Eco-friendly roads made of recycled plastic

August 18, 2022 Innovation Valli Sarvani No comments

Potholes are one of the leading causes of road accidents and deaths. A Bengaluru-based social enterprise came forward to solve pothole issues.

PotHoleRaja has been fixing pothole issues on roads in India. Besides, it constructed an eco-friendly road in Bengaluru using recycled plastic waste. For this, the company used 3,000 kilograms of recycled plastic.

Potholes are developed on roads after a certain period. They not just cause inconvenience to commuters but also lead to road accidents. Hence, PotHoleRaja developed GridMats technology and patented it.

GridMats are made from recycled polypropylene. They are kept above the bedding layer of the road and filled with different options. As a result, the surface has superior quality. Moreover, they are cheaper.

The road constructed by PotHoleRaja in Bengaluru has a lot of traffic during peak hours, especially in the evening, as many commuters travel after office hours. The company was given a contract for the construction of the road. It received a request from Bengaluru traffic police.

PotHoleRaja used 3000 kgs of recycled plastic waste for the construction of the road. It completed the construction within five days. The eco-friendly roads are cheaper than traditional roads.

The company says that technology requires 30 percent less water than concrete roads. Furthermore, it gives a warranty of five years for these roads. In other words, they are free from potholes for five years.

Industrial waste is a major source of recycled plastic. It is collected by recyclers. They segregate the plastic waste and thoroughly clean it before sending it to the company.

The company uses recycled plastic pellets to make GridMats and uses them for the construction of roads. While traditional concrete roads have four to five layers, these eco-friendly roads will have only two to three layers.

Unlike conventional roads that expand and contract, these roads do not change with temperature. Hence, they do not develop cracks. As a result, they will not have potholes in them. PotHoleRaja completed several road projects in various areas across the country.

Image Credit: Potholeraja Website Screenshot