International Journal of Science, Engineering and TechnologyAuthors: Umme Afsheen, Anupam Kumar Gautam
Abstract: Pothole formation severely impacts road infrastructure and road user safety in India, while the country grapples with massive non-degradable plastic waste generation. This study presents a comprehensive environmental and economic sustainability assessment of utilizing shredded plastic waste (LDPE, HDPE, and PET) in bituminous mixes for pothole repair using the dry process. The assessment is based on a real-world case study in Pratapgarh City and Chilbila, Uttar Pradesh. A functional unit of “1 km of pothole repair over a 5-year service life” was adopted for Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) following ISO 14040/14044 guidelines and Life Cycle Cost Analysis (LCCA). Results show that plastic-modified repairs divert 250–450 kg of plastic waste per km, reduce CO₂ emissions by 1.2–2.0 tonnes per km (45–55% reduction), and lower the overall environmental footprint by 30–40% compared to conventional methods. Economically, the approach achieves 18–22% savings in initial costs and nearly 50% reduction in lifecycle costs, with a Benefit-Cost Ratio (BCR) of 4.8 versus 1.4 for conventional repairs.The technology demonstrates strong alignment with circular economy principles, Swachh Bharat Mission, PMGSY, and Plastic Waste Management Rules. This study provides robust evidence for policymakers and municipal authorities to adopt plastic waste valorization as a scalable, sustainable solution for road maintenance in semi-urban India
