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Asphalt containing recycled plastic held together better than conventional asphalt and showed a lower level of plastic-like particles after combined traffic and moisture-related laboratory testing, according to a study led by Penn State researchers. The findings suggest that improved pavement durability may help limit particle release, the team said, but field studies are needed to determine whether the same pattern occurs on real roads.

The study, published in the Journal of Cleaner Production, examined recycled plastic–modified asphalt made with low-density polyethylene, or LDPE. While recycled plastics are increasingly being explored to divert waste from landfills and improve pavement performance, the researchers said less is known about whether plastic-containing pavement could release microplastics as roads age, experience traffic and endure weather.

"Our goal was to understand whether asphalt pavement containing recycled plastic could release microplastic particles as it is damaged over time," said Shihui Shen, distinguished professor of rail transportation engineering at Penn State Altoona and corresponding author on the paper. "That environmental question has received much less attention than the engineering performance of the pavement."

2 inches)—the width of a pencil eraser—and have been found in water, soil and air. Pavements can contribute particles to the environment through tire wear, pavement deterioration and plastic-containing construction materials. Particles released from road surfaces could potentially be carried into roadside soil and stormwater by wind and rainfall.

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