Papers

61,005 results
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Systematic Review Tier 1

Recycled Plastics in Asphalt Mixtures: A Systematic Review of Mechanical Performance, Environmental Impact and Practical Implementation

This systematic review evaluates using recycled plastics in road asphalt as a way to reduce plastic waste. The research found that incorporating recycled plastic can actually improve road durability while diverting waste from landfills. This approach matters for microplastic reduction because it locks plastic into road surfaces rather than allowing it to break down freely in the environment.

2025 Applied Sciences 4 citations
Systematic Review Tier 1

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.

2024 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 5 citations
Article Tier 2

Engineering properties, microplastics and emissions assessment of recycled plastic modified asphalt mixtures

Researchers evaluated the mechanical performance and environmental impact of adding recycled low-density polyethylene and commingled plastics to hot-mix asphalt, finding reduced moisture resistance but also assessing microplastic release and emissions from these recycled plastic-modified road materials.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 42 citations
Article Tier 2

Recycling micro polypropylene in modified hot asphalt mixture

This study incorporated recycled polypropylene microplastics into hot asphalt mixtures and evaluated the resulting performance, finding that small additions of plastic waste can improve certain mechanical properties of asphalt while offering a pathway to reuse plastic waste in road construction.

2023 Scientific Reports 26 citations
Article Tier 2

Optimization of Asphalt Concrete Performance Using Waste Plastic Bottles (WPB) as a Sustainable Bitumen Modifier: A Comprehensive Rheological and Mechanical Assessment

Not relevant to microplastics — this study evaluates waste plastic bottles as a bitumen modifier to improve asphalt road performance, testing mechanical and thermal properties; it addresses plastic reuse in construction rather than environmental microplastic pollution.

2026 American Journal of Civil Engineering
Systematic Review Tier 1

The Use of Waste Polymers in Asphalt Mixtures: Bibliometric Analysis and Systematic Review

This systematic review examines how waste plastics can be recycled into asphalt road mixtures, potentially reducing plastic waste in the environment. Researchers found that adding polymer waste to asphalt can actually improve road durability while diverting plastics from landfills and waterways. This matters because reducing plastic waste at the source is one way to lower the amount of microplastics that eventually break down and enter our food and water.

2023 Journal of Composites Science 30 citations
Article Tier 2

Performance Study of Waste PE-Modified High-Grade Asphalt

This study tests how adding waste polyethylene plastic to road asphalt affects its performance, finding that a 5% blend significantly improves resistance to heat-related deformation while slightly worsening cold-temperature flexibility. While focused on road engineering, the research is relevant to microplastics because plastic-modified asphalt can release polyethylene particles through wear, contributing to road-related microplastic pollution.

2023 Polymers 14 citations
Article Tier 2

Investigating the Potential Release of Microplastics from Recycled Plastic Modified Asphalt Pavement

Researchers investigated whether microplastics are released from recycled plastic-modified asphalt pavement, examining the potential for road surfaces incorporating plastic waste to become a secondary source of microplastic pollution in surrounding environments.

2025
Article Tier 2

Effects of marine microplastics on the mechanical performance of bituminous binder for road asphalt pavements

Researchers investigated the effects of marine-sourced microplastics as additives in bituminous binders used for road asphalt pavements, finding that incorporating marine microplastics into bitumen improved mechanical road performance while simultaneously providing a recycling pathway for plastic waste collected from marine environments.

2025 Transportation research procedia
Article Tier 2

Evaluating Effectiveness of Multi-Component Waste Plastic Bags on Bitumen Properties: Physical, Rheological, and Aging

Researchers characterized waste plastic bag samples dominated by low-density and linear low-density polyethylene and tested their performance as bitumen modifiers, finding they improved rutting resistance by one performance grade. The study evaluates a practical route for valorizing plastic waste in road construction materials.

2024 Polymers 9 citations
Article Tier 2

Use of Waste Plastic as a Replacement for Bitumen in Road Construction

This review examines methods for incorporating waste plastic into road construction as an alternative to virgin bitumen and aggregates. Techniques like plastic-coated aggregates and plastic-modified bitumen improved road durability and weather resistance while diverting plastic from landfills. The approach offers a dual benefit of reducing plastic waste accumulation and decreasing the environmental impact of road construction.

