Papers

61,005 results
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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

Potential use of PET and PP as partial replacement of sand in structural concrete

Researchers tested whether PET and polypropylene plastic waste could partially replace sand in structural concrete, evaluating the physical and mechanical properties of the resulting material. Using post-consumer plastic in construction is one strategy for diverting plastic from the waste stream and preventing it from breaking down into environmental microplastics.

2021 Matéria (Rio de Janeiro) 5 citations
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

Utilization of plastic waste as replacement of natural aggregates in sustainable concrete: effects on mechanical and durability properties

Researchers tested concrete made with recycled polyethylene and PET plastic aggregates substituted for natural sand and gravel, finding that while plastic additions reduced compressive strength and increased water permeability, they improved impact resistance and chloride resistance, with PET concrete showing no microplastic leaching.

2023 International Journal of Environmental Science and Technology 66 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

Recycled Mixed Plastic Fine Aggregate in Cement Concrete

Cement concrete mixtures incorporating mixed post-consumer recycled plastic as fine aggregate were characterized, finding that an optimized blend of polymer types produced workable concrete with mechanical properties suitable for construction applications.

2024 Springer Proceedings in Materials
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
Article Tier 2

Utilization of Plastic Waste in Concrete Pavement

Researchers investigated the use of recycled high-density polyethylene (HDPE) plastic waste as an aggregate in concrete pavement mix designs, finding that incorporation of HDPE improved mechanical performance and durability while reducing landfill waste and energy consumption in the concrete sector.

2025 Processes
Article Tier 2

Review- Using Ground Bakelite as Alternative Solution for the Replacement of Fine Aggregate

This paper is not relevant to microplastics research — it evaluates ground Bakelite waste as a partial replacement for fine aggregate in concrete construction, focusing on materials engineering rather than plastic particle pollution in the environment.

2023 International Journal for Research in Applied Science and Engineering Technology
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
Review Tier 2

Can Microplastics (MPs) Replace Conventional Mineral Aggregates? A Brief Review

Could plastic waste be repurposed as a substitute for sand and gravel in concrete? This review examined the science and found that microplastics generally perform poorly as construction aggregates — weakening concrete, reducing durability, and posing a risk of releasing secondary microplastics over time. While some niche, non-structural applications might be feasible under controlled conditions, the authors caution against treating plastic-for-aggregate substitution as a general solution to plastic waste, as the trade-offs in building performance and environmental risk are significant.

2026 Polymers
Article Tier 2

Eco-friendly Concrete Using Waste Plastic Bottles as Aggregate: A Case Study from Oman

This Omani study tested concrete made with waste plastic PET bottles as a partial replacement for fine aggregate. Adding recycled plastic to concrete is a promising strategy to divert plastic waste from the environment, and the study found acceptable mechanical performance for non-structural applications.

2023 International conference on civil infrastructure and construction/Proceedings of the ... International conference on civil infrastructure and construction 2 citations
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

Innovative Sustainable Concrete: Fresh and Hardened Properties Incorporating Plastic Waste

This study investigated the effects of incorporating plastic waste into concrete on mechanical and durability properties, addressing the hydrophobic nature and poor interfacial adhesion of plastic as a challenge within circular economy frameworks for construction material sustainability.

2025 Current Problems in Research
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

Mechanical and Microstructural Investigation of Geopolymer Concrete Incorporating Recycled Waste Plastic Aggregate

This study investigated incorporating recycled waste plastic aggregate into geopolymer concrete, finding that it can produce structurally viable construction materials while diverting plastic waste from landfill and reducing reliance on virgin aggregates.

2024 Materials 9 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

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 brief review on polyvinyl chloride plastic as aggregate for construction materials

Researchers reviewed three decades of studies on using recycled PVC plastic waste as an aggregate in concrete and cement, examining how particle size, surface treatment, and mixing ratio affect the strength and durability of the resulting material. The review identifies practical strategies for incorporating PVC waste into construction, reducing plastic pollution while supporting sustainable building.

2023 Journal of Engineering and Applied Science 10 citations
Article Tier 2

Plastic Coarse Aggregates with Low- and High-Density Polyethylene with Improved Shore Durometer Hardness as Partial Replacement to Natural Coarse Aggregates

Plastic coarse aggregates made from LDPE/HDPE blends with improved Shore Durometer hardness were developed and evaluated as partial replacements for natural coarse aggregates in construction, addressing both natural aggregate shortages and plastic waste accumulation. The study characterized mechanical and durability properties of concrete incorporating these recycled plastic aggregates at various substitution rates.

2024 E3S Web of Conferences
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
Review Tier 2

Waste Plastic and Rubber in Concrete and Cement Mortar: A Tertiary Literature Review

This review synthesized tertiary literature on using waste plastic and rubber in concrete and cement mortar, finding that while these recycled materials offer environmental benefits, they generally reduce mechanical strength and require careful optimization.

2023 Sustainability 8 citations
Article Tier 2

Second Life for Plastic Fibre Waste Difficult to Recover: Partial Replacement of the Binder in Asphalt Concrete Mixtures by Dry Incorporation

Researchers found that incorporating waste plastic fibers from municipal solid waste into asphalt concrete as a partial bitumen replacement improved resistance to plastic deformation and mechanical performance, with results approaching those of polymer-modified bitumen mixtures while improving material sustainability.

2023 Materials 7 citations
Article Tier 2

Natural Rubber Latex-Modified Concrete with PET and Crumb Rubber Aggregate Replacements for Sustainable Rigid Pavements

Researchers tested concrete mixes that replaced conventional aggregates with recycled PET plastic and crumb rubber waste, modified with natural rubber latex. The results show that waste plastic can be incorporated into road pavement concrete, offering a way to divert plastic waste from landfills while creating durable construction materials.

2023 Preprints.org 2 citations