Plastic has a deservedly poor reputation, however it may be somewhat redeemed by a project that is recycling the petroleum by-product and turning it into roads.
On the 11 March, the Kouga Municipality announced that they would be trialling Africa’s first plastic road in Jeffrey’s Bay.
Now, with less than a month away from completion, here are ten facts you need to know about the one-kilometre of plastic paving in J-Bay.
1. It will take 1.5 tonnes of plastic to pave 1km of road.
2. This means that the 1km pilot project in Jeffery’s Bay will use the equivalent of 1.8 million plastic bags.
3. The plastic-asphalt mix used to make the road is more durable, less prone to potholes and more heat resistant than tar.
4. The plastic surface is also cheap to maintain.
5. The plastic pellets used are made from waste that can’t be recycled and would have otherwise been thrown away or burnt.
6. Asphalt (concrete) is made of bitumen and stone. Bitumen can be extended with recycled plastic materials, reducing the amount of fossil fuel used.
7. Scottish company MacRebur, which is doing the paving, want their roads to significantly decrease the overall volume of plastic on the planet.
8. The road will eventually only use local waste from the municipality where the road is being built.
9. In addition to better roads and reducing pollution, the technology could open up economic opportunities for local communities.
10. The completion date is set for mid-October.
Featured image: MacRebur
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