Papers

61,005 results
|
Article Tier 2

Valorization of post-consumer plastic packaging into a composite material

This study developed a composite building material from post-consumer mixed plastic packaging waste, providing a higher-value end use that diverts plastic from landfill. Using plastic waste in durable construction products reduces the amount available to degrade into microplastics in the environment.

2023 Proceedings of International Exchange and Innovation Conference on Engineering & Sciences (IEICES)
Article Tier 2

Experimental Tests on Lightweight Cement Mortar and Concrete with Recycled Plastic Wastes

This paper is not relevant to microplastics research — it tests the mechanical properties of cement mortar and concrete incorporating recycled plastic waste granules as aggregate substitutes, a construction materials engineering study.

2023 Buildings 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Investigating the Mechanical and Thermal Properties of Concrete with Recycled Nanoplastics for Enhanced Sustainability

Researchers investigated the effects of incorporating recycled nanoplastics into concrete mixtures, evaluating the impact on mechanical properties including tensile, compressive, and splitting strength as well as thermal stability and insulation, framing nanoplastic waste as a potentially beneficial construction material additive.

2023 Annales de Chimie Science des Matériaux 5 citations
Article Tier 2

A Survey on Use of Non-Recyclable Waste in Construction

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.

2022 International Journal for Research in Applied Science and Engineering Technology
Article Tier 2

A Step towards Sustainable Concrete with Substitution of Plastic Waste in Concrete: Overview on Mechanical, Durability and Microstructure Analysis

This review evaluates the use of plastic waste as a substitute material in concrete, analyzing its effects on mechanical strength, durability, and microstructure to assess its viability as a sustainable construction approach.

2022 Crystals 174 citations
Article Tier 2

Acoustic and thermal characterization of a novel sustainable material incorporating recycled microplastic waste

Researchers created a new eco-friendly foam material by embedding recovered marine microplastics into a bio-based matrix, producing an open-cell insulating material with strong acoustic and thermal properties. The innovation offers a potential path to upcycle hard-to-recycle mixed marine plastic waste into useful building and industrial insulation products.

2021 Sustainable materials and technologies 52 citations
Article Tier 2

Recycling/reuse of plastic waste as construction material for sustainable development: a review

Researchers reviewed how waste plastic can be incorporated into construction materials — as binders, aggregates, or cement substitutes in bricks, tiles, concrete, and roads — finding that plastic-modified materials often show competitive strength properties while simultaneously diverting plastic waste from landfills.

2021 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 264 citations
Article Tier 2

Investigating the Use of Post-Consumer LDPE Waste and Stone Dust in Sustainable Concrete Composites

Researchers incorporated post-consumer LDPE plastic waste and stone dust into concrete mixes and found that these additions can maintain acceptable mechanical properties. Reusing plastic waste in construction materials diverts plastics from landfills and reduces their potential to fragment into environmental microplastics.

2023 Applied Research and Innovation 1 citations
Systematic Review Tier 1

Systematic Review of Plastic Waste as Eco-Friendly Aggregate for Sustainable Construction

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.

2022 International Journal of Sustainable Construction Engineering Technology 18 citations
Article Tier 2

Assessment of Plastic-Infused Concrete Bricks and Their Suitability for Interlocking: Mechanical, Durability, and Environmental Perspectives

Researchers tested plastic-infused concrete bricks as a way to repurpose plastic waste in construction materials, evaluating their mechanical strength and suitability for different building applications. The study explores whether incorporating plastic waste into durable materials can reduce the plastic entering the environment as microplastics.

2025 European Journal of Innovative Studies and Sustainability 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Recycling Waste Plastics into Plastic-Bonded Sand Interlocking Blocks for Wall Construction in Developing Countries

Researchers investigated the use of waste polyethylene mixed with sand to produce plastic-bonded interlocking blocks for wall construction in developing countries, reporting on production methods, mechanical properties including compressive strengths of approximately 15 MPa, and failure mechanisms of three block wall system designs. The plastic-bonded blocks outperformed conventional sandcrete blocks, demonstrating a viable pathway for recycling waste plastics into construction materials.

