A professor of chemistry in a college located in Madurai has discovered a novel, eco-friendly method by using plastic carry-bags as road construction material mixed with bitumen, reports newKerala.com.

R.Vasudevan, the professor of chemistry at the Thiagarajar College of Engineering, says the "non-biodegradable eye-sore" when mixed with bitumen, the main ingredient of road-construction, gives stronger roads that remain in their prime form for twice the period as normal tar roads.

"Plastic Roads" as he terms them, mainly use plastic carry-bags and disposable cups that are collected from garbage dumps across Madurai as an important ingredient of the construction material.When mixed with hot bitumen, plastics melt to form an oily coat over the aggregate and the mixture is laid on the road surface like a normal tar road. Plastic roads, Vasudevan says, would be a boon for India‘‘s hot and extremely humid climate, where temperatures frequently cross 50 degree celsius and torrential rains create havoc, leaving most of the roads with big potholes.

"By mixing plastic with bitumen the ability of the bitumen to withstand high temperature increases. Normally, "bleeding" takes place when temperature reaches 45-5- degrees, but when plastic is mixed, it remains stable even at 55 degrees,"says Vasudevan. While the presence of plastic, the roads withstand the onslaught of water much more than normal roads. Vasudevan adds that the binding property of plastic makes the road last longer besides giving added strength to withstand more loads.

Madurai‘‘s municipal authorities have already given the go-ahead to the novel venture and work has begun on some sections on the city roads to utilise waste plastics to optimum benefit