EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH ON PLASTIC BRICKS MADE FROM WASTE PLASTIC

This study describes the use of municipal plastic waste (MPW) in the construction industry. Plastic is a non-biodegradable material that takes thousands of years to decompose and causes soil and water pollution. The amount of plastic waste in municipal solid waste (MSW) is increasing rapidly. Usage is estimated to double every decade. Plastic consumption is high and one of the largest plastic wastes is polyethylene (PE). The use of earth-derived clay materials has caused resource depletion and one of these efforts is the efficient use of plastic waste and laterite quarry waste, along with small amounts of asphalt, to meet the growing demand for traditional building materials, which are less absorbent than laterite bricks. The challenge is to develop alternative building materials, such as brick, that have little but sufficient strength. The use of MPW as a building material, especially in brick production, is one of the promising steps towards sustainable resource and waste management. Plastic waste can partially or completely replace one or more raw materials in brick production. Further research based on recent research and a better understanding of the use of waste plastics in bricks is needed to produce high-quality and durable bricks and to achieve an optimal balance in all aspects, especially in terms of cost and functionality.