131–140 of 197 posts
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Right on cue the microplastic doom cult shows up whenever the word plastic appears. Let’s have a little optimism eh guys? This is not even a problem as far as anyone can tell, and even if it were it would be solvable.
Optimism or wishful thinking?
This is brilliant. It's like asphalt, which is just concrete (cement, sand and lime) with some of the cement replaced with oil/tar. This is that same idea but using plastic not oil/tar. Truly brilliant. It's a new type of composite building material.
I think this description of asphalt is in error. Asphalt itself is a form of petroleum, specifically a type of pitch, which occurs in nature and is also known as bitumen. It is used as a binder for various aggregates in asphalt concrete, which is what everyone calls asphalt. I do not think that cement and lime are involved at all.
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Clay and other concrete based bricks must be cheap enough already, and work well. If we intend to reuse plastic in bricks, maybe use those bricks for building things in and around landfills or things like storing nuclear waste - so that toxicity is concentrated. Otherwise, plastic bricks seem like one of those things that will be discovered to be toxic eventually.
The world is allegedly running out of sand appropriate for use in concrete products. 99% Invisible (podcast) has a episode on the topic I suggest checking out https://99percentinvisible.org/episode/built-on-sand/ Not saying that I want plastic in construction materials or roads though: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/may/19/environm...
This is brilliant. It's like asphalt, which is just concrete (cement, sand and lime) with some of the cement replaced with oil/tar. This is that same idea but using plastic not oil/tar. Truly brilliant. It's a new type of composite building material.
[It's been around since at least the 1950's](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B978184569... ).
As for polymer-concrete's history (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B978184569... ):
> The history of the research and development of polymer concrete is relatively short compared with that of conventional cement concrete. The early research and development of the polymer concrete was done mainly in the Soviet Union (currently, Russia),1 the United States,2 Germany3 and Japan4 in the late 1950s to the early 1960s.
The idea of making polymer-concrete with recycled-plastic has also been around. For a random review article (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B978085709...):
> Abstract: [...] The volume of polymeric wastes such as tyre rubber and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles is increasing at a fast rate. [...] The majority is just landfilled. This chapter reviews research published on the performance of concrete containing tyre rubber and PET wastes. Furthermore it discusses the effect of waste treatments, the size of waste particles and the waste replacement volume on the fresh and hardened properties of concrete.
Mixing plastics with asphalt has been tried for roads in India for many years now. There is one stretch near where I live which was done 10+ years ago. There is an official policy on trying this, as a pilot, for any agency that wishes to use it. See: https://www.prakati.in/use-of-plastic-for-road-construction-... The road which I use occasionally seems reasonably good as roads go. Unless you see the boards informing…
I think plastic probably makes more sense as a construction material than for roads. Cars are really tough on roads. I have to imagine that plastic in roads would get shredded into microplastics and wind up all over the place.
Wouldn't that depend on how the plastic is used? Roads are complex engineered objects made up of many parts. Putting plastic in the top layer where it would be subject to wear might not work, but putting it into one or more of the substrate layers could still make the road more durable, recycle the plastic for a second life, and capture it so it doesn't end up in the environment.
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Not "just". More, more, more microplastics.
asphalt is already tar/oil anyway, wouldnt make up that much of a difference I'd think.
Most plastics seem to take centuries before they are back to something that is less noticeable in the environment.
Mixing plastics with asphalt has been tried for roads in India for many years now. There is one stretch near where I live which was done 10+ years ago. There is an official policy on trying this, as a pilot, for any agency that wishes to use it. See: https://www.prakati.in/use-of-plastic-for-road-construction-... The road which I use occasionally seems reasonably good as roads go. Unless you see the boards informing…
I recommend reading this in Lucasarts gaming style text: Meanwhile deep in a laboratory somewhere deep in the Caribbean…… several scientists hell bent on solving the landfill problem work frantically on bacteria which are capable of breaking down plastics as their primary food source.
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> They could paint them once installed, like nearly every building on the planet. Simple problem, simple solution. perhaps with a lead paint! that'll make everything better. "sealing" a toxic material is not a solution when that seal can be broken by scraping it. let's face it, this is a toxic material that doesn't belong in our homes or our society.
Then get rid of everything plastic you own.
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I think plastic probably makes more sense as a construction material than for roads. Cars are really tough on roads. I have to imagine that plastic in roads would get shredded into microplastics and wind up all over the place.
I have to imagine that plastic in roads would get shredded into microplastics and wind up all over the place. Wouldn't that depend on how the plastic is used? Roads are complex engineered objects made up of many parts. Putting plastic in the top layer where it would be subject to wear might not work, but putting it into one or more of the substrate layers could still make the road more durable, recycle the plastic fo…