HERB BOOTH: UT ARLINGTON MEDIA RELATIONS –
The University of Texas at Arlington researchers are combining their two areas of expertise—recycling and asphalt/concrete, respectively—to lead a two-year, $342,588 feasibility study on building plastic roads, funded by the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT).
The roads wouldn’t be made entirely of recycled plastic, but instead mixed with asphalt for an ideal consistency to keep the road safe for motorists and help it last longer, cost less and avoid cracking. “When China was taking all of the recyclables, it was an $11 billion per year industry for the United States,” said Hossain, a professor in the Department of Civil Engineering and director of UTA’s Solid Waste Institute for Sustainability.