Recycled Plastic Roads : eco-friendly roads

These Eco-Friendly Roads are Low-Maintenance and Easy to Install

Published: Jul 14, 2015 • References: en.volkerwessels & treehugger

A Dutch construction firm called 'VolkerWessels' has begun drawing up plans for revolutionary eco-friendly roads made from recycled plastic. Currently most roads are made from asphalt, which is problematic because this material emits a great deal of carbon dioxide and contributes to urban heat island effects. VolkerWessels has devised a way to combat these issues by making use of plastic waste as a roadbed material.

The eco-friendly roads would be made entirely out of recycled plastic. Plastic is an ideal construction material because it is lighter and hollow, meaning less weight on the ground. These features mean shorter construction times and less long-term maintenance. Plastic would also make it easier for road crews to install utility pipelines and other cables below the surface of the road.

VolkerWessels is going to begin testing its new plastic roadbeds in Rotterdam. If the project is successful, we may soon begin seeing plastic roads replacing asphalt as a primary construction material.