California Tests Recycled Plastic in Highway Asphalt in Elk Grove

California conducted a highway test on State Route 99 in Elk Grove using asphalt that incorporated recycled plastic from discarded printer toner cartridges. The mix, which contained 10% recycled plastic by weight of the binder, was placed across a 500-foot section of the highway. Granite Construction reported that heavy trucks traveled across the section without visible cracking or rutting during hot and cold weather.

The testing was part of the Cosumnes Bridge Replacement Project in Sacramento County. Researchers were interested in whether the modified asphalt could maintain performance under conditions that typically cause conventional pavement to deform. This validates the use of difficult-to-recycle waste streams in state infrastructure.