Researchers in Hawaii are testing a way to turn discarded fishing nets and household plastic trash into asphalt roads. Early trials suggest these materials could give some of the islands鈥� waste a practical local use at the end of its life.
Jeremy Axworthy, a researcher at the Center for Marine Debris Research (CMDR) at Hawai驶i Pacific University, presented the team鈥檚 results at the spring meeting of the American Chemical Society (ACS). 鈥淭his work investigates whether it鈥檚 responsible to use recycled plastics in Hawaii鈥檚 roads,鈥� shares Axworthy. 鈥淏y reusing plastic waste that is already in Hawaii, we can reduce the environmental and economic impacts of transporting waste plastics from the islands, incinerating it or dumping it in Hawaii鈥檚 overflowing landfills.鈥�
Since 2020, most roads in Hawaii have been paved with polymer-modified asphalt (PMA) to make pavement stronger and longer-lasting. Compared with regular asphalt, PMA is more flexible and better able to resist cracking, rutting, and water damage.
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Author: American Chemical Society, SciTech Daily
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