First recycled-plastic bicycle path

On 11 September 2018, a 30-m-long (100-ft) bike path made almost entirely from recycled plastic, dubbed "PlasticRoad", was unveiled in the city of Zwolle, Overijssel, Netherlands. Made up of prefabricated modular components, containing the equivalent of 218,000 plastic cups or 500,000 plastic bottle caps, the concept was conceived by Anne Koudstaal and Simon Jorritsma (both Netherlands) and made a reality by a collaboration between civil engineers KWS, pipe maker Wavin and energy company Total.

The makers of PlasticRoad suggest the material could be two to three times more durable than the asphalt usually used to make cycle paths, with the added advantage of having the potential to drastically cut the amount of plastic being placed into landfill or ending up as pollution in the natural world.

The plastic path segments are hollow to accommodate pipes for essential utilities and sensors to monitor data such as bike traffic, as well as being designed to allow for rain run-off during storms.

Some have warned that the concept needs further research to see how wear and tear and weathering over time would affect the modules.