Environmentalists and innovators alike are always looking for the next “green” alternative to an idea that isn’t the most environmentally friendly.
We have reduced, reused, and recycled just about anything you can imagine. Even our roadways are made using recycled materials such as tires, glass, and plastics. However, what if we switched from asphalt roads to plastic roads?
Enter VolkerWessels
VolkerWessels, a major European construction company are the creators of a new innovation that may change the way our roads are constructed. Not to be too confusing, the name of the project that’s making quite a bit of noise around the world is PlasticRoad.
The idea is that PlasticRoad, made 100% out of recycled plastic, will be a much cheaper and more efficient way to construct roadways. Although this is just an idea at the moment, VolkerWessels plans to further explore PlasticRoad in the city of Rotterdam where the company is headquartered.
The Benefits
The introduction of plastic roads would be a complete game changer for our transportation system. Based on the long list of benefits stated by VolkerWessels, PlasticRoad will be a much better alternative than asphalt for our roadways.
There are a few obvious benefits of PlasticRoad. It will be much cheaper, environmentally friendly, and require less maintenance than traditional asphalt. Because of the weight of recycled plastic roads, the process of transporting and laying down the road will be much quicker and easier resulting in less traffic for commuters.
Some of the less obvious benefits of PlasticRoad are that they can be used for cables, pipes, and rainwater. That’s right. PlasticRoads will be designed to be hollow and will offer a place for drainage pipes and other useful systems such as a way to heat the road. Say goodbye to snowplows!
Another advantage that VolkerWessel mentioned was that it would be a stronger and quieter road surface than asphalt, being able to withstand extreme temperatures.
A Green Future
VolkerWessels has yet to construct or test PlasticRoad to see if it would be safe for vehicles in wet and slippery conditions. They’re currently looking for investors and manufacturers in the plastics industry.
There’s not much evidence or proof of how a plastic road will work and be everything that they say it will, but we’re curious to wait and see. VolkerWessels says that PlasticRoads could be a reality within the next 3 years.
In the meantime, if you’re in need of asphalt paving, call AC Paving at 410-923-6100 or click here for a FREE estimate!