Papers

61,005 results
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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

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

Lego-like Bricks Manufacturing Using Recycled Polyethylene (PE) and Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) Waste in Egypt

Researchers tested the use of recycled polyethylene and PET plastic waste as raw materials for manufacturing Lego-like construction bricks in Egypt, addressing plastic waste accumulation and its degradation into microplastics. The recycled bricks showed adequate structural properties, demonstrating a viable pathway for diverting plastic waste from the environment into durable construction materials.

2024 Sustainability 7 citations
Article Tier 2

Utilization of Plastic Waste for Developing Composite Bricks and Enhancing Mechanical Properties: A Review on Challenges and Opportunities

This review of research on plastic waste composite bricks found that PET has the highest recycling efficiency among plastics used for brick production and highlights the need for standardized specifications, contamination assessments, and policy frameworks to promote wider adoption.

2023 Advances in Polymer Technology 21 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

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

Polyethylene Terephthalate Waste Utilisation for Production of Low Thermal Conductivity Cement Sand Bricks

This engineering study tested whether shredded PET plastic waste could partially replace sand in cement bricks, finding it reduced the bricks' thermal conductivity while maintaining acceptable strength. Incorporating plastic waste into construction materials could divert it from landfills while reducing building energy costs. This paper focuses on construction materials and is not directly related to microplastic health risks.

2021 ARTS Bulletin : 22 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

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

Research on Properties of Ecobricks and its Possible Applications

This study examined the properties of ecobricks — plastic bottles stuffed with non-recyclable waste — as a building material, finding they can partially substitute for conventional bricks while diverting plastic waste from landfills.

2022 Highlights in Science Engineering and Technology 5 citations
Systematic Review Tier 1

Performance Comparison of Recycled HDPE, PET, and LDPE in Construction Materials: A Systematic Review

This review of existing research found that recycled plastic bottles and containers can be successfully turned into strong building materials like bricks and blocks. The strongest results came from using about 7.5% recycled plastic mixed with traditional materials, creating bricks that meet construction standards while helping reduce plastic waste in landfills. This matters because it offers a way to tackle two big problems at once: getting rid of plastic waste and creating cheaper, sustainable building materials.

2026
Article Tier 2

Sustainable geopolymers from polyethylene terephthalate waste and industrial by-products: a comprehensive characterisation and performance predictions

Researchers developed geopolymer bricks using recycled PET plastic waste combined with industrial by-products like rice husk ash and blast furnace slag. They found that certain formulations produced bricks with strength and durability comparable to conventional building materials. The study demonstrates a practical approach for diverting plastic waste from landfills while creating sustainable construction materials.

2024 Journal of Materials Science 31 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

The Impact of Recycled Polyethylene Terephthalate as Aggregate Replacement on Mechanical and Ecotoxicological Properties of Mortar

Researchers tested mortar made with recycled PET plastic replacing some of the natural aggregate and found that it maintained comparable compressive strength while passing ecotoxicity tests with plants. The study suggests that incorporating recycled plastic waste into construction materials could be a viable way to reduce plastic in landfills without creating significant environmental harm.

2025 Recycling 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Preparation of Waste PP/Fly Ash/Waste Stone Powder Composites and Evaluation of Their Mechanical Properties

Not relevant to microplastics — this paper examines the mechanical properties of composite materials made from recycled polypropylene combined with fly ash and stone powder for industrial construction applications.

2023 Materials 10 citations
Article Tier 2

The Holistic Approach of Plastic Waste Recycling for Sustainable Development

This review examines how plastic waste can be incorporated into construction materials including bricks, tiles, concrete, and roads as a binder, aggregate, or modifier. The authors find that using plastic waste in construction reduces landfill burden and dependence on mined resources, though performance effects vary by application.

2023 International Journal of Energy and Environmental Science
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
Article Tier 2

Polyethylene (PE) Waste Minimization Study of Cement Mortar with Adding PE Content under Different W/B Ratios

This study tested cement mortar containing recycled polyethylene plastic waste, finding that small amounts of plastic can be incorporated without significantly compromising durability, offering a route for diverting plastic from landfills into construction materials.

2022 Buildings 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Recycled Surgical Mask Waste as a Resource Material in Sustainable Geopolymer Bricks

This study is not directly about microplastics — it investigates incorporating shredded single-use surgical mask waste (largely polypropylene) into geopolymer bricks as a construction material, finding improved strength and reduced shrinkage. While tangentially related to plastic waste management, it does not address microplastic pollution or health risks.

2023 Recycling 10 citations
Article Tier 2

Characterization of Composites from Post-Consumer Polypropylene and Oilseed Pomace Fillers

This paper is not relevant to microplastics research; it characterizes wood-plastic composites made from recycled polypropylene and agricultural pomace fillers, evaluating mechanical properties for construction applications rather than addressing plastic pollution.

2024 Polymers 2 citations
Review Tier 2

Potential Applications of Different Forms of Recycled Plastics as Construction Materials—A Review

This review examined potential applications of different forms of recycled plastics (granules, powder, fiber, aggregate) as construction materials, identifying suitable recycling methodologies and construction products with performance benefits such as improved toughness and reduced weight.

2023 4 citations
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

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

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