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EPS waste management from coastal cleaning actions: identification of contamination sources, collection, treatment, and re-use in cement-based materials
Summary
This study developed an integrated approach for managing expanded polystyrene (EPS) waste from coastal cleanup activities, including collection, treatment, and incorporation into cement-based building materials. Reusing EPS waste from beaches reduces the amount of plastic that breaks down into microplastics in marine environments.
Finding sustainable solutions to reduce plastic waste in response to today's global environmental challenges is a high priority for the scientific community. Collaboration among many scientists with diverse research interests is the key to success for integrated proposals for the collection, treatment, and reuse of recyclable waste. This study presents proposals for integrated EPS waste management, from identifying pollution hotspots to collection routes, especially on the coast where waste is more abundant and leaves a larger footprint, to reuse in cement-based materials. This paper discusses the various options for recycling low-grade EPS and the potential applications of mortar or concrete containing EPS collected on the coast. The multiple benefits are not limited to reducing EPS waste, but benefit the entire planet, from reducing aggregate consumption to improving building insulation.