Solution to Plastic Pollution – Summary

Introduction: These lines are taken from the lesson “Solution to Plastic Pollution” it is essay taken from the internet. The essay discusses Dr. R. Vasudevan’s research.

About The Author: Dr. Rajagopalan Vasudevan was born in Tamil Nadu. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science and later obtained a Master of Science Degree. He received a Doctorate in science from the University of Madras. He Joined the Thiagarajar College of Engineering as a member of the faculty.

Context: Dr. Vasudevan focused his research on the methods of recovery and reuse of plastic waste. This is how the idea of plastic roads was born. He devised an innovative way of disposing of plastic waste – by using it to build roads.

Explanation: Dr. Vasudevan is the Professor and Head, of the Department of Chemistry at Thiagarajar College of Engineering. Though he was a Professor his deportment exhibited that he was a Sanskrit pundit. He always carried the Bhagavad Gita in his hands and quoted many shlokas to his students while teaching. Once he presented to Kalam his project and its potential use as a coating over the pebbles for laying roads. Kalam said that one day his test would become the convention. Kalam’s words proved prophetic. Dr. Vasudevan laid the first road 60 feet long plastic road within the campus. The gravel is heated to 170 degrees Celsius and shredded plastic is sprayed over the hot stone aggregate. The plastic instantly melts and coats the gravel without releasing toxic gases into the atmosphere. Immediately, bitumen heated to 160 degrees Celsius is mixed at 155 degrees  Celsius and used for laying the road. He succeeded in presenting an efficient. an economical, and environmentally friendly solution to plastic waste. It yielded two benefits. It reused plastic waste and built durable roads. Thus, he has become popular as the Plastic Road Man.

Conclusion:-Thus with his persistent research in his laboratory, he showed the world a permanent solution as to how plastic waste can be used in laying roads.