The world’s most sustainable road. That’s what the team behind the PlasticRoad concept have been working towards from the very beginning. To help make cities, towns and villages circular. Climate-adaptive and low in emissions. PlasticRoad can significant contribute to this aim.
Smart sustainable infrastructure solutions
Our mission
PlasticRoad designs, creates and supplies sustainable, climate-proof and circular road elements, made from municipal plastic waste. We are working towards the widespread and large-scale adoption of these elements by the international market. Our objective: To create new infrastructure for everyone, with the smallest possible negative impact on our planet and natural resources.
Our vision
PlasticRoad combines effective solutions for challenges relating to plastic waste, urban water management and soil subsidence with the most circular, climate-proof and sustainable infrastructure in the world. The quest for sustainability forms both the heart of our product and motivates every member of our team.
What have we achieved so far?
UP TO 72% REDUCTION IN EMISSIONS
UP TO 75% LESS RAW MATERIALS AND EARTHWORKS REQUIRED
SUSTAINABLE ALTERNATIVE TO INCINERATION, DUMPING OR EXPORT OF WASTE
WORLD’S MOST CIRCULAR PAVING SOLUTION
BASE MATERIAL: 100% RECYCLED PLASTIC WASTE
CONTRIBUTION TO SIX SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS
History
This could be done differently. Anne Koudstaal and Simon Jorritsma wanted to help build a better, more sustainable society. Could we come up with sustainable development options for our public spaces? And how can we ensure that they double as solutions for a variety of other problems faced by today’s society? Taking these questions as their point of departure, in 2013 the two inventors jointly developed the PlasticRoad concept. What have been our key milestones since then?
2013
How it all started
- Simon Jorritsma and Anne Koudstaal come up with the PlasticRoad concept
- PlasticRoad concept sketches
2014
Feasibility study
- First internal feasibility study (KWS) and substantiation of the concept
- Inventory of market wishes: various interviews with potential clients
2015
Search for and selection of partners
- Concept launch in order to attract partners leads to an overwhelming public response and international media exposure
- Selection of partners for the further development of the concept
- Letter of intent signed by KWS and Wavin
2016
Prototypes and engineering
- Announcement of collaboration with partners Wavin and Total
- Start of PlasticRoad engineering phase
- Design and realisation of prototypes
2017
Internal trial
- First internal trial at KWS’s site in Utrecht
- Extensive field-testing, monitoring and analysis
- Collaboration with Zensor for the implementation of sensors
- Research into which recycled plastic types are best suited
2018
The world’s first PlasticRoad
- The world’s first plasticroad
- First trials: construction of bike paths in Zwolle and Giethoorn
- Development of snap connectors and spillway system
- Optimisation of PlasticRoad construction process
2019
Monitoring
- Intensive monitoring of the trials and analysis of the sensor data
- Further development of PlasticRoad based on insights gained during the trials
- Internal trial focussing on new application: PlasticRoad parking spaces
2020
From project to company
- PlasticRoad BV Founded (joint venture 50% VolkerWessels 50% Wavin)
- Development of the Hardenberg production facility and the Vianen office
- Further development of PlasticRoad toward a finalised design
- Purchase of the PlasticRoad moulds
2021
Ready for Dutch market
- Industrial scale production
- Large-scale availability for clients
Our partners
INNOVATION THANKS TO SUCCESSFUL COLLABORATION
PlasticRoad bv was founded with the joint support of VolkerWessels and Wavin. Thanks to their confidence in its strong potential, the project has been successfully developed and scaled up into an independent enterprise.
True innovation is only possible in constructive collaboration. Our other key partners include Zensor, Smits Neuchâtel Infrastructuur, Primum and Nationaal Duurzaamheid Instituut. As well as the principal clients in our trial projects – the Municipality of Zwolle and the Province of Overijssel – who have enabled us to field-test the PlasticRoad in the outdoor public space. In early 2021, these projects were followed by the first trial outside the Netherlands: at Mexico City’s Chapultapec Park.
We believe in the value of continuous development. This means that besides working on on-going projects, we continue to test, monitor and evaluate the PlasticRoad solutions so we can keep improving them in the years ahead.
Awards and recognitions
Recognitions
- 5 Dutch start-ups that are taking on discarded plastic – Sprout
- 7 Technology Innovations are coming to disrupt the construction industry in 2020 – Autodesk Redshift
- 8 Construction technologies that changed the game in 2017 – Autodesk Redshift
- 5 Roads of the future – Volvo
- Mentioned in Plastic Smart Cities – WWF
- High grade re-use of plastic waste is only one of the PlasticRoad’s many advantages – Circulaire bouweconomie