Odisha plans use of plastic waste in road construction

The move gained momentum after the recent announcement of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to put an end to single-use plastic.
For representational purpose only.
For representational purpose only.

BHUBANESWAR: As road construction provides a solution to the gigantic problem of plastic wastes, the State Government on Wednesday asked the Works department to prepare a guideline for the use of the environmentally unfriendly waste in construction works. The directive of the State Government came in the wake of the Centre asking all States to use plastic waste in road construction.

The move gained momentum after the recent announcement of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to put an end to single-use plastic. In a recent letter to Chief Secretary Ashit Tripathy, Union Rural Development Secretary Amarjeet Sinha advised the State to increase the recycling rate as plastic waste is choking urban centres and disposal of such wastes needs to be taken up in a systematic manner.

The Centre has made it mandatory for all road developers in the country to use plastic waste for road construction since 2015. Making a review on the use of green technology for road construction, the Chief Secretary asked the Works department to prepare a schedule of rate taking into account the technical, financial and feasibility of using plastic wastes.

Since the State is constructing more than 8,000 km of rural roads every year under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY), the Centre’s flagship rural connectivity programme, use of plastic waste will not only increase the life and durability of the roads but also combat plastic waste in most effective manner, official sources said. According to a rough estimate, the State generates about 150 tonne of plastic per day from 2024 Wards of 114 urban local bodies.

Use of plastic waste in road works

Recycling the plastic in road construction and cement manufacturing will reduce the environmental hazard to a great extent, the sources said. The Panchayati Raj Department has been asked to put a mechanism in place for collection of waste plastics in rural areas and the same will be handed over to the Housing and Urban Development department at identified points. After segregation of the plastic materials, it will be used in road construction and cement. Shredded waste plastic of less than 4 mm size is mixed with bitumen at high temperature before laying bituminous roads. “Plastic waste helps increase the strength of the roads and reduces road fatigue. These roads are better resistant to rains and durable for a long period,” said an officer of the Rural Development department. Once recyclable plastic finds a ready use, its value will go up and households will sort it out from other waste.

Related Stories

No stories found.
The New Indian Express
www.newindianexpress.com