Buoyed by the success of its experiment on a few stretches, Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) is seriously considering using plastic wastage in laying of roads wherever it is time for re-carpeting post monsoons.
Plastic roads, as they are referred to, contain five % of plastic waste in the bitumen mix, which helps the tar bind stronger with the ‘metal’ or gravel, thereby holding the road steadily even under vehicle or monsoon pressure.
Good results
Last year, the corporation experimented with plastic roads by laying a stretch of them in every division. The results are good, officials say.
“We have noticed that the plastic roads, wherever they were laid, weathered well, and did not give away during the recent downpour. We will seriously consider mixing plastic in the bitumen at the time of re-carpeting,” a senior official said.
For this, plastic from the waste generated in the city will be refined, recycled, and crushed into small pellets, before being mixed in the bitumen. The quantity used would be very less, as only five % plastic is mixed in the bitumen. A report on the status of plastic roads will be summoned from all divisions, and a decision will be taken accordingly.