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A very innovative solution has been developed to solve the disposal problems of garbage bags as well as carry bags in Africa. In an experimental project financed by the European Union, bricks of the plastic sacks are being used to fill potholes in Niger. The bags are melted and transformed into bricks with a cement mold, which saves time and money. The plastic bricks are then used to fill a pothole, and are covered with earth or cement.
The cost of the bricks is but a fraction of traditional road works, allowing one of the world's poorest countries to restore its shoddy road network. An experimental batch was used to fill a pothole the size of a car in May. The covered area shows no sign of erosion or weather damage, although the plastic bricks have not yet had to withstand extensive friction.
Approximately 40 tonnes of the molded bags are required to pave an entire kilometer of road. 45 plastic bricks fit in one square meter at a minimal cost, creating jobs and improving roads. Only time will decide whether this unique solution for disposal of plastic waste would work
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