Plastic is one of the most commonly recycled products. Recycled plastic materials often are transformed into bottles, bags, toys, containers, and much more. But now, a Dutch company is attempting to recycle plastic into something much larger: roads. VolkerWessels is a Dutch construction firm that is preparing to build a PlasticRoad in Rotterdam. While VolkwerWessels’ PlasticRoad is still only a concept, it’s becoming quite popular in Holland, where 96 million tons of carbon dioxide are released into the air through road building and maintenance alone. They expect that the PlasticRoad will reduce greenhouse gas emissions while making roads stronger and increasing their lifespan. The engineering process will require stringent safety protocols in order to protect the on-site crew, and the materials engineers responsible for the plastic road will need to create a safeguard or additional waterproof layer that prevents leaching and exposure to chemicals.

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