(CTN News) – The Department of Rural Roads has achieved a milestone in sustainable infrastructure by successfully integrating recycled plastic in road construction.
Thailand’s net zero-waste goals appear to be within reach now that the Department of Rural Roads’ pilot project to build roads with recycled plastic mixed with asphalt concrete has proven successful.
According to director-general Apirat Chaiwongnoi, the department constructed four roads with this unique mixture in 2019, totaling approximately 6 kilometers.
He said these roads were thoroughly tested and met all specifications set by the department’s research and development bureau.
“Using plastic waste as a raw material in the construction of roads could potentially reduce 5 tonnes of plastic waste for every kilometre of road built,” he claimed. “This could revolutionise the standard of building infrastructure, as it will help minimise environmental impact through the use of recyclable materials as well as reducing energy usage.”
Apirat said that because the initial experiment was so successful, the department intends to utilize this plastic-mixed asphalt to repair damage on Highway No. 3140, which connects the province’s Muang district with Nakhon Ratchasima Airport. Work on the road, which is roughly 3 kilometers long, will begin before the conclusion of the fiscal year.
“This new material can be used to construct roads as well as repair damages,” the politician stated. “With wider usage of plastic in roads, we hope to see communities and enterprises joining the effort by sorting out their waste and providing us with raw materials for roads made of plastic mixed with asphalt.”
The recycled plastic road project began in 2018 in partnership with the Department of Highways, Department of Rural Roads, SCG, Dow Thailand Group, and Chiang Mai University.