A sustainable model for enhancing road quality with recycled plastic bags

Plastic waste disposal is a serious and growing challenge to all major metropolitan areas around the world. If not disposed of properly, plastic waste can degrade in the environment for several years. This study investigated using recycled plastic bags in road construction. The purpose was to find a reuse for plastic waste and to improve road properties. Traditionally, bitumen is used in road surfacing and coating. Shredded plastic bags were mixed with bitumen in different ratios to determine which ratios could enhance road quality in terms of asphalt strength and durability. To identify the optimal plastic percentage content, Marshall stability, retained strength and stripping tests were applied using various of bitumen to plastic ratios. Results show that a bitumen mixture of 8% recycled plastic was the strongest and most durable for all tests.