A EXPERIMENTAL STUDY ON USE OF PLASTIC WASTE FOR MANUFACTURING OF CLAY BRICKS

This paper investigates the utilization of municipal plastic waste (MPW) in construction industries. Plastic is a non-bio-degradable substance which takes thousands of years to decompose that creates land as well as water pollution to the environment. The quantity of plastic waste in Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) is expanding rapidly. It is estimated that the rate of usage is double for every 10 years. The Plastic usage is large in consumption and one of the largest plastic wastes is polyethylene (PE). The utilization of earth-based clay material resulted in resource depletion and environmental degradation One such effort is the efficient use of waste plastic and laterite quarry waste with a small quantity of bitumen, to develop an alternative building material such as bricks with negligible water absorption and satisfactory strength in comparison with Laterite stone to satisfy the increasing demand of conventional building materials. Utilizing MPW as construction materials especially in production of bricks is one of a promising step towards a sustainable resources and waste management. Plastic waste can substitute either partially or completely one or more of the materials in brick production. Further research based on recent research and a better understanding in utilization of plastic waste in brick is needed to produce a high durability and quality of bricks as well as to achieve the optimum balance in all aspects especially in terms of cost and functionality.