MoRTH Mandates Use of Waste Plastic in Bituminous Concrete Wearing Course Mix for NH

The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has released updated guidelines to promote the use of waste plastic in the bituminous concrete wearing course of National Highways. This initiative seeks to enhance road durability while addressing environmental concerns by incorporating recycled plastic in highway construction and maintenance projects.

Expanded Scope for Waste Plastic Use: Previous guidelines mandated the use of waste plastic in the wearing course of service roads, slip roads, and periodic renewal coats within 50 km of urban areas with populations exceeding 5 lakhs. The Ministry has now decided to maximize the use of waste plastic, extending its application to National Highways in both urban and rural areas.

Key Provisions

Project Preparation Requirements

i) Identification of Waste Plastic Sources: DPR (Detailed Project Report) consultants are now required to identify sources of waste plastic during the project preparation phase.

ii) Assessment and Evaluation: Consultants must evaluate the quantity and quality of waste plastic as per specifications in IRC: SP: 98, “Guidelines for the Use of Waste Plastic in Hot Bituminous Mixes (Dry Process) in Wearing Courses.“

iii) Inclusion in Bid Documents: Provisions for using waste plastic must be included in Schedule ‘B’ of EPC/HAM bid documents, regardless of whether the highway is in urban or rural areas.

Application to Ongoing Projects: For projects where bids have not yet been invited, DPR consultants are required to retroactively implement these measures, modifying bid documents if necessary. The Ministry has clarified that consultants may receive compensation for variations depending on the stage of DPR preparation.

Addition to Consultancy Terms of Reference (ToR): An additional point (No. 9) has been added to Section 4.12.4 of the Terms of Reference (ToR) for DPR consultancy services in all cases where bid is yet to be invited:

“9. During project preparation, DPR consultant shall identify the source(s) of waste plastic, assess the quantity available and also evaluate its properties as specified in IRC:SP:98 “Guidelines for the Use of Waste Plastic In Hot Bituminous Mixes (Dry Process) in Wearing Courses irrespective of whether the project highway is located in urban/built-up areas or rural open country.

9.1 After due-diligence regarding availability of waste plastic conforming to the quality as specified in IRC: SP: 98, consultant shall include the provision of its use in Schedule ‘B’ of the EPC/HAM bid documents”.