Why Go Green?
India’s road construction sector consumes vast amounts of bitumen, aggregates, cement, and water. With environmental concerns on the rise and natural resources depleting, using recycled and waste materials has become essential for reducing:
• Carbon emissions
• Construction costs
• Landfill pressure
• Natural resource extraction
What Materials Are Being Recycled?
1. Waste Plastic : India’s plastic problem is being re-routed—literally. Shredded plastic waste is now being mixed into bitumen to improve road durability and resistance to wear. Over 1 lakh km of roads in India have already been built using plastic waste, significantly extending their lifespan.
2. Fly Ash : A byproduct of thermal power plants, fly ash is rich in silica and alumina—making it an excellent substitute for cement and filler material in road embankments. It not only reduces cement use but also prevents the ash from ending up in landfills.
3. C&D Waste (Construction & Demolition) : Recycled concrete and brick debris are being used to form road sub-base layers, reducing dependence on fresh stone aggregates.
4. Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement (RAP) : Recovered from old road surfaces, RAP is being reused in new asphalt layers, reducing the demand for virgin aggregates and bitumen.
Benefits of Using Recycled Materials
• Improved road performance (plastic roads resist water damage better)
• Cost savings on raw materials
• Lower emissions during production and transportation
• Faster construction cycles due to local sourcing
• Support for circular economy principles
Scaling Green Highways Across India
The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) is actively promoting green roads under the Green Highways (Plantation, Transplantation, Beautification & Maintenance) Policy, 2015. With over 200+ green highway projects being monitored for sustainability, India is making steady progress.
Green highways are no longer an experiment they’re the new standard. With recycled materials turning waste into wealth, India is paving the way for climate-resilient, resource-efficient roads.