 4% of shredded plastic was mixed
with every tonne of bituminous mix, which comes to
Plastic waste for sturdy roads by about 50kg. "We have started the use of plastic mix by
Mira-Bhayandar Municipal Corporation resurfacing a 150-metre-long road in the Navi Peth area.
The first attempt looks perfect. Now, more roads will be
Bumpy rides due to pothole-ridden roads may soon resurfaced using the similar plastic mix. The civic body
be a thing of the past, has been working on the project for the past two months.
if the Mira-Bhayandar Various laboratory tests and trials were conducted on the
Municipal Corporation’s mixture. The permission of technical committee was also
(MBMC) new initiative of obtained," said Rajendra Raut, the head of PMC's road
using bitumen technology department. He said shredded plastic of 2.36mm to 600
on waste plastic, ranging microns was used in the mixture. The civic body would
from poly bags to biscuit be able to gauge the mixture's durability, water resistant
packets, for re-laying roads proves successful. Taking capacity and density in the next few days.
• December 2016 • Plastics News 46
