Netherlands to Try Recycled Plastic Roads; More Durable, Climate Friendly Than Asphalt

By: | August 2nd, 2015

Image courtesy http://en.volkerwessels.com/

Plastics do not biodegrade. Everything ever made from plastic still exists, creating a worldwide environmental monster.

Dutch construction company VolkerWessels is paving the way to a more sustainable world by building roads entirely out of recycled plastic.

Created by KWS Infra, the “PlasticRoad” material would have a much smaller environmental footprint, and it would also help in reducing the plastic waste headed for landfills.

Image courtesy http://en.volkerwessels.com/

Image courtesy http://en.volkerwessels.com/

Here are some of the features these plastic roads will have:

  • Roads will be made entirely from recycled plastic that has been salvaged from oceans and incineration plants.
  • The recycled plastic surface can be constructed off-site and can be delivered wherever required.
  • Plastic roads would last up to three times as long as asphalt.
  • The company assures that the road material can withstand extreme temperatures ranging from as low as -40° C (-40° F) and as high as 80° C (176° F).
  • The PlasticRoad would require less maintenance than asphalt.
  • The construction of a PlasticRoad would be much faster, requiring weeks instead of months.
  • The road would be hollow, and this hollow structure will give room for power and utility cables below the surface.

At present, this great concept is in its initial stage. However, the company is looking for partners to help develop a prototype and check how it performs in wet, slippery, and other sub-optimal conditions.

Nidhi Goyal

Nidhi is a gold medalist Post Graduate in Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences.

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