Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Plastic Roads: Not All They’Re Paved Up To Be, Katie Conlon

Urban Studies and Planning Faculty Publications and Presentations

The growing, global plastic waste crisis is sparking a myriad of solutions from disparate fields. One such end-of-use solution is the application of plastic waste for paving roads. This solution is marketed as a win-win option for plastic waste, use the single-use waste material to pave roads and save money, and simultaneously tackle the accumulated plastic waste. Paving with plastic is occurring globally, but has been especially appealing in the global south contexts where waste management infrastructure is lacking, and pressure to do something about the plastic waste is high. However, there are several environmental and social considerations to paving …