Central Govt. Urges States, UTs to Use Plastic Waste in Urban Road Infrastructure

New Delhi, August 24, 2024: Plastic waste management has become one of the biggest, uncontrolled challenge in the recent year. To address the challenge, the central government has asked states and union territories (UTs) to use plastic waste in city road construction. The states and UTs are advised to use plastic waste 8 percent of the weight of bitumen for road construction of cities, including the internal roads of housing colonies and offices. 

In 2013, the Indian Road Congress had released guidelines for the use of plastic waste in road construction. Furthermore, in 2015, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) mandated states and UTs to utilize plastic waste with bitumen in constructing the roads within a 50km periphery of urban areas with apopulation of 5 lakh and above. Against this backdrop, through a written communication, the Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry recently asked the states and UTs to take steps to implement the Indian Road Congress guidelines.

The center has also asked the states and UTs to take up the issue with their key road construction departments - Rural Development Department, PWD and Panchayati Raj.

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Experts, however, are of a different opinion than considering the use of plastic waste in road construction as the best solution to plastic waste management.

“Using plastic waste in road making is a form of end of life disposal, which is the least preferred option compared to mechanical recycling and co-processing. Reduction of plastic waste should be the first and most preferred option, followed by mechanical recycling and co-processing,” Siddharth Ghanshyam Singh, programme manager for the Centre for Science and Environment’s for municipal solid waste and circular economy unit was quoted telling The Indian Express.

As of July 2021, around 703 km of National Highways have been built using plastic waste. Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) and Municipality of Tamil Naduhave also been using plastic waste in its road construction. Some experts believe that plastic waste can improve the stability, strength, and lifespan of roads and is more water-resistant.