Echoing the idea of sustainability, several projects have borne fruit under the Swachh Bharat Mission in India. However, unrecycled plastic still remains one of the prominent reasons for worry in the country. But, the government has come up with a solution to put this material to good use. Wondering how? Well, so far, India has built 1 lakh kilometres of road from plastic waste!
Roads Made From Plastic Waste In India
In 2019, the central government had announced that plastic waste will be used in constructing major roads like highways. True to this, the 270-kilometre-long Jammu Kashmir National highway, and the Delhi-Meerut highway have roads with plastic in them. However, the process started long ago, with several districts and villages in India already utilising the material to construct small roads. Today, major cities in like Pune, Surat, Indore, Chennai and Jamshedpur have good stretches of roads made from plastic waste. Now, the country has over 1 lakh kilometres of such roads.
Also Read: Delhi’s International Airport Becomes First In India To No Longer Have Single-Use Plastic
Why Are Roads Made From Plastic Waste Better?
Traditionally, roads paved with bitumen are quite expensive. This is because bitumen is extracted by distilling crude oil, which is also harmful for the environment. On the other hand, roads made with a blend of plastic waste are relatively environment-friendly. They are also economical. According to Hindustan, the sister publication of Hindustan Times, for every one kilometre of road, nine tonnes of bitumen and one tonne of plastic waste were used. This saved up to ₹30,000 on every tonne of bitumen that otherwise would have been used.
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Also Read: Indian Railways Sets Up First Plastic Crushing Machine Inside A Train
All over India, cafes have also come up with novel initiatives to urge people to recycle plastic. For instance, there are cafes in Gujarat and Chhattisgarh where people can get free snacks when they bring along some plastic waste. And what better than food to motivate people? On that note, here’s one such cafe in Delhi as well:
To achieve such a big agenda, we think it’s a good idea to start small. India generates tonnes of plastic waste daily, and it’s essential to recycle it properly. As for what remains, the examples of roads and cafes show that it can be put into some good use!