Feasibility of Using Polyethylene Recycled Plastic as Part of the Solid Phase in Warm Mix Asphalt

Tens of millions of tons of polyethylene (PE) are manufactured annually, making it one of the most frequently used polymers in the world. Learning about new uses for this waste is essential to promote the circular economy. The current study is a preliminary laboratory assessment of the feasibility of incorporating two types of PE with different densities into the aggregate of warm mix asphalt (WMA). The moisture damage resistances of WMA with and without PE wastes were analyzed according to the Spanish specifications. The findings show a decrease in all the mechanical results in WMA with PE wastes compared to the control WMA, which was attributed to problems during manufacturing due to the PE’s melting point.