Plastic to be Used in Asphalt Mix

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The government is developing a plan to mix asphalt with not only rubber, but also plastic.

JAKARTA, KOMPAS — The mixing of plastic powder, which is a by-product of grinding plastic bags, with asphalt is an effort to increase the circular economy based on plastic recycling.

Plastic powder is the main product of materials that can be processed into plastic products. It also has low economic value. The circular economy is defined as economic activities that reduce waste.

“The powder can be used as asphalt mix,” the Olefin, Aromatic and Plastic Industry Association’s (Inaplas) secretary-general, Fajar Budiono, said on Sunday.

Fajar added that research on the use of plastic in asphalt mix had been done by the Indonesian Institute of Sciences and the Road and Bridge Research and Development Center, among other agencies.

“Using plastic in asphalt mix was tried on roads at a housing complex in Depok, West Java, in June 2017. Further trials were also conducted in Bali and Bekasi.”

He said in the mixing process, rock aggregates were heated by up to 150 degrees Celsius until they were dry. Afterwards, the plastic is mixed in and, at 170 degrees Celsius; it will melt and cover the rocks.

“Then, we put in the asphalt. Rocks covered by plastic will not absorb rain water and will get dry very quickly after a rain shower. As a result, the asphalt will last longer as it will not get brittle after absorbing the rain,” Fajar added.

According to him, implementation and technical guides as well as information dissemination from the Public Works and Housing Ministry would be necessary to use plastic in asphalt mix.

“This is to protect road asphalt industry players from unwarranted accusations,” Fajar said.

Furthermore, waste management must be improved so that the gather-transport-dispose concept can be changed into separate-process-sell. “Waste management must be changed from a cost-center into a profit-center. This needs innovation, a legal umbrella and incentives,” he said.

Local materials

Public Works and Housing Minister Bask Hadimuljono said infrastructure development should be directed toward absorbing more local materials. Materials, especially natural rubber and Buton asphalt, have the potential to be used in road construction. There is also a campaign to use plastic in asphalt mix.

Currently, the ministry is compiling a set of norms, standards, procedures and manuals on using rubber asphalt. This will be used as a reference for regional governments when using natural rubber.

“We have met with the coordinating economic minister, the home minister and the industry minister. For instance, the Industry Ministry will be responsible for making asphalt granules,” Basuki said.

Last year, the South Sumatra administration tried using rubber asphalt on the 4.37-kilometer road between Muara Beliti and Tebing Tinggi-Lahat, working with a budget of Rp 30.55 billion (US$2.16

million). This year, the Public Works and Housing Ministry plans to purchase 1,096 tons of rubber from South Sumatran farmers. As of March, only 170 tons have been purchased.

In Jambi, 24.55 tons of rubber out of a planned 586 tons have been absorbed. Meanwhile, in Lampung, of a planned 835 tons, 20 tons have been absorbed.

Basuki said his ministry had completed the clusterization of using natural rubber in asphalt mix. The plan is to use natural rubber in Sumatra and Kalimantan. In Java and Bali, plastic waste will be used instead.

In eastern Indonesia, the government plans to push for the use of Buton asphalt, which is available in Southeast Sulawesi. (CAS/NAD)

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