Plasphalt
Along with pitch, lime, and gravel, this 2-mile stretch of I-25 in New Mexico is reinforced with another ingredient: plastic. Purple flecks from a toothbrush here, a bit of green tubing there. Gary Fishback and Erik Bowers of Albuquerque's TEWA Technology are paving the nation's roads with plasphalt - a proprietary mix of asphalt and recycled plastic. Though plasphalt costs 10 percent more than the straight alternative, it lasts 25 percent longer. Plus, it diverts 27 percent of all waste from landfill to highway. Right now, TEWA's best local suppliers are Philips Semiconductors, Intel, Coca-Cola, and Sandia National Laboratories. [via Michele Pentz, Wired]
3 Comments:
Dense graded mixes did not like this material and material was difficult to work with because of higher temperatures.
so it does exist! when you have an idea, someone else will also be thinking it, right down to the name(so obvious a name though). wasn t sure if i should spell it plast- or plasphalt. anyways when i thought of this i thought it would be a great way to recycle plastics without separating types or cleaning the recycled material. i thought grease and oils,from milk residue to underarm deodorant,to motor oil residue(new or used)should readily mix with traditional petrolium based liquid asphalt. then i also thought plastic that would not melt and blend with the asphalt would simply become aggregate. good deal all around right? good work for actually taking an idea that would make people think you re crazy and actually putting it into action making it a reality.i would really like to see this pave north america, so keep up the good work. as for anonymous s comment, im sure if this becomes the norm, that equipment will be modified to handle this material.
Do you have a way of reaching them please email me thanks jmas41@hotmail.com I LIVE IN NM AND THINK I CAN HELP THEM.
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