2023 Sustainability 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Potential improvement in the mechanical performance and thermal resistance of geopolymer with appropriate microplastic incorporation: A sustainable solution for recycling and reusing microplastics

Researchers tested whether microplastics of various sizes could be incorporated into geopolymer, a cement-like construction material, as a way to recycle plastic waste. Adding small amounts of microplastics actually improved the material's strength and heat resistance up to 400 degrees Celsius. This approach offers a potential solution for trapping microplastics in building materials rather than letting them pollute the environment and threaten human health.

2024 Waste Management 13 citations
Article Tier 2

Integrating Plastic Waste into Concrete: Sustainable Solutions for the Environment

This review examines research on incorporating plastic waste into concrete as a partial replacement for conventional aggregates and cement. Researchers found that adding recycled plastic can reduce concrete density and improve thermal insulation properties, though it generally decreases compressive strength at higher replacement ratios. The study suggests that optimizing plastic content and treatment methods could make this approach a viable strategy for diverting plastic waste from landfills.

2024 Materials 15 citations
Article Tier 2

A critical review of the current progress of plastic waste recycling technology in structural materials

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.

2023 Current Opinion in Green and Sustainable Chemistry 210 citations
Article Tier 2

Performance Characterization and Evaluation of Innovative Cement Mortars and Concretes Made with Recycled EPS

Not relevant to microplastics — this study evaluates the mechanical strength and thermal insulation performance of cement mortars and concretes that incorporate recycled expanded polystyrene (EPS) beads as aggregate, focused on construction materials.

2024 Applied Sciences 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Recycling of Polyethylene and Polypropylene Waste to Produce Plastic Bricks

This paper is not primarily about microplastics — it tests whether recycled PE and PP plastic pellets can replace conventional materials in construction bricks, with a focus on mechanical performance rather than pollution impacts.

2023 Journal of Sustainable Development of Energy Water and Environment Systems 9 citations
Article Tier 2

Recycling of Plastic Waste in the Construction Industry

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.

2025 Polymers 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Evaluating the structural performance of waste PET-infused interlocking units versus traditional stone masonry

This study is not directly about microplastics — it evaluates the compressive strength and water absorption of interlocking bricks made from waste PET plastic as a partial cement replacement in construction.

2024 Engineering and Technology Journal 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Circular economy model for reuse of plastic in eco-efficient production of building materials

This study explored using plastic waste in the production of construction blocks and bricks as part of a circular economy approach, reducing the amount of plastic that enters the environment as microplastics. The construction sector offers a significant opportunity to valorize plastic waste as a durable material rather than allowing it to degrade in landfills.

2023 Journal of business and entrepreneurial studie 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Feasibility Study of the Use of Concrete Blocks Produced From Plastic Marine Garbage for Use in Civil Construction

Researchers investigated the feasibility of producing concrete blocks incorporating plastic waste collected from marine and coastal environments, testing blocks with varying proportions of recycled plastic as a partial aggregate replacement in civil construction applications. The study assessed the mechanical and physical properties of the resulting composite blocks, evaluating whether marine plastic garbage could be valorized as a construction material while reducing environmental plastic loads.

2022
Systematic Review Tier 1

Marine Plastic Waste in Construction: A Systematic Review of Applications in the Built Environment

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.

2025 Polymers 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Influences of Recycled Polyethylene Terephthalate Microplastic on the Hygrothermal and Mechanical Performance of Plasterboard with Polymethylhydrosiloxane Content

Researchers analyzed the hygrothermal and mechanical performance of plasterboard composites incorporating recycled PET microplastics alongside polymethylhydrosiloxane content, developing new sustainable construction materials from plastic waste. The study found that PET microplastic addition altered moisture absorption and mechanical strength properties of the plasterboard, with performance depending on both PET content and siloxane modifier levels.

2024 Materials 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Valorization of Plastic Waste through Incorporation into Construction Materials

This review of 60 studies examines how plastic waste is being incorporated into construction materials — including concrete, asphalt, and bricks — as a sustainable valorization strategy, finding that recycled plastics can improve certain material properties while diverting waste from landfills.

2022 Civil and Sustainable Urban Engineering 21 citations
Article Tier 2

Utilization of Plastic Waste in Road Paver Blocks as a Construction Material

Researchers evaluated the use of recycled plastic waste in road paver blocks in India, finding that incorporating recycled plastic improved block strength and weather resistance compared to conventional materials, offering a construction application for plastic waste.

2023 CivilEng 18 citations