Plastic bottles and bags recycled to build roads

According to a recent Sky News report, new technology involving thrown away plastic can really keep the wheels of our economy rolling. 

Here are just some of the key out-takes:

The process turns plastic bottles and bags into plastic pellets, melting them down to create a glue.

• Asphalt or bitumen, the glue that holds our roads together, is a fossil fuel.
• The new process allows plastic pellets to make up 0.5% of asphalt,  reducing the reliance on fossil fuel and therefore helping the environment.
• The use of plastic pellets makes the asphalt stronger and last longer, thus reducing maintenance costs.
• Less maintenance equals fewer roadworks, therefore literally helping to keep the UK’s economy moving.   
• Less landfill equals budget savings for Councils. 

With already a number of councils testing plastic roads, this is a significant leap forward in making the UK a truly circular economy.

For the full report, click here