The Central Road Research Institute (CRRI), in collaboration with Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd. (BPCL), introduced a breakthrough in sustainable infrastructure with the development of Geocells—three-dimensional, block-shaped technical textiles made entirely from waste plastic.
Tackling End-of-Life Plastic with Innovation
Geocells are part of a joint effort to address the pressing issue of end-of-life and mixed plastic waste, which often ends up in landfills due to its low recyclability and inconsistent quality. “CRRI and BPCL developed a plastic-based module and a technical textile called Geocell using end-of-life and mixed waste plastics. Recycling such materials is challenging due to their varied composition,” explained Dr. Ankita Behl, Principal Scientist at CSIR-CRRI.
Field Trials Show Promising Results
To evaluate performance, the team conducted a successful field trial near the DND–Faridabad–KMP Expressway. The 160-meter trial stretch, built using 20–25 tons of waste plastic, showed no visible cracks or surface distress during testing. The Geocells, once filled with soil or construction debris, form a strong, flexible road base that is especially useful in challenging terrains.
Industry Collaborations and Future Plans
Building on this success, the team conducted plant trials with Tata Projects and scheduled further field trials with the Military Engineering Services (MES) for August. These collaborations aim to accelerate the adoption of the technology across public and private infrastructure projects.
A First in India: 100% Plastic-Based Road Textile
CRRI stated that this marks India’s first field trial of a technical textile road solution made entirely from end-of-life plastic. The project significantly exceeds plastic reuse benchmarks set by the Indian Roads Congress (IRC), offering a high-impact use case for difficult-to-recycle plastics.
Paving the Way for Greener Roads
As reported by projectstoday.com, by converting plastic waste into durable road-building materials, CRRI and BPCL are pioneering a scalable solution that not only improves road resilience but also reduces environmental burden. The project represents a promising step toward circular economy practices in the infrastructure sector.
