Pyrolysis of polyolefin plastic waste and potential applications in asphalt road construction: A technical review

Pressures on the current plastic waste management infrastructure has made growth of new sustainable recycling capacities crucial. Pyrolysis is an emerging thermochemical technology that may be utilised at a large scale to aid in reaching EU 2030 targets for waste. Plastic valorisation via this process could gain increased competitiveness with conventional methods through use concepts such as ‘Design Recycling’, identifying further marketable applications pyrolysis end co-products. This paper presents review most abundant polyolefins, low-density polyethylene (LDPE), high-density (HDPE) and polypropylene (PP), focus heavy wax products. A sizeable research gap its known outside petrochemical chemical feedstock industries was identified. Furthermore, potential hot mix asphalt (HMA) layers flexible roads alternative binder material aggregate discussed. plastic-derived bitumen modifier viable solution limitations associated modifiers (PMB), while producing enhanced rheological properties failure resistances. Consequently, future trends include obtaining full understanding capacity products from polyolefins modification. The key relationships between parameters subsequent product properties, modification mechanisms performance also explored. application pairing wastes more extensively adopted infrastructure, well other industries.