Innovative solution to plastic pollution
Consumers around the world, including in SA, are increasingly aware of the harmful effects of single-use plastics. Who would have thought, however, that you could take rubbish and make a “plastic road” said to be stronger than the traditional alternative? And, what is more, that these new roads could potentially generate jobs and keep plastic out of landfills? It sounds incredible, but that is what the Kouga Municipality is hoping to do, with a stretch of road near Jeffreys Bay set to be the first in the country to use recycled plastic.
The particular British invention featured in The Herald on Tuesday takes plastic bottles and shopping bags – both of which are single-use plastics which litter far too many of our roads and beaches – and processes them into pellets.
These replace the bitumen as the “glue” in asphalt roads. The pellets, the firm claims, offer a stronger seal and make the road more heat resistant and less prone to potholes.
It appears too good to be true and we are not surprised the politicians who first heard about it were dubious. Even though similar technologies have been used in India for more than a decade, in the UK the engineer involved himself admits it took a long time to convince his local council – and asphalt manufacturers – that the surface did work.
However, if there is a cost-effective way to mix recycled plastic with asphalt to make better, stronger roads then we applaud the local authority for taking this initiative.
In theory at least, a part of the answer to the world’s plastic pollution problem could be right under our feet.
There are many questions to be answered, not least of which are health and safety concerns associated with breaking down plastics into microparticles.
It is too early to say if the process will live up to its promise. However, that should not deter the authorities from investigating this option.
After all, an overwhelmingly bleak problem – which plastic pollution around the world most definitely is – increasingly demands an innovative solution. How wonderful if a “plastic road” is indeed part of the solution.