Infusing asphalt with plastic could help roads last longer and resist cracking under heat

A research team has paved plastic-infused roads in Texas and Bangladesh, with promising results.

By: Md S Hossain, University of Texas at Arlington, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: February 9, 2026

Words: 1,130

Last Updated: 1 month ago

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By Md S Hossain, University of Texas at Arlington

Globally, more than 400 million tons of plastic are produced each year, and less than 10% is recycled. Much of the rest ends up burned, buried or drifting through waterways, a problem that’s only getting worse.

As a civil engineer, I started asking a simple question: Instead of throwing used plastic away, what if we could build something useful with it?

That question led …

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