Quality infrastructure has been and still is the top priority of any economy especially in
the developing. This has been a daunting task to many governments though it has been
declared a millennium development goal to be achieved in this century. The Kenyan
government has also outlined this to achieve its vision for the year 2030 which is the
country’s new development blue print covering the years 2008 to 2030.This goal cannot
be achieved if expensive construction methods and approaches are still used as is the case
today. With the high levels of poverty and uncertainty of the world’s economy, there is
need for cheaper and locally available construction materials and none comes cheaper
than waste plastic.
Bio enzymes, Portland cement, fly ash, bitumen etc. which are widely used in
stabilization of road sub-grades albeit being readily available in most countries are
significantly more expensive in contrast with waste plastic investigated in this research.
The waste bulk as stated earlier is already staggering however it will inevitably be
exacerbated by the overall accelerated development towards vision 2030.
Furthermore, it is surprising to note that the level of government involvement through
arms such as NEMA and the Ministry of Environment is staggeringly below par
considering the implications such a venture could have on the environment. Discarded
thin-plastic carry-bags are a menace. In town, they clog drains, cause flooding, choke
animals that eat them and are unsightly. Strewn across fields, they block germination and
prevent rainwater absorption by soil. Recycling plastic by melting releases fumes, and is
only possible 3-4 times. Today plastic waste treatment is largely hazardous to the
environment as most of the plastic is burnt resulting in toxic gasses being released in the
environment. By effectively managing the collection, separation and processing of plastic
waste, the environmental damages can be limited by eliminating the waste from our
streets.
As with the case in Syokimau, a substantial amount of resources went into excavating an
entire layer of black cotton soil and replacing it with a sand-clay mix.
This research seeks to come up with an appropriate technology that is suitable,
sustainable and economically adaptable and to provide enhanced soil improvement
technique. The research is aimed at obviating the costs associated with the use of
alternative foundation types like piles or at worst the cost of hiring mechanical plant to
scoop vast quantities of black cotton soil and associated municipal disposal costs
compounded with National Management Authority (NEMA) regulations experienced
during pavement design.