India has launched a pilot project using waste plastic directly mixed with bitumen for highway construction, with the technology designed to reduce bitumen consumption and create a value-added use for plastic waste.
JHANSI, INDIA – A pilot test section of NH-44 in Jhansi has been laid using a new waste-plastic wet-mix technology that blends processed plastic directly with bitumen before the road surface is constructed. The project marks the first reported national-highway pilot in India using this approach.
The technology, known as Waste Plastic Modified Bitumen (W-PMB 76-10), was developed by IIT (BHU), Varanasi, through a research programme funded by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways. IIT (BHU) will monitor the pilot stretch to evaluate its long-term engineering performance and suitability for wider road applications.
Unlike the conventional approach in which waste plastic is added to aggregates as a dry mix, the new process incorporates processed plastic directly into the bitumen. This creates a modified binder that can be used in the bituminous layer of the highway.
Officials associated with the project estimate that the technology could reduce conventional bitumen consumption by around 4%. They also indicated that the modified bitumen could potentially cost around 20% less than conventional bitumen, although the pilot’s performance will need to be evaluated before broader conclusions can be drawn.
The project uses low-density polyethylene (LDPE) recovered from discarded products such as irrigation pipes, waste files and plastic folders. Local recyclers and MSMEs have supported the processing of the waste plastic, linking plastic recovery with infrastructure development.
Laboratory evaluations reported by officials indicate that LDPE-modified bitumen can provide improved resistance to moisture damage and rutting at high temperatures. The modified binder also increases stiffness and high-temperature performance, which could help asphalt withstand permanent deformation under heavy traffic and elevated temperatures.
The development comes against the backdrop of India’s large volume of plastic waste generation. The report cites an estimated 25,000 tonnes of plastic waste generated every day in the country, highlighting the potential scale of applications that can provide productive end uses for recovered plastics.
The technology has also recently received a patent, adding intellectual-property protection to the research and development work behind the modified-bitumen process.
For the plastics and road-construction sectors, the pilot represents an application that connects plastic recycling with highway infrastructure. If the NH-44 trial demonstrates satisfactory long-term performance, the approach could provide another pathway for certain waste-plastic streams while reducing the quantity of conventional bitumen required in road construction.
The performance of the Jhansi section will now be monitored by IIT (BHU), making the pilot results important for assessing durability, field performance and the feasibility of scaling the technology to additional road projects.