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Engineering properties, microplastics and emissions assessment of recycled plastic modified asphalt mixtures
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Researchers evaluated the mechanical performance and environmental impact of adding recycled low-density polyethylene and commingled plastics to hot-mix asphalt, finding reduced moisture resistance but also assessing microplastic release and emissions from these recycled plastic-modified road materials.
The use of recycled plastic in asphalt is raising interest since contributing to increase the sustainability of roads pavements. The engineering performance of such roads are commonly assessed but scarcely correlated to the environmental impacts of incorporating recycled plastic in asphalt. This research encompasses an evaluation of the mechanical behaviour and environmental impact of introducing low melting point recycled plastics, low density polyethylene and commingled polyethylene/polypropylene, to conventional hot mix asphalt. While this investigation reveals a reduction in moisture resistance between 5 and 22 % contingent on the plastic content, the benefits include a significant 150 % enhancement in fatigue resistance and 85 % improvement in rutting resistance when compared with conventional hot mix asphalt (HMA). From an environmental perspective, high-temperature asphalt production with higher plastic content resulted in decreased gaseous emissions for both types of recycled plastics up to 21 %. Further comparison studies indicate that microplastic generation from recycled plastic-modified asphalt is comparable to that from commercial polymer-modified asphalt products, long employed by the industry. Overall, the use of low melting point recycled plastics as an asphalt modifier is promising since offering both engineering and environmental benefits when compared to conventional asphalt.
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Researchers systematically reviewed plastic-modified asphalt, finding that while recycled plastic waste can improve road performance in some cases, it also poses environmental health risks through microplastic release, carcinogenic compound emissions, and volatile organic compound off-gassing, with cost-effectiveness varying widely by plastic type and processing method.
Recycling micro polypropylene in modified hot asphalt mixture
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This study incorporated recycled polypropylene microplastics into hot asphalt mixtures and evaluated the resulting performance, finding that small additions of plastic waste can improve certain mechanical properties of asphalt while offering a pathway to reuse plastic waste in road construction.
Investigating the Potential Release of Microplastics from Recycled Plastic Modified Asphalt Pavement
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Researchers investigated whether microplastics are released from recycled plastic-modified asphalt pavement, examining the potential for road surfaces incorporating plastic waste to become a secondary source of microplastic pollution in surrounding environments.
Investigating the potential release of microplastics from recycled plastic modified asphalt pavement
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Lab-made asphalt mixed with recycled plastic was tested under conditions mimicking long-term wear, then checked for microplastic release. Both the recycled-plastic asphalt and regular control asphalt showed similar particle contamination, making it unclear whether the recycled plastic itself released microplastics.
Performance and environmental impacts of waste plastic-modified asphalt pavement: a comprehensive review
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This review examined recent research on using waste plastic to modify asphalt pavement and found that it generally improves road durability while reducing harmful emissions during production. However, challenges remain around plastic-bitumen compatibility and potential microplastic release during the pavement's lifetime, and the authors call for more standardized environmental assessments to ensure the approach is truly sustainable.
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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.