India’s first Plastic waste road has been built in Bangalore!
On the eve of Earth Day 2010, I was watching the earth day special documentary on reducing carbon emission - "Cutting Carbon Footprints" - in National Geographic Channel. A documentary that reminds all of us that we have a moral & social responsibility to planet Earth, and that we have to do our best to reduce carbon emission & leave a healthy planet for generations to come.
What caught my interest in this documentary is about a wonderful project that is occurring in Bangalore. A company is Bangalore has begun to add shredded plastic waste to road-laying materials. This morning I was browsing regarding this subject and I got to know some pro's and con's on this project.
What are the benefits of Plastic roads?
A company by the name of KK Plastic Waste Management Co. has begun to add shredded plastic waste to road-laying material (asphalt).
Plastic roads can better handle the pressure of incessant traffic and, most importantly, the harsh sun, pounding rain and other quirks of Indian weather.
More importantly, these "plastic roads" make use of tons of plastic waste. It is handy in disposing the tons of waste plastic that Bangalore’s residents produce daily.
Bangalore alone generates roughly 40 tons of plastic waste each day, or enough for about 25 miles of road. The project is off to a great start - so far 800 miles of sturdy city roads have been built, and the city has been rid of 4,000 tons of plastic waste.
Fortunately, rag pickers (trash collectors who are some of the poorest people in India) are paid to find plastic trash.
Shredded plastic binds the road material, cutting down on the need for constant repair. Since plastic is water resistant, there is less damage during heavy rains which account for the bulk of the damage to roads.
This project has allowed roads to become sturdier, plastic waste to be reduced, and it has proven to be a great way to employ people.
So far, the plan seems to be working.
What is not being considered is the degradation of plastic materials into smaller particles overtime. What happens when particulate plastic matter ends up in our water supply and is ingested by animals and human beings. Have you looked at research on this. Is anybody paying attention? Plastic as we all know does not degrade and the evidence is in our oceans whereby marine life is being heavily impacted by presence of plastics particulate matter.
Are we are creating another environmental disaster ten years down the lane?
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