UK-based MacRebur has opened its factory in Lockerbie, Scotland, to recycle plastic waste into material that can be used to build roads and car parking spaces.

This facility will see waste plastic granulated and then mixed with an activator, binding the material. The resulting mix is then packed and sent to asphalt producers.

Construction of 1km road with the mix would see approximately 700,000 plastic bottles or 1.8 million single-use plastic bags being used.

Furthermore, the mix enables the bitumen used in asphalt production to be extended and enhanced, decreasing the usage of fossil fuel, reported BBC.

“Our technology also means there are no plastic microbeads present in the mix and we can even recycle the road at the end of its lifespan.”

The material helps create a strong road surface, which is claimed to last more than 60% longer than normal roads.

Alongside making roads potholes-free, the technology is intedned to help to tackle the increasing problem of plastics waste, which would otherwise pollute land and water.

MacRebur chief executive Toby McCartney was quoted by BBC as saying: “Our technology means that we can not only help solve the problem of plastic waste but also produce roads that cope better with changes in the weather, reducing cracks and potholes.

“That’s because our roads are more flexible thanks to the properties of the plastic used in them, so although a MacRebur road looks the same as any other, it has improved strength and durability.

“Our technology also means there are no plastic microbeads present in the mix and we can even recycle the road at the end of its lifespan, creating a circular economy that is sustainable and cost-effective.”