Papers

61,005 results
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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
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

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

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 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

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

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

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 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

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
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
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
Article Tier 2

Utilizing Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) In Insulation Fired Clay Bricks

Researchers investigated substituting polystyrene with recycled PET from drinking water bottles in fired clay brick manufacturing, testing up to 25% inclusion levels. They found that 20% crushed PET by weight produced bricks meeting ASTM C155-97 standards for thermal insulation and mechanical properties.

2024 International Journal of Scientific Research and Management (IJSRM)
Article Tier 2

On the Cementitious Mixtures Reinforced with Waste Polyethylene Terephthalate

Researchers investigated the reuse of waste polyethylene terephthalate plastic as aggregate material in cement mortars and concretes. They found that incorporating PET waste into cementitious mixtures can be a viable strategy for recycling plastic while also reducing CO2 emissions from traditional aggregate mining. The study suggests that closing the life cycle of PET through construction materials could help address both plastic pollution and the environmental footprint of the building industry.

2024 Materials 12 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

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

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

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

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

An Analysis of the State-of-the-art in Plastic Scrap Recycling Strategies for Construction Components

This review examines strategies for recycling plastic waste in construction applications, covering methods to convert plastic scraps into building components and discussing barriers including contamination, mixed polymer streams, and regulatory restrictions on plastic use in structural applications.

2025
Article Tier 2

Assessing the Performance of Melted Plastic as a Replacement for Sand in Paving Block

Researchers evaluated melted low-density polyethylene plastic waste as a substitute bonding agent for sand in paving blocks, testing compressive strength, water absorption, and wear resistance across varying plastic content ratios. Results showed that paving blocks with 10% melted LDPE met required performance standards, offering a potential pathway for incorporating plastic waste into construction materials.

2023 Advances in Technology Innovation 5 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