Plastic Roads: are they the answer to pothole and plastic problems? I think they are. Shropshire Council can recycle more, save money, repair more roads and prevent potholes appearing.
Cumbria County Council thinks they are the answer. They successfully completed trials in the use of recycled plastics to build long-lasting and stronger roads. Liberal Democrats run Cumbria council as part of a Joint administration.
Plastic Roads: Are they the answer?
Plastic waste that doesn’t normally have a recyclable use is heated to turn it back into the oil that it was made from. This oil can then be used to replace the bitumen used to bind the aggregates of an asphalt road together.
If recycled plastic can cut costs and the use of fossil fuels to create bitumen, produce stronger longer-lasting roads, stop plastic going to landfill and reducing our plastic waste problems, then we really should be pushing hard to use plastic roads. In the long run, we should be taking plastic out of the equation entirely. Until then we have to recycle more of the plastic which has already been made.
Did you know?
- Between 1950 and 2015 only 9% of 6.3bn tonnes of plastic made has been recycled;
- Only 44% of plastic bottles are recycled;
- Only 12% of household waste is reprocessed;
- Roads comprise of about 90% rocks, limestone & sand for strength & grip, and 10% bitumen made from crude oil to bind it together;
- Oil from recycled plastic pellets are used to replace the bitumen;
- Pellets are made from household, commercial and farm waste;
- Most commercial waste & 70% of farm waste goes to landfill or is incinerated.
- 500m of road offsets 500,000 plastic bottles or 8000,000 carrier bags
If you would like to know more about Green Liberal Democrats and what they are doing to promote Green issues please have a look at their website and consider joining them.