The Use of Waste Polythene Sachet as Fiber in the Production of Concrete

Approximately 30 years ago in West Africa, the packaging of drinking water became available in the form of low-density polyethylene (LDPE) sachets. This practice, still prevalent today, has resulted in significant health and pollution issues due to inadequate methods for collecting and disposing of Waste Polythene Sachets (WPS). This paper aims to explore an innovative approach to valorize WPS by incorporating it as fibers in concrete. Consequently, the impact of these recycled plastic fibers on the engineering properties of ordinary concrete was investigated. Two mix ratios, 1:2:4 and 1:1.5:3, were cast (water-cement ratio = 0.5) with 0%, 0.25%, 0.5%, and 1% replacement by total mass of constituents using 5 mm x 40 mm shredded pieces of WPS. The results indicate that, regardless of the dosage, the inclusion of fibers does not significantly affect workability (slump and compaction factor) or the strength development from 3 days to 28 days. Particularly at 28 days, the compressive strength and tensile splitting strength exceed the characteristic values specified by European codes up to 0.5% fiber dosage (at least + 10% and + 2.5% on average for compressive strength and tensile strength, respectively). This research emphasizes the potential reuse of WPS as an alternative method for waste disposal.