A pathway for plastic waste in construction materials

Abstract

Mass plastic production has exponentially increased plastic waste. The low rate of degradation causes plastic waste to end up in the oceans straining ecosystems globally. Besides pollution avoidance, reusing plastic waste is a currently evolving strategy, for example, in the construction sector, to meet the increasing demand for housing due to rapid urbanization and population growth. The following literature review summarizes the current approaches of plastic waste applications in the construction sector along with their varying compositions and properties to mitigate the environmental impacts of marine plastic pollution. The review indicates that firstly, extended research on reusing plastic waste for applications in building materials is needed to overcome existing challenges and that secondly, policies should be designed in accordance with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to commercialize plastic waste in building materials to approach a circular economy. The article aims at promoting sustainability by raising awareness among stakeholders to reuse plastic waste in construction applications.