2025 OCEM Journal of Management Technology & Social Sciences 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Performance and environmental impacts of waste plastic-modified asphalt pavement: a comprehensive review

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.

2025 Cleaner Materials 3 citations
Article Tier 2

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.

2025 Materials 2 citations
Article Tier 2

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.

2022 Polymer International 45 citations
Article Tier 2

Exploring the effect on the environment of encapsulated micro- and nano-plastics into asphalt mastics for road pavement.

This study tested whether encapsulating waste plastic material into asphalt for road pavement reduces environmental release of micro- and nanoplastics compared to conventional asphalt. The results suggest that this approach can reduce plastic fragment release into the environment while providing a practical use for plastic waste in road infrastructure.

2023 Environmental research
Article Tier 2

Incorporating Waste Plastics into Pavement Materials: A Review of Opportunities, Risks, Environmental Implications, and Monitoring Strategies

This review examines the opportunities and risks of incorporating waste plastics into pavement construction materials, critically assessing performance benefits, environmental implications including microplastic release, and future directions for sustainable integration of plastic waste in road infrastructure.

2025 Applied Sciences
Article Tier 2

Evaluation of eco-friendly asphalt mixtures incorporating waste plastic aggregates and additives: Magnesium, fly ash, and steel slag

Researchers tested adding waste plastic aggregate (WPA) to asphalt road mixtures at various concentrations, finding that 5% WPA content performs well and meets durability standards while also potentially reducing microplastic generation compared to exposed surface-layer applications. The study suggests recycled plastic can be practically incorporated into road construction to divert plastic waste from landfills.

2023 Case Studies in Construction Materials 15 citations
Article Tier 2

Investigation of the rheological properties of low-density polyethylene (LDPE) modified bitumens using two plastic wastes

Researchers modified road bitumen with low-density polyethylene (LDPE) plastic waste to improve its performance characteristics. The LDPE-modified bitumen showed improved rheological properties, demonstrating a practical use for plastic waste in road construction that could divert it from landfills and waterways.

2023 Sigma Journal of Engineering and Natural Sciences – Sigma Mühendislik ve Fen Bilimleri Dergisi 1 citations
Review Tier 2

Waste Plastic in Road Construction, Pathway to a Sustainable Circular Economy: A Review

This review examines existing literature on incorporating waste plastic into road construction, finding that its inclusion can improve pavement performance and durability while offering a pathway to divert non-biodegradable plastic from landfills.

2023 E3S Web of Conferences 9 citations
Article Tier 2

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.

2025 Journal of Engineering
Article Tier 2

Durability and Aging Characteristics of Sustainable Paving Mixture

Researchers incorporated shredded low-density polyethylene plastic waste into asphalt paving mixtures, testing the durability and aging characteristics of the resulting material. Reusing waste plastic in road construction is one approach to reducing the plastic that otherwise enters the environment and breaks down into microplastics.

2021 International Journal of Engineering 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Incorporation of E-Waste Plastics into Asphalt: A Review of the Materials, Methods, and Impacts

This review examined the use of e-waste plastics (from discarded electronics) as modifiers in asphalt pavement, covering recycling approaches, compatibility challenges, and performance outcomes. While e-waste plastics can improve some asphalt properties, their chemical complexity and potential to leach microplastics during pavement wear remain concerns.

2025 Encyclopedia 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics Generated from Recycled Plastic Modified Asphalt Pavement: Method Development and Laboratory Evaluation

This study developed laboratory methods to measure how much microplastic is shed by asphalt pavement made with recycled plastic, filling an important knowledge gap as recycled-plastic roads are promoted as a sustainability solution. The research raises the concern that pavements incorporating waste plastic could become a previously unrecognized source of microplastic pollution over their service life.

2026 Transportation Research Record Journal of the Transportation Research Board
Article Tier 2

Developing Sustainable Asphalt Mixtures Using High-Density Polyethylene Plastic Waste Material

Researchers evaluated asphalt mixtures incorporating high-density polyethylene (HDPE) plastic waste as a sustainable road pavement material, assessing whether recycled plastic can improve or maintain pavement performance while addressing plastic waste disposal.

2023 Sustainability 24 citations