Paving with Plastic
For the past 6 years, Hawaii has been implementing recycled plastic into its roadways instead of letting it end up in a landfill. This technology has been dubbed polymer-modified asphalt (PMA), which is more durable and elastic, allowing it to withstand Hawaii's unique weather patterns. The plastic used in PMA is derived from old fishing nets and recycled plastic trash.
PMA pavement is made by first melting pellets of styrene-butadiene-styrene (SBS; a type of copolymer) into a sticky, petroleum-based asphalt binder. Then, the PMA binder is tumbled with heated aggregates (rocks and sand) in a mixing drum, causing the PMA binder to fully coat the aggregates (American Chemical Society, 2026).
However, introducing plastic back into the world can raise concerns about pollution.
Initial tests showed that pavements made with recycled polyethylene did not release more polymers than the control pavement made with SBS (American Chemical Society, 2026).
Lynch’s team showed this was true during mechanical performance tests with pavement samples as well as in simulated stormwater collected from the experimental road sections. Microplastic-sized particles were detected, but very few of these were identified as polyethylene regardless of the pavement type tested (American Chemical Society, 2026).
"Some people think plastic recycling is a hoax — that it doesn’t work; it’s too challenging,” Lynch shares. “But this work demonstrates that recycling can work when society prioritizes sustainability" (American Chemical Society, 2026).
Center for Marine Debris Research director Jennifer Lynch raises a good point that some people don't believe in plastic recycling. Some people might not believe that what they take the time and effort to recycle will go toward a good cause. However, if programs such as this are put in place, in which people can see exactly what their recycled material is going toward, then that could increase community involvement and build larger material libraries for these recycling creatives.
References
Paving Hawaiian roads with recycled plastics and abandoned fishing nets - American Chemical Society. (2026). American Chemical Society. https://www.acs.org/pressroom/presspacs/2026/march/paving-hawaiian-roads-with-recycled-plastics-and-abandoned-fishing-nets.html
