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Dubai In 1999, Bangalore, India, announced a ban on plastic bags that are often used when shopping for vegetables.
K. Ahmad Khan, owner of KK Polyflex, manufacturers of plastic sacks, came up with a plan to produce recycled plastic - KK Polyblend - from grocery bags and then incorporate it into roadwork.
Lab tests were carried out on the possible use of plastic as an addition to concrete and asphalt mixes, or bitumen, at the Centre for Transportation Engineering of Bangalore University.
In 2002, the city corporation of Bangalore laid 40km of roads using a blend of bitumen and recycled plastic in 12 areas of the city. The roads were observed over a period of 18 months and two monsoons. The addition of the modified plastic helped to strengthen the roads by enhancing bitumen's bonding ability - it allowed roads to become long lasting as they became more resistant to rain.
Studies estimated that the roads last three times longer than usual.
The roads and pavements were also less likely to crack due to temperature changes.
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