Plastic roads: Kerala's answer to plastic waste menace

 Until recently, Kerala was struggling to find a viable method to dispose of plastic waste accumulating in the cities and streets across the state. 

But things changed positively after Kerala State Public Works Department (PWD) started using shredded plastic waste in road tarring. The sustainable use of plastic in road construction is now a success story. Following the initial experiments, more panchayats and municipalities have started using the plastic shreds for road construction in a big way. So far, the PWD and the local self-government bodies have reused eight tonnes of plastic waste for road building. 

Now, the demand is high in the state for shredded plastic waste. The PWD has approached the Clean Kerala Company, a waste management initiative under Local Self Govt. Department, demanding 15 tonnes of plastic waste for road making. 

Plastic carry bags below 50 microns, which cannot be recycled, are used along with bitumen for tarring roads. Nearly 1,700 kilograms of plastic waste can be utilised in the construction of one kilometre long road. Grama Panchayats and municipalities have found a new source of revenue by setting up plastic shredding units. They sell shredded plastic to Clean Kerala Company at Rs.20 per kilogram. 

The government had issued guidelines to LSGs to use 10% plastic in the bitumen mix while building roads. The PWD had also promised to allocate 15% additional funds to build plastic roads.   

• plastic waste
• recycling plastic
• Kerala
• Waste management
• Plastic roads