Wavin, a Dutch maker of plastic pipes, has announced that it will begin production of its modular plastic road technology early next year.
Wavin’s PlasticRoad has undergone 18 months of testing, including the construction of two 30m-long bike paths, and is now available to be ordered.
Each pilot used around 1,000kg of recycled plastics, the equivalent of 218,000 plastic cups, and Wavin claims that they cut carbon emissions by up to 70%, compared with an asphalt or concrete path.
The test roads, which were built in Zwolle and Giethoorn, to the east of Amsterdam, were fitted with sensors to monitor how well they dealt with heavy traffic. Wavin says they were able to stand up to heavy vehicles such as garbage trucks, and that the production version of the road will be 2.5 times stronger.
Marcel Jager, Wavin’s product manager, commented: “Working together with our clients, we have proven that our ground-breaking circular concept – a prefab road based on recycled plastic – is feasible in practice. An initiative that started in 2018 with two pilot projects is now ready for industrial production – a feat that we are incredibly proud of.”
Image: The millionth cyclist on the first PlasticRoad (PlasticRoad)
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