Suitability of using post-consumer polyethylene terephthalate wastes in cement-based hollow sandcrete blocks

. In recent times, efforts are channeled towards limiting the impact of waste plastic pollution on the environment. This study examines the beneficial utilization of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) wastes, which is a non-biodegradable waste materials as a partial substitute for sand in the production of non-load bearing hollow sandcrete blocks. The physical and mechanical properties such as density and compressive strength of the hollow sandcrete blocks using PET waste as a replacement for fine aggregate at 5%, 10%, 30% and 50% were determined. Tests results show that the density of the produced sandcrete blocks decreases as the waste PET content increases. Results showed that the density varied from 1391.33 kg/m3 for 50%PET content to 1954.54 kg/m3 for 5%PET content, while the density of the reference sandcrete was 2002.15 kg/m3 for 7 days. The values of densities ranged between 1453.88 kg/m3 for PET 50% and 1851.09 kg/m3 for PET 5% and the density of reference sandcrete was 1991.77 kg/m3 at 28 days. The sandcrete blocks also demonstrate a similar reduction trend in compressive strength as the PET content increases. The compressive strength ranged between 1.140 N/mm2 for 50%PET and 2.564 N/mm2 for 5%PET content and 1.510 N/mm2 for 50%PET to 2.991 N/mm2 for 5%PET respectively, as the curing age increases from 7 to 28 days. The hollow sandcrete block containing an optimum 5% replacement percentage of sand with PET waste showed comparable strength to the conventional sandcrete blocks. This will help to mitigate the menace of marine plastic pollution and promote responsible consumption

Recycling of Polyethylene Terephthalate Wastes in Production of Hollow Sandcrete Blocks for Sustainable Construction

This study investigates the suitability of crushed polyethylene terephthalate (PET) waste,which is a non-biodegradable generated waste as a substitute material for natural sand in the production of hollow sandcrete blocks for sustainable infrastructure. The physical properties of the natural sand and crushed PET aggregate materials used in the batching mixtures which include;specific gravity, water absorption, bulk density and particle size distribution were determined. While the mechanical properties; density, compressive strength, and the water absorption of the produced hollow sandcrete block samples using the granulated PET aggregate as a replacement for natural sand at 5%, 10%, 30% and 50% were studied. Results showed that the PET aggregates exhibit lower physical properties compare to natural sand. The addition of the finely granulated PET aggregates as a partial substitute for natural sand gradually reduced the density of the hollow sandcrete blocks as the replacement increases in the mix. However, the water absorption tendency of the sandcrete blocks reduces as the percentage dosages of PET aggregate increases. A similar reduction trend was noticed in the compressive strength of the produced hollow sandcrete blocks. The results showed a strength reduction from 2.564 N/mm2 to 1.140 N/mm2 for sandcrete mixes containing 5% and 50% PET, respectively, and 2.991 N/mm2 to 1.510 N/mm2 for sandcrete mixes containing 5% and 50% PET,respectively as the percentage substitution of sand with PET increases for 7 and 28 days curing age. The obtained results indicate the possibility of using granulated PET aggregate at 5% sand replacement in production of hollow sandcrete blocks of comparable strength to conventional sandcrete blocks. This will help to promote green production for sustainable infrastructure and reducing the menace of plastic pollution in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goals

Insight review on impact of infrastructural development in driving the SDGs in developing nations: a case study of Nigeria

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) recognize the dominance of infrastructure as a panacea for the nation’s development to improve the quality of people’s lives. In Nigeria, inadequate infrastructure has impaired the prospect of attaining some of these SDGs. Some of the identified barriers causing the poor implementations of SDGs in Nigeria include poverty, poor accountability, inadequate domestic water supply, poor energy supply, poor human capital development initiatives, poor transportation and telecommunication networks, illiteracy level, and environmental degradation. But while the SDGs are a non-enforced agreement, the way and manner of implementation and the conditions under which the state acts in accordance with the agenda were not properly spelled out. However, the success of the SDGs in Nigeria requires commitment from government at all levels to provide adequate funding, financial prudence, stable polity, sound policies, availability of functional infrastructural facilities and ensuring value for money. This will result in achieved opportunities such as the establishment of new businesses, boosting of employment rate, ample growth opportunities, enhance riskadjusted financial returns to investors, an increase in the rate of youth and adults in formal education and non-formal education, and promoting environment friendliness. This review further recommends that government should address the challenges faced in the area of power, telecommunication, corruption and access to agrarian areas in the country in order to have an inclusive infrastructural development that is positively driving growth. Moreover, assessment of projects should include initial capital investment, operational cost, maintenance, and disposal of the asset which will guarantee more sustainable infrastructure projects that are likely to perform much better through the lifecycle. Thus, successfully achieving the SDGs must involve innovative approaches to infrastructure financing and sustainable public procurement