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.
In a groundbreaking development for the road sector, the Road Transport Ministry, led by Nitin Gadkari, has successfully incorporated waste plastic into a wet mix with bitumen to construct a bituminous stretch of national highway NH-44. This innovative approach not only reduces the country's reliance on imported bitumen but also offers an effective solution to manage the mounting plastic waste problem.
A pilot test section of the highway was laid recently in Jhansi. The officials involved in the pilot project stated that this novel technology could potentially cut down the usage of conventional bitumen by approximately 4%, thus alleviating the demand for a material that India largely imports. Additionally, the modified bitumen could be about 20% cheaper than the traditional one.
The process of creating Waste Plastic Modified Bitumen (W-PMB 76-10) was developed by the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) - Banaras Hindu University (BHU) in Varanasi. This research program was funded by the ministry of road transport and highways. The IIT (BHU) will closely monitor the pilot stretch to assess its long-term engineering performance and ascertain its suitability for widespread use.
India generates around 25,000 tonnes of plastic waste every day. Traditionally, waste plastic was used in road construction via a dry-mix process, wherein the plastic was mixed with aggregates during the laying of the bituminous layer. However, this new process involves blending treated waste plastic directly with bitumen before laying, marking the first such initiative on a national highway.
The benefits of this technology include the added value of waste plastic through a scientifically controlled process, enhanced resistance to rutting in bituminous mixes exposed to high temperatures and heavy axle loads, and the patent protection of the technology. The process primarily utilizes low-density polyethylene (LDPE), a soft, flexible, and lightweight thermoplastic derived from petroleum, which includes discarded irrigation pipes, waste files, and plastic folders collected by local recyclers and MSMEs.
Preliminary laboratory evaluations have shown that LDPE-modified bitumen offers superior resistance to moisture damage and greater resistance to rutting at high temperatures. This modified binder boosts the stiffness and high-temperature performance of asphalt, enabling pavements to withstand permanent deformation under heavy traffic loads and extreme temperatures.
India has been actively exploring sustainable alternatives across various sectors, including infrastructure and transportation. Recently, the Road Transport and Highways Minister, Gadkari, emphasized the potential of ethanol to boost farmers' incomes while reducing India's dependence on imported petroleum. He also highlighted the development of flex-fuel engines designed to run entirely on ethanol, which are currently under creation and would soon be introduced.
The expansion of ethanol production has already benefited farmers, as evidenced by the price increase from around Rs 1,200 per quintal to Rs 2,600 per quintal after ethanol production rose. Gadkari stressed that this represents the essence of swadeshi, self-reliance, and independence. Moreover, he stated that flex-fuel engines capable of running entirely on ethanol were in development, further contributing to cleaner fuels and reduced fuel import dependence.
Written by urgent.news from Times of India's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
