A new asphalt additive made of recycled plastic could help make Scottish roads more durable and eco-friendly.
The product is called EcoFlakes, and it is being tested for the first time in the United Kingdom on a road in Motherwell, Scotland, according to North Lanarkshire Council.
To roll out a new layer of road, construction crews make asphalt by combining things like gravel and sand with a crude-oil byproduct called bitumen. Intense heat is applied to bind the materials together, and planet-heating gases are released along the way.
In fact, the creation and upkeep of roads accounts for over 12% of those harmful gases globally, according to the World Resources Institute.
However, adding EcoFlakes into the asphalt mixture can cut up to 20% of the related pollution and make the resulting road last longer, the council reported.
That means using the recycled plastic product is a double win. It can enhance the road's quality for drivers while also replacing some of its dirtier oil-based ingredients with a cleaner option.
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Plus, reusing plastic is always an added bonus, since it is another material derived from oil and often pollutes natural environments.
Want to bring similar benefits into your everyday life? There are all kinds of ways to ditch single-use plastic and embrace reusable materials, such as buying a metal water bottle or glass food storage dishes. Even small changes can end up saving you money and protecting your health.
The section of Scottish road made with EcoFlakes will be monitored for the next five years. The trial is made possible by Live Labs 2, a Department for Transport initiative to improve highways across the UK.
Other test products in the program include anti-ice asphalt, biochar surfacing, and self-healing concrete, per the statement.
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"As the only council in Scotland to be involved with Live Labs 2, we really are blazing a trail for others to follow," North Lanarkshire councillor Helen Loughran said. "We're showing that sustainable infrastructure is not only possible but practical."
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