Five years after the first plastic road was laid in Jeffreys Bay, recent updates indicate it has outperformed traditional tar roads, showcasing substantial potential for the future of road construction in South Africa.
The innovative pilot project, launched in 2019 by the Kouga Municipality in collaboration with Scottish firm MacRebur and local civil engineering experts, has demonstrated impressive durability. The idea of using plastic waste in road construction emerged as a solution to the region's substantial road repair backlog, which exceeds R500 million.
Horatio Hendricks, the municipality’s executive mayor, explained that financial constraints made conventional road-building methods impractical. The plastic-infused road, which incorporates melted-down plastic waste, including up to 1.8 million plastic bags per kilometer, provides an eco-friendly and cost-effective alternative.
The plastic road has proven to be more resilient than traditional tar, with reduced susceptibility to water penetration—a primary cause of potholes. Hendricks noted that by late 2023, the plastic road still appeared nearly new, while a nearby tar road from the same year was already showing wear.
The plastic road, described by Hendricks as a “triple threat,” offers environmental, economic, and infrastructural benefits. It helps manage plastic waste, reduces the need for raw materials, and is expected to last twice as long as traditional roads, easing the financial burden of repairs and addressing infrastructure backlogs.
The success of plastic roads extends beyond Jeffreys Bay. The recent application of 200 tons of plastic-infused tarmac on the N3 highway between Durban and Johannesburg suggests similar positive outcomes. If widely adopted, plastic roads could revolutionize South Africa’s approach to waste management and infrastructure maintenance.
While the results are promising, the broader implementation of plastic roads across the country remains to be seen.
As South Africa seeks innovative solutions for its infrastructure challenges, plastic roads present a significant opportunity to enhance road construction, reduce plastic waste, and alleviate financial strain on municipalities.
