How plastic waste can be used effectively in roads
ROADS & HIGHWAYS

How plastic waste can be used effectively in roads

Whether it is Mumbai, Delhi or Bengaluru, the annual arrival of monsoon brings along with it the glaring issue of potholes. Between 2013 and 2017, the country has recorded 14,926 deaths because of pothole accidents. In more recent numbers, 4,775 road accidents in 2020 were from potholes and 2021 saw about 3,565 accidents. It is also around this time that authorities scramble to, quite literally, plug the issue. In a more serious case, an expressway recently caved in under the heavy rains, a mere five days after its grand opening.

Widely known as the ‘Plastic Man of India’, Dr Rajagopalan Vasudevan, Professor of Chemistry, Thiagarajar College of Engineering, Madurai, is credited with developing the innovative method of using plastic waste in road construction. Working under the motto of “Plan, Don’t Ban”, the Padma Shri awardee has been developing the use of plastic in various areas such as tiles, sanitaryware, in toilets, ‘plastone’ (plastic-stone) blocks, and many more. He shares more on the process, application and benefits of using plastics as an alternative to road construction.

The process

India has 46 lakh km of roads. To convert all these roads into plastic-made roads, I need 250 lakh tonne of plastic and India produces about 10 lakh tonne. The entire process can be broken down into four parts: collect it, cut it, dry it and use it. The process itself is quite easy and doesn’t require any high-tech machinery.

To read the full article, CLICK HERE.

Whether it is Mumbai, Delhi or Bengaluru, the annual arrival of monsoon brings along with it the glaring issue of potholes. Between 2013 and 2017, the country has recorded 14,926 deaths because of pothole accidents. In more recent numbers, 4,775 road accidents in 2020 were from potholes and 2021 saw about 3,565 accidents. It is also around this time that authorities scramble to, quite literally, plug the issue. In a more serious case, an expressway recently caved in under the heavy rains, a mere five days after its grand opening. Widely known as the ‘Plastic Man of India’, Dr Rajagopalan Vasudevan, Professor of Chemistry, Thiagarajar College of Engineering, Madurai, is credited with developing the innovative method of using plastic waste in road construction. Working under the motto of “Plan, Don’t Ban”, the Padma Shri awardee has been developing the use of plastic in various areas such as tiles, sanitaryware, in toilets, ‘plastone’ (plastic-stone) blocks, and many more. He shares more on the process, application and benefits of using plastics as an alternative to road construction. The process India has 46 lakh km of roads. To convert all these roads into plastic-made roads, I need 250 lakh tonne of plastic and India produces about 10 lakh tonne. The entire process can be broken down into four parts: collect it, cut it, dry it and use it. The process itself is quite easy and doesn’t require any high-tech machinery. To read the full article, CLICK HERE.

Related Stories

Gold Stories

Next Story
Products

Koemmerling opens Navi Mumbai experience centre

Koemmerling, a brand of the profine Group, has expanded its presence in the Mumbai metropolitan region with the opening of a new experience centre in Navi Mumbai and launched its Allure S46 minimal sliding door system for the Indian market.Located in CBD Belapur, the facility was inaugurated by Peter Mrosik, Owner and CEO, profine Group, along with Farid Khan, Chairman and Managing Director, profine India, and Kamal Bajaj, CEO, profine India.The company said the new centre will showcase its portfolio of uPVC and aluminium window and door systems to architects, developers and homeowners.The ina..

Next Story
Products

India's waterproofing market nears Rs 150 bn milestone

India's waterproofing industry is approaching a market size of Rs 150 billion and is expected to surpass the $2 billion milestone, according to speakers at the 2nd India International Waterproofers Conference & Expo 2026 organised by the Waterproofers Association of India (WAI) in New Delhi.The two-day event brought together more than 20 speakers, 55 international delegates and 53 exhibition booths, with discussions focusing on climate-resilient construction, advanced waterproofing technologies and international collaboration.Inaugurating the event, Durga Shanker Mishra, former Secretary, ..

Next Story
Real Estate

Dilip Buildcon Q1 FY27 Revenue at Rs 23.78 billion

Dilip Buildcon Limited reported consolidated revenue from operations of Rs 2,378 crore in Q1 FY27, along with EBITDA of Rs 429 crore and profit after tax of Rs 128 crore.Consolidated EBITDA margin stood at 18.1%, improving from 17.1% in Q4 FY26. On a standalone basis, revenue from operations was Rs 1,930 crore, EBITDA stood at Rs 199 crore and PAT was Rs 39 crore, with an EBITDA margin of 10.3%.The company’s order book stood at Rs 27,691 crore as of 30 June 2026, compared with Rs 28,830 crore as of 31 March 2026. Roads and highways accounted for 17.1% of the order book, irrigation and water ..

Advertisement

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Get daily newsletters around different themes from Construction world.

STAY CONNECTED

Advertisement