Shredded plastic is a great additive for tar roads. :
2 Shredded plastic is a great additive for tar roads. Burying plastic forever into roads is the safest.
A new KK* Blower under patent in Bangalore introduces it uniformly into Hot-Mix Plants.
Polymer-Modified Bitumen is in use since long.
It is approved in the Indian Roads Congress’ Special Publication 53 guidelines, 1999.
Best results are with 8% waste by weight in 80/100 grade bitumen.
* KK Plastic Waste Mgt, Yelachenhalli, Bangalore 560078, Fax 080-6657725
Advantages of waste plastic in asphalt road surfaces :
3 Advantages of waste plastic in asphalt road surfaces Reduced penetration and ductility, a higher softening point, less rutting and cold cracking.
Marshall stability value is initially 25% better, later 200-300% better than unmodified roads.
Test samples show 260% improved resistance to water-soaking, hence ideal for sub-grade.
100% improvement in fatigue life of roads.
Greatly reduced road cracking after 1 year on Bangalore-Mysore Rd, vs unmodified road.
How Much Plastic? How Many roads? :
4 How Much Plastic? How Many roads? Each 5-member family’s use of 5 gm plastic bags a week, all-India = 52,000 tons a year.
Assume 50% of this is available for roads.
1.5 tons plastic goes into avg 1 km road.
So resurfacing just 35,000 km of roads a year will absorb all this littered waste. This is just
3.5 % of India’s 1 million km surfaced roads.
(1.1 million km more roads are unsurfaced).
Waste Minimisation and Infrastructure Improvement :
5 Waste Minimisation and Infrastructure Improvement India spends Rs 35,000 crores a year on road construction and repair, including
Rs 100,000 crores a year just on maintenance.
Roads lasting 2-3 times longer, will save us Rs 33,000 crores a year in repairs, plus reduced vehicle wear and tear.
8% by weight of plastic waste in bitumen = a saving of 0.4% of bitumen by weight in roads.
Negligible extra cost for far better infrastructure.
Political Will is the Missing Factor :
6 Political Will is the Missing Factor Plastic bags disposal need never be a problem:
A street price of Rs 5 per kg will reduce litter.
Corruption in road works is a major obstacle:
State and Central PWDs and National Highway Authority must incorporate waste-plastic modified bitumen into all road specifications.
BOOT road-builders will benefit the most.
For info, contact: kakbest@hotmail.com
or almitrapatel@rediffmail.com