Hi Friends,

Even as I launch this today ( my 80th Birthday ), I realize that there is yet so much to say and do. There is just no time to look back, no time to wonder,"Will anyone read these pages?"

With regards,
Hemen Parekh
27 June 2013

Now as I approach my 90th birthday ( 27 June 2023 ) , I invite you to visit my Digital Avatar ( www.hemenparekh.ai ) – and continue chatting with me , even when I am no more here physically

Saturday, 21 October 2023

Roads paved with Plastic Waste ? Gadkariji listened

 


Context :

Why waste in India is a multi-billion dollar goldmine……………………. TNN  /  26 Sept 2023

 

Extract :

 

India processes a sizable chunk of its plastic waste, but the portion that ends up in garbage dumps and landfills still constitutes a visible and significant problem
A solution for plastic that is strewn all around is to
pave the roads with it. And, plastic has also been found to make sturdy building construction material.
After mandatory guidelines were issued by the Centre for using plastic in road construction, more than 700 km of national highways had been
paved with plastic by 2021
Not only that, after shredded plastic was first used in road-building in Chennai in 2002, more than 13,000 km of “plastic roads
have been built under the PMGSY rural roads programme.
“The performance of these roads has been rated as excellent,” says the Indian Roads Congress (IRC), which has come up with guidelines for adding plastic waste in the construction mix.
IRC says that plastic-paved roads have
higher resistance to deformation and water-induced damage. Also, they display increased durability and higher stability and strength
The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has been reported to have found that plastic roads did not develop familiar defects like potholes, etc.


Not just roads, some waste plastics can also provide material for the construction of buildings and structures, thus reducing their carbon footprint.


( suggested >   Plastic Skyscrapers ?.......... 15 Mar 20017 )

 

 

MY  TAKE  :

Ø  Plastic Waste for Strengthening Roads.. ……………………08 Feb 2023

 

 

Related Readings :

Ø  Turning a Threat into an Opportunity ?......................... 23  Dec  2017

====================================================================

 

Ø  Dear Gadkariji : your dream come true ?...................... 18 Sept 2021

 

Extract :

My Take :

Ø  Number of Plastic bottles produced world-wide in 2021……………583.3 Billion

Ø  Plastic waste generated by India in 2019………………………………… .9.46 Million Tons

Ø  Total Plastic waste in 2021 could be ……………………………………….. 10 million tons

Ø  Assuming 30 % consist of PET bottles                             =       3 million tons

Ø  Approx weight of a 1 Litre PET bottles                             =     20  gms

Ø  Which translates as ( 5 bottle=100 gms / 50 bottle = 1kg / 50,000 bottles = 1000 Kg = 1 Ton )

Ø  Hence, if all of these 3 million tons of plastic bottles were to be used ( recycled ) for producing Platio Bricks :

#   3 million tons = 3,000,000 tons = 3,000,000,000 Kg

#   For ease of calculating, if we take use of 10 Kg / sq meter , we can get :

     300 Million sq meter of Platio Bricks

Ø  Let us assume a highway with a width of 20 Meter

Ø  So we get > 300 Million sq meter divided by 20 Meter = 15 Million Meter length of highway = 15,000 Km of highways constructed using plastic waste

Ø  Now, if 1 panel ( of 1 sq meter ) can generate 20-30 watts of solar power , then 300 million sq meter can produce … 300 million x 20 watts = 600 million watts = 600 Mega Watts of power !

 

I asked  BARD  , its opinion about the feasibility / desirability of my suggestion. It replied >

 

 Yes, your suggestion to use waste plastic bottles to convert into PLATIO power generating blocks and then use the same for constructing roads / highways is desirable and technically feasible.

Here are some of the benefits of using PLATIO blocks for road construction:

·         Reduced plastic waste: PLATIO blocks can help to reduce plastic waste by recycling it into a useful product.

·         Stronger roads: PLATIO roads are stronger and more durable than traditional asphalt roads. They are also more resistant to potholes and cracks.

·         Reduced cost: PLATIO roads are cheaper to build and maintain than traditional asphalt roads.

·         Increased energy efficiency: PLATIO blocks can be integrated with solar panels to generate electricity. This can help to reduce the environmental impact of road construction and operation.

Here are some of the technical challenges that need to be addressed in order to implement your suggestion:

·         Developing a scalable process for converting plastic bottles into PLATIO blocks: A scalable process is needed to produce PLATIO blocks in large quantities.

·         Ensuring the quality of PLATIO blocks: It is important to ensure that PLATIO blocks meet the required quality standards for road construction.

·         Integrating PLATIO blocks with solar panels: A method is needed to integrate PLATIO blocks with solar panels in a way that is efficient and durable.

Despite the challenges, I believe that your suggestion is worth pursuing. It has the potential to address two major problems: plastic waste and the need for better roads.

Here are some additional thoughts:

·         It is important to note that PLATIO blocks are not a perfect solution. They do have some drawbacks, such as the fact that they may not be suitable for all types of roads and climates. However, the potential benefits of PLATIO blocks outweigh the drawbacks.

·         It is also important to note that PLATIO blocks are not a new technology. They have been used in road construction in a number of countries, including India. However, the use of PLATIO blocks is still in its early stages. More research and development is needed to improve the technology and make it more affordable and widely available.

Overall, I believe that your suggestion is desirable and technically feasible.

It has the potential to address two major problems: plastic waste and the need for better roads.

I encourage you to continue to pursue this idea and to work with others to develop a practical and sustainable way to implement it.

 

With regards,

Hemen Parekh

www.hemenparekh.ai / 22  Oct  2023

 

 

 

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