In 2019, a South African town opened Africa's first plastic road, the 300-metre stretch contains 700 kg of recycled plastic

A town in South Africa in 2019 opened Africa's first plastic road, which is located in Jeffreys Bay in the Eastern Cape province. It was built by using recycled plastic waste mixed into the asphalt. According to local media reports, the road incorporated around 700 kg of recycled waste plastic. The project also planned to extend the technology to another section of Koraal Street.

How was the 300-metre plastic road built?

The road was constructed using a special process in which waste plastic was converted into pellets before being added to the asphalt mixture. The mixture was then used for the road's top layer.

Kouga Executive Mayor Horatio Hendricks officially opened the road by cutting a ribbon at Woltemade Street. He said the new approach was intended to produce a more durable road while being friendlier to the environment.


Unlike conventional asphalt, which uses bitumen as binding material, the plastic-infused mixture uses processed plastic pellets to replace a portion of the bitumen required.

The municipality presented the project as an alternative approach to road construction, with the potential to combine infrastructure development with waste recycling.

How much plastic can be used to build a road?

Around 1.5 tonnes of plastic could be used for every kilometre of road built using the technology. The municipality had said the planned completion of the work on both the streets could account for the equivalent of three million plastic bags.

Why was recycled plastic used?

One of the stated aims of the project was to reduce the amount of bitumen needed in the asphalt mixture. Bitumen is derived from fossil fuels, and its extraction and use contribute to climate change.

Hendricks said the plastic pellets replaced part of the bitumen, potentially reducing the environmental impact associated with its use.

He also pointed to the challenge of disposing of plastic waste without releasing dangerous toxins. According to the mayor, tests had shown that the technology prevented plastic from leaching as it degraded.

These were claims made in connection with the project, rather than evidence that the road's long-term environmental performance had been established.

Which companies were involved in the project?

Kouga Municipality partnered with MacRebur SA, the South African representative of the Scottish company that developed the plastic pellets. Construction work was carried out by SP Excel and Scribante Construction at no cost to the municipality, according to reports.