Moscow, Jan. 20 -- Researchers at Russia's North Caucasus Federal University (NCFU) have developed a new asphalt mixture that uses plastic waste as a key component, aiming to improve road durability while addressing the growing problem of plastic disposal, the university said.

According to information on the NCFU portal, the innovation focuses on incorporating modified plastic waste into asphalt concrete to enhance its performance and reduce the amount of plastic that ends up in landfills or incinerators.

The researchers noted that Russia consumes more than 600,000 tonnes of polyethene terephthalate (PET) every year.

PET is commonly used in the manufacture of beverage bottles, food packaging, cosmetics containers and household chemical...