INNOVATIVE ECO-PAVING BLOCKS FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT OF THE POLINELA RESERVOIR

Recycling plastic waste, though a common practice, often results in low-value residual materials. Therefore, further efforts are required to manage plastic waste more effectively. One potential alternative is the production of eco-paving blocks, which are an innovative form of paving blocks manufactured using polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic bottle waste as a partial mixture. This eco-paving block innovation is expected to support jogging track facilities as part of the environmentally friendly development plan for the Polinela retention pond (Embung Polinela). This study aims to evaluate the mechanical performance of eco-paving blocks based on compressive strength and water absorption tests. In this study, paving blocks were produced by incorporating PET waste at proportions of 2%, 4%, 6%, 8%, and 10% by weight of the paving block. The results indicate that the maximum compressive strength was achieved with a 2% PET addition, resulting in a 17.39% increase in compressive strength and a 20.76% increase in water absorption compared to paving blocks without PET incorporation.