Page 20 - Plastics News November 2017

FEATURES

India urged to build more roads with plastic waste

Government announces an investment of 6.9 trillion rupees ($11 billion) to build 83,677 km (52,000 miles)
of roads over the next five years.

ndia has the world's second-largest road network and Thiagarajar College of Engineering in the southern city of
Igiven the latest impetus India should use its biggest Madurai, uses finely shredded plastic waste that is added
investment in road construction to make its roads safer. to heated bitumen. This mix is poured over stones. The
Analysts are of the view that not only it needs to be safer plastic waste can include anything from sweet wrappers
they need to build them cheaper with a home-grown to shopping bags. The mix cuts the quantity of bitumen
technology that salvages plastic waste. Though India has required by 10 percent, Vasudevan said. He developed
the world's second-largest road network it also has one the technology in 2002 and first built a plastic road in his
of the highest numbers of road accidents globally. Official college before approaching state officials. "We spend so
data recorded more than 150,000 deaths from about much on building roads that develop potholes and need
rebuilding in no time. The road I built is still intact - there
are no potholes, no cracks. That is proof of its strength
and durability, plus it uses waste plastic that otherwise
litters streets and rivers.", Vasudevan said. At least 11
states, including Vasudevan's home state of Tamil Nadu,
have used the technology to build more than 100,000 km
of roads, he said. One student took the technology back
to Bhutan.
In 2015, the Indian government made it mandatory to
use waste plastic in building most highways. But some
states have been slow to embrace the technology,
500,000 accidents last year. Nearly a tenth of those deaths citing difficulties in segregating the plastic and bringing
were caused by accidents involving potholes, which are contractors on board. While many of the states have
a common feature of Indian roads. Earlier this month , initiated using plastic waste in road taking a leaf further
the government announced an investment of 6.9 trillion Bihar has announced recently to make use of plastic
rupees ($11 billion) to build 83,677 km (52,000 miles) of waste in road construction According to reports the
roads over the next five years. Analysts called for them state rural works department (RWD) has planned to set
to be built with a tested technology using plastic waste, up a waste plastic recycling plant to use the material in
which reduces costs and makes roads more durable and road construction. The state cabinet is likely to discuss
thus safer. "Plastic roads will not only withstand future this proposal soon. The Centre has asked the states to
monsoon damage but will also solve the problem of use plastic in at least 10% of the roads funded by it and
disposing of non-recyclable plastic," said Isher Judge CM Nitish Kumar had also instructed the officials in this
Ahluwalia, former head of a government committee on regard.
urban infrastructure.
"We will use waste plastic technology in all our
Each kilometre of a single-lane tar road can consume one construction as it is eco-friendly," RWD additional secretary
tonne of plastic waste, and the plastic can double or even Sanjaya Kumarsaid.. Kumar said the target for financial
triple the life of the road, said the economist in a paper year 2016-17 and 17-18 was to construct 600km of roads
published on Wednesday with Almitra Patel, a solid waste and the department would start using plastic once the
management expert. India produces about 15,000 tonnes recycling plant is installed and production begins.
of plastic waste daily, of which about 9,000 tonnes is
recycled. The remainder clutters landfills and clogs drains, He said either Patna Municipal Corporation or Jeevika
and is blamed for urban flooding. India has already taken would be asked to install the plant at Ramachak Bairiya
the initiative for using plastics waste in road making but for which a detailed project report (DPR) had already
a lots need to be done more. A technology developed been prepared by the PMC. PMC commissioner Abhishek
by Rajagopalan Vasudevan, a chemistry professor at Singh said work on the project would start after the RWD
approval. PMC deputy municipal commissioner Vishal

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