In Nepal, people have started to fill the streets with garbage, including pounds of discarded plastic, open noodle packets, cookie containers, and other synthetic waste that’s not always easy to recycle. Although the idea of walking or driving on asphalt littered with garbage may not seem appealing, several countries in America, Asia, Europe, and Africa have developed similar initiatives, albeit usually cautiously.
The key to this approach is that plastic waste isn’t simply scattered on the pavement. Instead, it’s integrated into the pavement’s structure, which some even argue enhances its durability.
Using litter to pave streets? Humans produce more than 400 million tons of plastic each year, much of it in the form of single-use packaging that’s difficult to recycle. Additionally, countries construct and resurface miles of roads annually. Why not connect these two issues? What if we could use the hardest-to-recycle synthetic waste to create pavement? What if this material is actually better than conventional asphalt?
While this idea isn’t entirely new, it’s attracted the interest of entrepreneurs and institutions in various countries over the past few years. These efforts are typically experimental, involving pilot projects and short stretches of road. However, they’ve managed to remain in the spotlight.
Where has it been tested? A quick Google search reveals that over the last five years, “paving with plastic” has gained the attention of multiple entrepreneurs and institutions worldwide. Notable examples include the U.S., the Philippines, Thailand, South Africa, the Netherlands, Singapore, and India. In fact, India has made a significant commitment to this innovative solution.
In October, Business Standard reported that India has constructed nearly 25,000 miles of rural roads incorporating plastic waste, with 8,000 miles completed in just the last two years. The idea has also gained traction in Singapore, receiving endorsement from the country’s Public Works and Highways Department.
Nepal. The South Asian country recently joined this innovative movement. According to AFP, Nepal has already completed at least one road project in Pokhara, the capital of the Gandaki Province, which has a population of 600,000. The plastic pavement initiative is supported by Green Road Waste Management, an organization working to expand its use across Nepal.
How far along is the project? Bimal Bastola, the organization’s founder, told AFP that the team has completed about a dozen projects, totaling just over a mile of paved roads. While it may not seem like much, Bastola claims that constructing each mile of pavement requires over one ton of shredded plastic. He advocates for expanding these initiatives to the government level. “We are trying to work closely with the department of roads,” he said.
The Nepali government appears to support this approach. Arjun Nepal, an engineer with the Kathmandu road department, says the country is “keen on testing this technology through pilot projects.” However, he cautions that moving forward requires establishing certain quality standards first. For now, engineers will soon conduct a test at an intersection in Kathmandu.
“We saw scope.” Bastola emphasizes the benefits of paving with synthetic waste and notes that it enables the reuse of lower-value waste materials. “We saw scope for such plastics to be utilized as a raw material, partially substituting bitumen in road construction,” he told AFP. The new system doesn’t eliminate the use of tar but instead coats the pavement components with shredded plastic.
In addition to providing a solution for the tons of plastic generated daily in urban areas of Nepal, Bastola points out that this system reduces the need for certain materials, lowers costs, and offers additional benefits for the pavement itself. “[It] prevents water infiltration and increases road lifespan,” he says. Studies indicate that these pavements can last longer than traditional pavements.
Is it perfect? That may depend on perspective. Although the system has garnered interest in several countries, including Nepal and its neighbors Bhutan and Bangladesh, not everyone is convinced it’s a viable solution–at least not yet. The World Bank has acknowledged “promising” pilot studies but emphasizes the need for further research.
What types and amounts of emissions are produced during pavement creation? How does it perform in practice? Does it release microplastics? What are the implications once these plastic roads are dismantled? In 2020, Beau Baconguis, a plastic campaigner at the Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives, said this regarding solutions like asphalt and cement infused with shredded plastic waste, “It’s garbage in, garbage out.”
Image | Samrat Khadka
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