We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Performance and environmental impacts of waste plastic-modified asphalt pavement: a comprehensive review
Summary
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.
Plastic waste has become a major global concern due to its adverse environmental and human health impacts. Incorporating waste plastic into asphalt pavements provides a sustainable solution that reduces pollution while enhancing pavement performance. This review synthesises recent advances (2021–2025) in plastic-modified bitumen and asphalt by integrating engineering performance, environmental risk, and life cycle assessment (LCA) perspectives. It develops a clear framework that links material performance with environmental emissions and overall sustainability, and highlights key research gaps related to materials utilisation, microplastic release, recyclability and LCA. Findings indicate that plastic modification improves rutting resistance, fatigue life, and moisture durability, and reduces emissions of harmful substances during production and service, which aligns with SDG 12, 13, and 14. In addition, the integration of waste plastics into asphalt enables cleaner material pathways by minimising the reliance on virgin polymers and mitigating emissions during production and application stages. However, challenges such as poor plastic-bitumen compatibility and limited low-temperature flexibility persist. The review further highlights the need for standardised datasets, region-specific LCAs, and long-term field monitoring to ensure reliable environmental assessments. Overall, this study provides an updated synthesis and research roadmap for materials scientists, pavement engineers, and policymakers to advance the sustainable design, evaluation, and large-scale implementation of waste plastic-modified asphalt pavements within a circular-economy framework.
Sign in to start a discussion.
More Papers Like This
A systematic review on sustainable utilization of plastic waste in asphalt: assessing environmental and health impact, performance, and economic viability
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.
Recent advances in the construction of sustainable asphalt roads with recycled plastic
This review examines the growing use of recycled plastics in road asphalt, tracing the practice back to the 1980s and identifying key challenges around performance, durability, and the risk of microplastic release from plastic-modified road surfaces. The authors conclude that while promising for waste reduction, more research is needed on long-term environmental impacts.
Plastic-Waste-Modified Asphalt for Sustainable Road Infrastructure: A Comprehensive Review
This review provides a comprehensive analysis of using waste plastics to modify asphalt for road construction, covering six major plastic types and both wet and dry processing methods. The study evaluated 42 peer-reviewed studies and found that integrating waste plastics into asphalt can enhance pavement performance while promoting circular economy principles, though environmental considerations such as microplastic release need further assessment.
A Comprehensive Review on the Use of Polyethylene Waste in Hot Mix Asphalt: Material Properties, Performance Enhancement, and Sustainability Perspectives
This review examines the use of low-density and high-density polyethylene waste as modifiers in hot mix asphalt, finding that PE incorporation can improve binder performance and pavement durability while diverting plastic waste from landfills. The authors assess material properties, environmental benefits, and economic considerations, positioning plastic-modified asphalt as a viable circular economy approach in road construction.
A Comprehensive Review of Applications and Environmental Risks of Waste Plastics in Asphalt Pavements
This comprehensive review examined the use of waste plastics (PE, PP, PS, PVC, PET) as asphalt modifiers, covering modification mechanisms, incorporation techniques (wet and dry processes), and environmental risks. While waste-plastic asphalt can improve high-temperature stability and reduce landfill disposal, microplastic shedding from pavement wear remains an unresolved environmental hazard.