This startup provides plastic waste reduction services by upcycling difficult-to-recycle thin-film plastics into an asphalt additive that enhances road durability by reducing rutting and cracking while increasing load capacity. Their process diverts plastic waste from landfills and oceans, meeting specifications for both public sector projects and private industry applications.
Funding
$3.5M raised to dateRaised to date based on public sources. This may differ from the amount the company actually raised and is based only on what is publicly available on the internet.
Founders
Product
Problem
The accumulation of difficult-to-recycle thin-film plastics, such as grocery bags and shrink wrap, poses a significant environmental challenge, with a large percentage ending up in landfills or polluting the environment. Aging road infrastructure requires costly and frequent rehabilitation, and traditional pavement rehabilitation methods offer diminishing returns in extending pavement life.
Solution
Driven Plastics addresses both the plastic waste crisis and the need for durable road infrastructure by upcycling thin-film plastics into an asphalt additive. Their proprietary process transforms landfill-bound plastic waste into a flake-like material that is then blended into asphalt mixtures. This additive enhances the quality of the asphalt, extends pavement lifespan, and reduces road maintenance requirements. By diverting plastic waste from landfills and incorporating it into roadways, Driven Plastics offers a sustainable solution that improves road performance while addressing environmental concerns.
Target Audience
Driven Plastics targets government entities, departments of transportation, asphalt contractors, and private sector companies involved in road construction and maintenance, as well as organizations focused on sustainability and waste reduction.
Features
- Proprietary mechanical process transforms difficult-to-recycle thin-film plastics into a usable flake-like material.
- Reactive terpolymer (RET) compatibilizer ensures homogenization and stabilization of the recycled polyethylene (rPE) within the asphalt mixture.
- Asphalt additive improves resistance to rutting and cracking, enhancing road durability.
- Can upcycle up to 10 tons of plastic waste per lane mile of roadway.
- Suitable for both wet and dry hot-mix asphalt (HMA) production processes.
- Can be integrated into existing asphalt hot-mix plants with minimal modifications.
- Reduces material costs by decreasing the need for traditional polymer-modified asphalt (PMA) and potentially eliminating the need for anti-stripping agents and rejuvenators.