The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), in collaboration with the Department of Science and Innovation (DSI), is working on a demonstration project to evaluate the feasibility of using waste plastic in local road construction.<\/p>\n
The project aims to identify different low-value plastic waste types – meaning waste plastics that are not currently attractive to the South African recycling sector – and evaluate their use as a binder\/bitumen modifier in asphalt road surfacing.<\/p>\n
Georges Mturi, senior researcher and manager of CSIR\u2019s Advanced Material Testing Laboratories, says the idea is to support industry and government in finding new and local end-use markets for waste plastic.<\/p>\n
“These requirements ensure that roads are built using quality materials that comply with proven performance criteria, in order to produce durable roads,” he said.<\/p>\n
“As such, any new plastic materials or plastic-modified materials utilised in the local industry must be incorporated into road specimens and tested for compliance to the set criteria before they can be implemented in South Africa.”<\/p>\n
The use of waste plastic in road construction is not new.<\/p>\n
The technology has been used both in Africa and internationally, including Australia, Canada, Ghana, India, Kenya, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, the United Kingdom and the United States of America.<\/p>\n
However, the South African road construction industry is governed by strict national standards and specifications to ensure the performance of road pavements.<\/p>\n
CSIR expert professor Linda Godfrey said the intention is to make sure that this technology is implemented in a responsible manner in South Africa.<\/p>\n
“At a time when there is so much attention on the leakage of plastic into the environment, it is important that this technology is implemented in a way that does not cause further environmental harm; for example, through the generation of microplastics from the wear and tear of these road surfaces,” she said.<\/p>\n
“We want to support the growth of the waste and recycling sector in South Africa by providing credible evidence to support decision-making.”<\/p>\n
First plastic road<\/strong><\/p>\n The Kouga Municipality in the Eastern Cape begun<\/a> <\/strong>work on South Africa\u2019s first plastic road in August 2019.<\/p>\n The idea of a plastic road was first mooted by the DA-led municipality as far back as 2016, with the project officially receiving approval at the start of 2019.<\/p>\n