DEVELOPMENT OF AESTHETIC PAVING BLOCK TECHNOLOGY CEMENT-LESS BASED ON SUSTAINABLE PLASTIC BOTTLE WASTE

PET plastic waste that is difficult to decompose is one of the main challenges in environmental management. This research aims to develop a paving block production technology made from PET plastic waste with a more efficient mixing method, using a mixing machine with a temperature control system and mechanical stirring. The paving block sample is made with a composition of 25% PET plastic and 75% fine aggregate. The conventional mixing method, which uses manual stirring and heating with a stove, is compared to the machine method which is equipped with automatic control to maintain the homogeneity of the mixture and temperature stability. Next, the paving block is tested for compressive strength to evaluate the quality of the production result. The results showed that the machine method produced paving blocks with an average compressive strength of 20.10 MPa, higher than the conventional method which only reached 15.6 MPa. The standard deviation in the engine method is lower (1.71) than in the conventional method (5.15), indicating more consistent quality. In terms of efficiency, the machine method reduces production time by up to 48%, although the cost per paving block is slightly higher, which is Rp 4,840.5 compared to Rp 4,166 in the conventional method. This research shows that the innovation of mixing machines not only improves the quality and efficiency of paving block production, but also supports environmental sustainability by utilizing plastic waste as construction materials. The main contribution of this research is the development of more reliable, time-saving, and high-quality production methods for recycling-based material applications in the large-scale construction industry.