Papers

61,005 results
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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

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

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/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

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

Utilization of Plastic Waste in Interlocking Paver Blocks for Sustainable Pavement Construction

Researchers found a way to turn plastic waste into strong concrete blocks for roads and walkways by mixing shredded plastic pieces with regular concrete ingredients. The plastic-concrete blocks were just as strong as normal concrete blocks, offering a promising solution to reduce the mountains of plastic waste that pollute our environment. This approach could help tackle two major problems at once: getting rid of plastic trash that can break down into harmful microplastics, and reducing the need to mine natural materials for construction.

2026 International Journal of Engineering Science
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
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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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
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

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

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

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

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
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

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

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

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