Sri Vijaya Puram, Nov. 4: World famous scientist Dr Ajai Kumar Sonkar told in a special conversation that roads made from plastic waste will emit harmful chemicals in the environment which will increase the damage to the ecology of water, air, environment and soil manifolds. Carbon footprint will also be increased drastically.
The Padmashri awarded scientist told that in many scientific studies it has been found that every substance made from fossil fuels contains carcinogenic chemical compounds which are major contributors to cancer and many deadly diseases spreading like common cough and cold everywhere today. At the same time, it is these fossil fuels due to which our earth is constantly getting hot, the life giving glaciers on earth are melting and disappearing.
Dr Ajai told that in the process of refinery the crude oil is heated at 370 degree Celsius, petroleum gas is obtained at 25 degree Celsius, petrol is obtained at 25 to 60 degree Celsius, naphtha (raw material of plastic) is obtained at 60 to 180 degree Celsius, paraffin is obtained at 180 to 220 degree Celsius, diesel is produced at 220 to 250 degree Celsius, fuel oils are obtained at 250 to 300 degree Celsius, lubricating oils are obtained at temperatures above 300 degree Celsius and bitumen is obtained at the highest temperature of 350 degree Celsius.
For years, traditionally asphalt or coal tar has been used to build roads for urbanization around the world. Recently, scientific studies have found that asphalt emits several types of cancer-causing chemical compounds. Coal tar contains high amounts of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (or PAHs), which makes it toxic. In 1985, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has proved that coal tar is carcinogenic to humans. Research has shown that coal tar-based sealers (CTS) contribute to the majority of PAHs pollution in the water environment. Due to this environmental concern, CTS is not allowed in many developed countries in the United States and Europe.
Scientists around the world are trying to find its alternative. Nowadays, plastic mixed roads are being built to dispose of plastic waste and it is being claimed that asphalt made from plastic waste will not harm the environment, whereas According to Dr. Ajai this is impossible. Dr Ajai said that due to the frictions of vehicles on the road, micron and nano size particles will be emitted in the environment and those particles will contain toxic chemicals from petroleum plastics. Even if plastic waste is melted and mixed with conventional petroleum asphalt, the plastic will separate from the asphalt over time because the temperature resistance of plastic is 170 to 290 degrees Celsius lower than that of asphalt.
Dr Ajai expressed surprise and said that both petroleum plastics and petroleum asphalt have been confirmed to be carcinogenic and environmentally destructive chemicals, then how can the asphalt made from a mixture of the two be safe for the environment and life on earth, while the mother of both substances is destructive fossil fuel.
Dr Ajai said that life on earth should not be played with for business profit, if we do not give up this unnatural fossil fuel and its products in time, then the upcoming generations will be born with defects.