Patna: Bihar government has constructed more than 10.5 kilometres of rural roads using processed single-use plastic waste across three districts, marking a significant step in the state’s efforts to tackle plastic pollution while strengthening local infrastructure.
The initiative, implemented in Purnea, Khagaria and Aurangabad, has reused around eight tonnes of plastic waste, according to state officials. The government now plans to expand the model to other districts in the coming months.
The project is being carried out under the Lohia Swachh Bihar Abhiyan (LSBA), run by the rural development department, which focuses on systematic waste collection and disposal. Under the programme, plastic waste is collected door to door from households and transported to one of 171 plastic waste management units set up across the state.
At these units, single-use plastic is processed and shredded before being handed over to the rural works department. The processed plastic is then mixed with bitumen and used in road construction in rural areas.
Shrawon Kumar, Bihar’s rural development minister, said the use of plastic waste in road construction served the dual purpose of environmental protection and sustainable development. “This approach helps in proper disposal of plastic waste while also improving the durability of roads, especially in waterlogged areas,” he said.
Ratnesh Verma, the state adviser for solid and liquid waste management, said both low-density and high-density plastics, including PET bottles, are shredded and mixed with hot bitumen in a ratio of about 7%. “Roads built using this technique are more resistant to water damage and have a much longer lifespan compared to conventional roads,” he said.
