Plastic Waste: Solution for Paving Sustainable Roads

Nowadays every recent advancement or technology comes with the title of ecofriendly, sustainable, green approach, environment benign. Plastic, some decades before is a subject of interest due to its exceptional properties but nowadays it comes with legislative limits. In recent years, the use of plastics has been controlled under government rules and regulations due to its non-biodegradable nature. Plastic plays a prominent role in various sectors due to having diversified applications. Their remarkable properties make them unique products. Single-use plastics mainly contribute to plastic pollution. They are lying on the ground and releasing toxic chemicals into the environment which become a serious threat to the ecosystem. Due to modernization and industrialization, the construction industry is growing at the rate of knots. Road construction is the key factor to help to grow this industrial revolution. It also connects people and brings crucial social benefits. Roads contribute greatly to economic development. In recent studies, it has been found that waste plastic greatly contributes to road construction due to its specific properties. Plastics boost up the rheological properties of bitumen and increase binding efficiency and can be mixed with bitumen and aggregate for road construction. The present chapter describes the role of waste plastic in road making. The process for this is broadly discussed with process design and advantages, disadvantages. Special emphasis has been given to the recent advancement of waste plastic in road construction scenarios.