Using Plastic Sand as a Construction Material toward a Circular Economy: A Review

Recently, research on innovative approaches to and practices for plastic waste management in a circular economy has gained momentum. Plastic waste pollution poses a serious environmental concern. At the same time, the cement industry is among the biggest sources of CO₂ emissions, which poses another environmental challenge. This makes plastic sand bricks an attractive alternative to concrete blocks and bricks. This paper looks at the recent studies regarding the development of plastic sand bricks and the different percentages of plastic and sand used in the bricks. The literature review reveals that there is a lack of studies that evaluate plastic sand construction materials from an economic perspective. Such studies are essential if the industry is to invest in and adopt this alternative construction material. Plastic sand bricks could be a workable solution for combating issues related to solid waste. The compressive strength decreased with increasing ratios of plastic to sand. Plastic sand bricks weighed less than the conventional bricks. Issues requiring further investigation include: dealing with varying proportions and types of plastic, the lack of understanding of the long-term performance of plastic sand bricks, the flammability and fire resistance of plastic sand bricks, and the absence of appropriate standards and regulations for recycling plastic into plastic sand bricks. This paper allows us to look ahead in terms of some specific technical needs, the translation of the emerging technology into practice, and new ideas to decrease plastic pollution.