2.40 kilo plastic blent into roads

Kottayam: A silent revolution is taking place in the state by blending the non-recyclable plastic into the roads. The banishing of plastic from free air is being achieved by mixing polythene with tar. So far, 2,45,631 kilo grams of plastic has been used for tarring in the state.

Non-refinable and toxic (-if burned) type of plastics that are under 50 microns are blended into mix on roads. So far, the government has built 176 kilometres of road using plastics. The construction is led by Clean Kerala company managed by the state government. The non-refinable plastics collected by local self governments, which they cannot recycle with their own resources, are powdered before being supplied for tarring.

Clean Kerala Company procures refined plastic at a fixed price. The project is treading to success as the Public Works Department has lent its full support.

Ernakulam district which used 27,590 kilos of plastics tops among those who used the highest quantity of plastics. 23,752 kilos of plastics were used in Thiruvananthapuram and 22,242 kilos in Palakkad. They were mostly used by local self government bodies. 80 percent of refined plastics will be suitable for use as tarring mixture. If this is taken into account, the quantity of plastics eliminated will be increased. 1,300 kg of plastics are required for a kilometre of road. In bitumen 8 per cent plastic mixture is used. Plastic tarring is done in the lowest layer of the road. Bitumen McAdam and bitumen concrete are laid above this layer.

The maximum quantity of plastic supplied for road construction was from Kochi Corporation; 74,375 kg supplied by the processing unit there. Thiruvananthauram supplied 38,071 and Azhiyoor Panchayath in Kozhikode District 14,000 kg. But Clean Kerala Company officials complain that adequate plastic is not becoming available.

At present only 53 local bodies have started the processing of plastic for road construction. They also point out roads constructed with this technique last 3 to 5 years longer and will not get damaged fast.

PWD has directed that 10 per cent of material used for roads should be from plastic.