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Advanced Recycling of Modified EDPM Rubber in Bituminous Asphalt Paving
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Researchers explored recycling discarded COVID-19 surgical masks by incorporating them into bituminous asphalt for road pavement. Testing showed the mask material, made from modified rubber and polypropylene, could be blended into asphalt base courses without compromising structural performance, offering a potential circular-economy approach to managing pandemic plastic waste.
One of the environmental problems worldwide is the enormous number of surgical masks used during the COVID-19 pandemic due to the measures imposed by the World Health Organization on the mandatory use of masks in public spaces. The current study is a potential circular economy approach to recycling the surgical masks discarded into the environment during the COVID-19 pandemic for use in bituminous asphalt pavement. FTIR analysis showed that the surgical masks used were made from ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) rubber modified with polypropylene. The effects of the addition of surgical masks in bituminous asphalt on the performance of the base course were demonstrated in this study. The morphology and elemental composition of the bituminous asphalt pavement samples with two ratios of surgical mask composition were investigated by SEM-EDX and the performance of the modified bituminous asphalt pavement was determined by Marshall stability, flow rate, solid–liquid ratio, apparent density, and water absorption. The study refers to the technological innovation of using surgical masks in the formulation of AB 31.5 bituminous asphalt base course, which brings tremendous benefits to the environment by reducing the damage caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Repurposing the disposable face masks in hot mix asphalt: Enhancing pavement performance and addressing plastic waste pollution
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Researchers investigated repurposing shredded single-use polypropylene face masks as an additive in hot mix asphalt, evaluating improvements to mechanical performance of the pavement while simultaneously addressing the surge in disposable mask waste generated during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Recycling of Polymer Components From Waste Face Masks for Asphalt Modification: A Mini Review
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Polymer components recovered from waste face masks (a major source of plastic waste since the COVID-19 pandemic) were recycled and incorporated into new materials. The study supports developing circular recycling pathways for the large volume of disposable mask plastic that otherwise risks fragmenting into microplastics.
A Safe Collection Process of Covid-19 Disposable Face Masks for the Applications in Asphalt Pavements
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This study developed a theoretical collection and processing pathway for disposable COVID-19 face masks to enable their use as a material in asphalt pavement. The pandemic generated massive quantities of mask waste, which contains polypropylene microplastics; the proposed approach offers a way to divert this waste from landfills while making use of its material properties.
Infrastructure in the Age of Pandemics: Utilizing Polypropylene-Based Mask Waste for Durable and Sustainable Road Pavements
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Researchers investigated sterilized shredded polypropylene mask residues (SMR) from pandemic-era disposable masks as modifiers for asphalt pavement, testing SMR additions at 3, 6, and 9 weight percent using thin-layer chromatography, flame ionization detection, and other advanced characterization methods. The study found that SMR-modified asphalt exhibited improved durability and mechanical properties, offering a sustainable strategy for diverting mask waste into road infrastructure.
Evaluating the cost of collection, processing, and application of face masks in hot-mix asphalt (HMA) pavements
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Researchers calculated the full costs of collecting, shredding, and incorporating waste COVID-19 face masks into road asphalt, finding that while initial costs are similar to conventional pavement for shorter roads, mask-modified asphalt saves about 29% in maintenance costs over a 40-year lifespan due to improved durability.
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When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.