Relatively little plastic is recycled. A whopping 91% of what is collected isn't. Some is burnt. Some can't be burnt without producing toxic gasses. Most goes into landfills.
Plastic is everywhere. It wraps our food, it forms the seal inside glass jar lids, some cans have a plastic lining. Our clothes lose plastic fibres when we wash them and when we dry them.
The water we drink has microplastics in it. The fish and other food we eat has microplastics embedded too. We don't know how this will affect us.
So what's the answer? What can WE do? I suggest there's a need for a plastic concentration device. Something which will get hot enough to melt plastic without creating fumes. Possibly something like an electric kettle?
Once molten, the plastic can be poured into a mould to solidify or possibly allowed to solidify in the device and the solid block removed later - that would be safer. Don't worry if the plastics used are mixed because the blocks produced can be reprocessed further and ground thermosetting plastics added. We then use this as a substitute for the asphalt used on roads. There are firms already doing this https://macrebur.com/ for example. The resultant road surfaces are:
- Up to 60% stronger and last up to 10 x longer
- The road surface is less vulnerable to melting in hot weather
- Saves councils money
- We get rid of a LOT of plastic and produce less carbon dioxide emissions at the same time
- Plastic roads can have a hollow space to allow for pipes, wiring etc. That reduced roadworks which dig up the surface.
- Plastic roads can be heated which could prevent them from freezing and also evaporate surface water
- Plastic roads can be manufactured in interlocking sections which are easily assembled or disassembled
The process isn't perfect though. Some plastic particles may still make their way to the sea but the problem should be greatly reduced.
Experiments have found that the plastic road should still contain some asphalt to add to its strength.
