The Central Road Research Institute (CRRI), in collaboration with Bharat Petroleum Corporation (BPCL), has developed Geocells—a 3D block-shaped textile made entirely from waste plastic.

This innovation aims to address the growing issue of end-of-life plastic by converting it into eco-friendly infrastructure, particularly roads in difficult terrains. “CRRI and BPCL developed a plastic-based module or sheet and a technical textile called Geocell, using end-of-life and mixed waste plastics. Recycling such plastics is particularly challenging due to the wide variation in material quality," said Ankita Behl, Principal Scientist at CSIR-CRRI.

Geocells are filled with soil or construction waste to create a durable road base. A successful trial section was built near the DND-Faridabad-KMP Expressway, where no cracks were observed during tests. Plant trials were also conducted with TATA Projects, and further trials with Military Engineering Services are planned for August. A 160m section used 20-25 tonnes of waste plastic.

According to CRRI, this is India’s first field trial of technical textiles made from 100 percent end-of-life plastic, significantly increasing plastic reuse compared to Indian Roads Congress guidelines.