A review on plastic waste as sustainable resource in civil engineering applications

Abstract

Plastic wastes are non-biodegradable and can stay in the ecosystem for many decades. It can go through aging processes resulting from physical, chemical, and biological actions with the potential to harm habitats and weaken the life-supporting environment. The overwhelming environmental problem created by the indiscriminate disposal of plastic waste containers has led to a search for comprehensive research work seeking a viable alternative to manage, process and dispose of used plastic containers. Hence, researchers have found alternative use to its recovery. The waste can be recycled, reused or reprocessed as substitutes for construction materials because construction applications take up significant amounts of aggregates and cement. Its use is also applicable in bitumen modification, soil stabilization, geosynthetic materials, bricks, plastic reinforcement, and as natural aggregates, which all assist in reducing the quantity of natural aggregates that can be extracted for use in the construction industry. The review covers the collection of relevant information about plastics, the different types of plastics, their corresponding waste and its application in the construction industry from literature. It also examines plastic waste challenges and its sustainable utilization as a construction material. By changing the production design of plastics, it would proffer better ways to manage plastic waste, clean up and improve our natural environment. This review submits that there is an opportunity for the use of plastic waste as an innovative alternative in the construction industry which can stimulate economic growth and could boost the drive of government towards the achievement of some of the sustainable development goals.

Recycling/reuse of plastic waste as construction material for sustainable development: a review

“…On the 28th day, samples containing 3.0% HDPE had the highest compressive strength of 15.9 N/mm 2 as compared to samples containing 2.5% and 3.5% HDPE. The initial water absorption rate was recorded as 2.35 kg/m 2 min for 3.5% HDPE replacement (Ali et al 2017 ). In this study, earth clay was mixed with various amounts of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) additives with three different grain sizes.…”

Valorization of Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) Plastic Wastes as Nanofibrous Membranes for Oil Removal: Sustainable Solution for Plastic Waste and Oil Pollution

“…Plastics are inexpensive, lightweight, and highly robust materials that can be transformed to various materials. , In the last century, plastics have become the material of choice for a myriad of applications in our daily life, spanning from food packaging to the manufacturing of electronics and medical equipment, , and their production has drastically increased since the first synthetic polymer was reported in 1907 by Baekeland, currently reaching ∼370 million tons per annum in 2019. , Common commercial plastics include polystyrene (PS), polyethylene (PE), poly­(vinyl chloride) (PVC), polypropylene (PP), and polyethylene terephthalate (PET).…”

Valorization of Plastic Waste through Incorporation into Construction Materials

“…In the meantime, before comparable environmentally friendly substitutes for plastics become widely available, plastic waste generation will persist, and plastic pollution is likely to stay as long as mismanagement of plastics is not adequately addressed [12]. Recycling plastic waste has been identified as a viable method of reducing plastic waste volume by converting discarded plastics into new products or materials [13]. It is closely linked to waste valorization, which centers on enhancing the value of a waste material by changing it into something of greater value, such as a chemical or raw material, a fuel, or a source of energy [14].…”

“…For instance. Ogundairo et al presented a review on the prospects of plastic waste as a bitumen modifier, soil stabilizer, and brick strengthening agent [13], while Singh et al reviewed the development of composite materials from waste PET and marble dust [23]. However, there have been very few attempts to conduct a literature review on the utilization of plastic waste in different construction materials.…”