Application of Plastic Wastes in Construction Materials: A Review Using the Concept of Life-Cycle Assessment in the Context of Recent Research for Future Perspectives

Abstract

The urbanization process contributes to the growth of solid waste generation and causes an increase in environmental impacts and failures in the management of solid waste. The number of dumps is a concern due to the limited implementation and safe disposal of this waste. The interest in sustainable techniques has been growing in relation to waste management, which is largely absorbed by the civil construction sector. This work aimed to review plastic waste, especially polyethylene terephthalate (PET), that can be incorporated with construction materials, such as concrete, mortars, asphalt mixtures, and paving. The use of life-cycle assessment (LCA) is related, as a tool that allows the sustainability of products and processes to be enhanced in the long term. After analyzing the recent literature, it was identified that studies related to plastic wastes in construction materials concentrate sustainability around the alternative destination of waste. Since the plastic waste from different production chains are obtained, it was possible to affirm the need for a broader assessment, such as the LCA, providing greater quantification of data making the alternative processes and products more sustainable. The study contributes to enhance sustainability in alternative building materials through LCA.

A Sustainable Reuse of Agro-Industrial Wastes into Green Cement Bricks

“…Natural resource shortages and the formation of solid waste without effective disposal are global concerns [ 25 , 31 , 32 , 33 , 34 ], and this permits ecological viability for construction systems, encouraging ecological sustainability and process optimization [ 35 , 36 ]. The current global concerns stem from extensive ecological concerns, as well as the expedited rate of technology innovation in the industry, particularly in construction, and, as a result, attention to the concept of alternative building materials, particularly materials produced of the earth, has grown [ 37 ].…”

Technological Characterization of PET—Polyethylene Terephthalate—Added Soil-Cement Bricks

“…The scarcity of natural resources and the generation of solid wastes without adequate disposal is of worldwide concern, which makes their reuse feasible in the civil construction sector, besides encouraging sustainable development and a circular economy [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]. The solid waste problem is of concern mainly in urbanized regions and developing countries where collection and disposal services have difficulties dealing with increasing amounts of waste [ 2 ].…”

“…Sustainable solid waste management has become a necessity for industries seeking to promote industrialization and sustainable development. Government regulations have become more stringent around the world, representing an accelerating factor in the adoption of reverse logistics initiatives, including in countries that have been facing difficulties in recycling processes, thus giving more space for the use of this waste within its life cycle [ 4 ].…”

Life Cycle Assessment of Biocement: An Emerging Sustainable Solution?

“…Clearly, biocementation can be performed in a number of ways, and a methodology to evaluate the processes to identify the best among several alternatives is essential. Life cycle analysis has emerged as a great tool for evaluating sustainability [16], particularly in the areas of sustainable housing technologies, building assessments [17][18][19][20] and commonly used construction materials such as cement [21][22][23] and plastic wastes [24] aided by the enormous amount of field data over a long time. There are few studies on industrial-scale projects with biocement to conduct a full-scale life cycle analysis, although the importance of such a study cannot be overestimated.…”