Gadkari backs IIT tech; waste plastic used in bitumen for NH-44 for first time
A pilot test section was laid recently along the main carriageway of NH-44 in Jhansi. Officials involved in the pilot said the technology could lower the consumption of conventional bitumen by around 4%, reducing demand for a material that India largely imports to meet its domestic needs.
The Nitin Gadkari-led Road Transport Ministry has made history by incorporating waste plastic into the bitumen used for constructing a stretch of national highway NH-44 for the first time. This innovative approach, developed by IIT (BHU) in Varanasi, could reduce India's dependence on imported bitumen while providing a solution to the growing issue of plastic waste.
The pilot project, located in Jhansi, utilizes a wet mix of waste plastic with bitumen, which could lower conventional bitumen consumption by around 4% and potentially reduce costs by 20% compared to traditional methods. Officials are optimistic about the technology's benefits, including improved resistance to rutting and moisture damage, as well as the creation of a valuable use for plastic waste.
Brief written by urgent.news from Times of India's own syndicated text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
