CENTRE FOR INNOVATIONS IN PUBLIC SYSTEMS An Autonomous body of the Government of India Use of Plastics in Road Construction Implementation of Technology and Roll out November 2014 Knowledge Partner : Knowledge Advisory Services and Consultancy Use of Plastics in Road Construction © Centre for Innovations in Public Systems Use of Plastics in Road Construction Document Control Page TITLE Title: Use of Plastics in Waste Construction Version: Final Draft Copyright: Centre for Innovations in Public Systems (CIPS) CIPS take no responsibility for any incorrect information supplied by contributors or other sources of information. Information provided here is based primarily on interviews and public sources of information can therefore be subjective. CIPS shall not be liable if the content of the document is used in any other manner than the purpose intended. Duplication, copying, selling, or disclosing contents of the document without explicit written permission of CIPS is strictly prohibited and shall be liable for legal action. Approved by Dr. D. Chakrapani, Designation: Director Centre for Innovations in Public Systems (CIPS) College Park Campus of ASCI, Road number 3, Banjara Hills, Hyderabad, 500 034, Andhra Pradesh, India Email : [email protected] , director‐[email protected] Edited by Mrs. Vidhisha Kalra, Designation: Joint Director CIPS Centre for Innovations in Public Systems (CIPS) College Park Campus of ASCI, Road number 3, Banjara Hills, Hyderabad, 500 034, Andhra Pradesh, India Email : [email protected] Knowledge Kshitij Aditeya Singh Partner Designation: Managing Director Knowledge Advisory Services and Consultancy Private Limited, 2/134 Vijay Khand, Gomti Nagar, Lucknow ‐ 226010, India Email: [email protected] © Centre for Innovations in Public Systems Use of Plastics in Road Construction EXECUTIVE SUMMARY India generates 1,88,000 tons garbage every day. Plastic Waste in different forms is found to be almost 9% to 12% in municipal solid waste, which is toxic in nature. Non‐biodegradability of plastic in the environment has created numerous challenges for both urban and rural India. Common problems are choking of drains, stagnation of water, release of toxic gases upon open incineration. Research experiments in the public and private sector have been undertaken to address the growing environmental challenge. One of the solutions proposed and demonstrated was by Professor Vasudevan in utilising waste environmental plastic in road construction. Road construction projects were pioneered in the state of Tamil Nadu followed by Karnataka as early as 2001. Both states have made significant progress since in rural and urban roads respectively. Other states such as Andhra Pradesh, Goa, Jharkhand, Delhi, and Maharashtra have demonstrated projects in other states as well. CIPS with the purpose of encouraging this practise has engaged in documenting learnings to enable other states in adopting the methods. The primary objectives of the project were to understand administrative processes, implementation strategy and cost, identify key organizations and roles, assess roll out and inter‐linkages, review approvals for execution, impact of the initiative, structure for collection of plastic waste, financial models and implementation monitoring methods. Secondary objectives included assessing the economic viability in larger and smaller cities, coordination methodology of urban local bodies for waste collection, need for additional legislation, and the role of media. The technical objectives also included understanding the scientific background and process, assessing relevant guidelines and rules of the Indian road Congress, use of alternative materials, assessing the integration of technological and engineering decision of use, road construction into the policy framework and execution. The scope of the project was limited by the focus of plastics in road construction as identified by the India Road Congress Standard SP‐98. The evaluation aspects included Technical, Financial, Organisation and Administrative aspects. 3 field visits were the limited to the most performing states. The scope of technical assessment was limited to desktop scientific research and no © Centre for Innovations in Public Systems Use of Plastics in Road Construction experiments were to be conducted. The methodology applied was participatory and applied. Methods included primary research, secondary research, interviews and focus group discussions. Bitumen plays an important role in binding the aggregate together by coating over the aggregate thereby imparting strength to the road. However, due to poor resistance towards water and high costs involved, there is a demand for high quality bitumen at low costs. This can be accomplished by modifying the rheological properties of bitumen by using