Modification of Asphalt Binders with Ocean Plastic Waste: Characterization of Binder Performance

Every year, almost eight million metric tons of plastic wastes pollute the oceans, affecting the environment. Therefore, researchers are constantly looking for a sustainable approach of using ocean plastic wastes (OPW), and to address this problem is to create an asphalt additive made from OPW, which might lower greenhouse gas emissions by reducing the need for new petrochemical polymers. This study shows the feasibility of using ocean plastic waste to improve binder performance. Near-shore and ocean-bound plastic were analyzed using near infra-red (NIR) spectroscopy. Analysis and the characterization of plastics modified binder with viscosity-temperature susceptibility and stability test were performed to understand the plastic types and influence on the binder, respectively. Thirty-three different plastics modified binders composed of high-density polyethylene (HDPE), nylon, and polypropylene were tested. Modified HDPE and certain types of nylon were found to enhance binder properties enabling for the sustainable utilization of OPW.