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Marine Plastic Waste in Construction: A Systematic Review of Applications in the Built Environment
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This systematic review evaluates how recycled marine plastic waste can be used in construction materials like concrete, asphalt, bricks, and insulation. Reusing ocean plastics in buildings could help reduce the amount of plastic pollution in the environment. While performance varies, this approach offers a promising way to address marine plastic waste while creating useful building materials.
Marine plastic pollution represents a critical environmental challenge, with millions of tons of plastic waste entering the oceans annually and threatening ecosystems, biodiversity, and human health. This systematic review evaluates the current state of the art in recycling and reusing marine plastic waste within the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) sectors, following the PRISMA methodology. Sixty-six peer-reviewed articles published between 2015 and 2025 were analysed, focusing on the integration of plastic waste. The review identifies mechanical recycling as the predominant method, involving washing and shredding plastics into fibres or flakes for use in cementitious composites, asphalt modifiers, bricks, panels, and insulation. Results indicate that recycled plastics, such as PET, HDPE, and PP, can enhance thermal insulation, water resistance, and flexural strength in non-structural applications. However, challenges persist regarding compressive strength, fibre dispersion, and chemical compatibility with cementitious matrices. Although the reuse of marine plastics supports circular economy goals by diverting waste from oceans and landfills, significant gaps remain in long-term durability, microplastic release, end-of-life recyclability, and comprehensive environmental assessments. The findings underscore the need for further research on the broader adoption of life cycle analysis, as well as long-term durability and environmental contamination analyses.
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Recycling of Plastic Waste in the Construction Industry
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This review examines the use of recycled plastic waste in construction applications including concrete, asphalt, insulation, and structural composites, assessing the performance, durability, and environmental benefits of incorporating waste plastics into building materials to reduce landfill disposal.
Systematic Review of Plastic Waste as Eco-Friendly Aggregate for Sustainable Construction
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This systematic review examines how recycled plastic waste can be used as a substitute for traditional aggregates in concrete and construction materials. Using plastic waste in construction could divert it from landfills and waterways where it breaks down into microplastics. The review evaluates the structural performance and environmental benefits of incorporating plastic into building materials.
A Survey on Use of Non-Recyclable Waste in Construction
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This survey reviews strategies for incorporating non-recyclable plastic waste into construction materials, documenting the environmental threat posed by plastic waste in marine ecosystems and its effects on wildlife and human health. The authors conclude that using plastic waste as a component in cementitious composites offers the most promising avenue for improving environmental sustainability while providing a practical construction material.
A critical review of the current progress of plastic waste recycling technology in structural materials
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Researchers reviewed technologies for recycling plastic waste into construction materials such as concrete and asphalt, finding this approach can meaningfully reduce the environmental burden of plastic pollution. Incorporating plastic waste into building materials offers a practical path toward both waste reduction and more sustainable construction.
The Holistic Approach of Plastic Waste Recycling for Sustainable Development
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This review examines how plastic waste can be incorporated into construction materials including bricks, tiles, concrete, and roads as a binder, aggregate, or modifier. The authors find that using plastic waste in construction reduces landfill burden and dependence on mined resources, though performance effects vary by application.
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