Recycled Plastic and Fishing Nets Asphalt Road in Oahu

under construction

Researchers at the Center for Marine Debris Research at Hawaiʻi Pacific University, in partnership with the Hawaii Department of Transportation, have created an experimental road in Oahu using asphalt that incorporates recycled plastic waste, including fishing nets collected from the Pacific Ocean. The project aims to address plastic waste management and infrastructure durability by replacing traditional polymer modifiers in asphalt with recycled plastics. The road has been in use for about 11 months, and early results show no increase in microplastic pollution compared to standard asphalt.