Naji Khoury, an assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering at Temple, uses a mixture of recyclable plastic bottles and soil to create "Plastisoil," a trademarked product he describes as an impervious cementing agent. When mixed with course aggregate and heated, it produces what Khoury calls "porous Plastisoil," which functions like pervious concrete and porous asphalt.
Khoury said that Plastisoil could help alleviate environmental problems created by stormwater run-off because stormwater can filter through it into the ground below. The material could be used to form sidewalks, bike/jogging paths, driveways and parking lots.
"We are currently testing the porous Plastisoil to see if could also remove or reduce pollutants like motor oil from the water as it filters through," he said.
The product has an additional environmental benefit. Since it is made with polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic bottles, it will help reduce the 200 billion plastic bottles that are sent to landfills each year. Khoury said that it takes 30,000 of the no. 1 recyclable bottles to make one ton of porous Plastisoil. He hopes to be able to use different types of recyclable plastic bottles in the future.
Cement-Like Creation Could Help the Environment | Technology Magazine Daily
Khoury said that Plastisoil could help alleviate environmental problems created by stormwater run-off because stormwater can filter through it into the ground below. The material could be used to form sidewalks, bike/jogging paths, driveways and parking lots.
"We are currently testing the porous Plastisoil to see if could also remove or reduce pollutants like motor oil from the water as it filters through," he said.
The product has an additional environmental benefit. Since it is made with polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic bottles, it will help reduce the 200 billion plastic bottles that are sent to landfills each year. Khoury said that it takes 30,000 of the no. 1 recyclable bottles to make one ton of porous Plastisoil. He hopes to be able to use different types of recyclable plastic bottles in the future.
Cement-Like Creation Could Help the Environment | Technology Magazine Daily
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