additives such as plastic or rubber. Plastic waste can be used in hot mix to improve physical properties of bituminous aggregate mix by ‘Dry Process’ or ‘Wet Process’. The technology as developed by Dr Vasudevan, incorporates the use of ‘Plastone’, a mixture of stone chips and waste plastic bags (thickness 40‐70 μm) which is heated at 150‐170 degree C during production, in laying roads, pavements and flooring purposes as an alternative to interlocking paver blocks. At this processing temperature, the plastic waste is heated enough to act as an adhesive in binding stone chips and not generating any toxic gases. The aggregate becomes water proof after getting coated with molten plastic. This step is followed by the addition of hot plastic‐aggregate mix to hot bitumen while maintaining the process temperature. This approach is known as ‘Dry Process’. The ‘Wet Process’ involves mixing of plastic to hot bitumen followed by mixing with hot aggregate. Both the processes lead to the formation of plastic modified bituminous aggregate mix with enhanced properties imparting strength, stability and durability to the roads. Plastic‐tar roads have benefits over conventional roads such as the overall reduction in bitumen consumption by 8%, enhanced load carrying strength, reduced wear and tear, prevents release of 3 tonnes of CO2 (through disposal by burning) into the atmosphere, increased road strength, excellent resistance to water and water stagnation, no stripping and potholes formation, enhanced binding, reduced rutting and ravelling, improved soundness property, negligible maintenance cost of the road, no leaching of plastics and no effect of UV radiation. Waste plastic that can be used include cups, carry bags, polythene and polypropylene foams and thermocol. Polyvinylchloride cannot be used as it is toxic in nature. The focus of the report has been on three different models followed in the states of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Jharkhand. Tamil Nadu as a pioneering state has significant achievement in implementation of plastic rural roads. The model followed in Tamil Nadu involves self‐help groups. Karnataka has made significant progress in urban road construction using waste plastic. The model © Centre for Innovations in Public Systems Use of Plastics in Road Construction followed in Karnataka is based on a memorandum of understanding with a contractor. States such as Jharkhand have not made tremendous progress but is the only example of a private sector utility constructing plastic roads. Himachal Pradesh had started constructing a few plastic roads, the state has now banned plastic as a result of that, and no new plastic roads are now being undertaken. Tamil Nadu in achieving the objective, involved different government departments like Municipal Administration, Rural Development, Panchayats, Districts Rural Development Agency (DRDA), National Rural Roads Development Agency, Environment and Forest Department, Women Development, Social Welfare and Road Contractor collaborated to deliver effective results. Tamil Nadu Corporation for Development of Women Ltd, operating under the Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Department has been a key stakeholder in the development of Self Help Groups (SHGs). SHGs have been formed for collection and segregation of waste plastics. Shredding units have also been established to provide waste plastic to the required size specification. The SHGs provide shredded waste plastics to Road Contractors in suitable form at reasonable rates. The responsibility of procurement at the DRDA specified rate of ₹ 30 per kilogramme resting with the road contractor. The first road using waste plastics was laid in Kovilpatti village of Tuticorin district in October 2002. Over the last ten years, the use of plastics in rural road construction has been widely adopted in Tamil Nadu. The state agencies have constructed more than 16,000 kilometres of rural road connectivity using the innovative method. The primary allocations of funding in the state come through the Ministry of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj. This has been supplemented by the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana administered by National Rural Road Development Agency. Through the Environment Protection and Renewal Energy Development fund of the Tamil Nadu Environment and Forest Department budget had been marked specifically for construction of plastic roads. Tamil Nadu in the current financial year has allocated ₹ 20 crore through the Ministry of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj. Through the PMGSY scheme, 10% of the budget allocated for the state in the present year has been directed to plastic road construction. This amounts to ₹11 crores. The Environment and Forest Department