Prospective Use and Assessment of Recycled Plastic in Construction Industry

The accumulation of plastic waste poses a significant environmental challenge, necessitating sustainable solutions. This study investigates the potential of recycling waste plastics for use in the construction industry, emphasizing their integration into building materials and components. Earlier waste plastic recycling was excessively studied as an ingredient in concrete composites, roads, and other use in research. However, in this study, recycled plastic is assessed for use as a sole material for structural products. Raw plastics, including high-density polyethylene, Low-Density Polyethylene, polypropylene, polyolefin, samicanite, and virgin polyethylene, were analyzed for recycling through mechanical extrusion, and their mechanical properties were analyzed to determine their feasibility for construction applications. In this study, the extrusion process, combined with engineered dyes, was investigated with comprehensive material testing as per the ASTM standards to obtain the properties desired for construction. Advanced characterization techniques, including SEM, FTIR, and TGA, were employed to evaluate the chemical composition, thermal stability, and impurities of these waste plastics collected from municipal waste. A gas emission analysis during extrusion confirmed a minimal environmental impact, validating the sustainability of the recycling process. Municipal waste plastic has a considerable quantum of HDPE, PP, and LDPE, which was considered in this research for recycling for construction products. A total of 140 samples were recycled through extrusion and tested across shear, flexural, tensile, and compression categories: 35 samples each. The results showed that rHDPE and PP had good tensile strength and shear resistance. The findings pave the way for developing cost-effective, durable, and eco-friendly building materials, such as rebars, corrugated sheet, blocks, and other products, contributing to environmental conservation and resource efficiency for the construction Industry.