Disposal of Plastic Waste and Stone Dust: A Sustainable Development Approach

Population explosion, rapid industrialization, consumerism and technological advancement have led to manifold increase in the generation of solid wastes comprising both organic as well as inorganic solids in varying proportions. In absence of proper waste disposal system, these materials, especially, the non-biodegradable substances, such as plastics cause serious environmental problems. Plastics have the unique capability to be manufactured to meet very specific functional needs for consumers in both rural and urban areas, making it one of the most common household items worldwide. This has resulted in high content of plastics in solid wastes. The non-biodegradability of plastics causes disposal problems and environmental pollution. Stone dust generated from a large number of stone crushing units is also having a major disposal problem. This study discusses an eco-friendly method of disposal of plastic waste and stone dust by utilizing these materials in road construction. The results of the tests indicate that utilization of plastic wastes along with stone dust improves the quality of pavement and reduce disposal problems in an environment-friendly manner.