On August 21, the Estonian government starts testing of the so-called “green” asphalt project. As part of the trial, the first road section with a new surface will appear in the country.
Estonia's Department of Transport has already chosen the section where the replacement of the road surface will begin on August 21. The goal of the project is to reduce environmental pollution from the road surface.
How does “green” asphalt differ from ordinary asphalt
The essence of the experimental project to create a new road surface consists in replacing one of the main components of ordinary asphalt – bitumen, which is a product of oil processing. It is because of this component that the road surface leaves a significant mark on the environment and causes damage to it. Therefore, the project provided for the replacement of bitumen as a component in the production of asphalt.
And a replacement for bitumen was found – it became lignin. It is a polymer of plant origin that permeates the walls of plant cells during their production. Due to its high strength, this polymer is actively used in industry, so now in Estonia experiments are being conducted to determine whether lignin can become a component of asphalt pavement and replace bitumen.
During the trial, the new pavement will receive a section of the road, and it is about the roadway, as well as the pedestrian and bicycle lanes. We are talking about the Mäeküla highway – Koeru-Kapu.
It is interesting that lignin is becoming an alternative to many non-ecological compounds. For example, the European Union plans to implement a project on the production of lignin batteries in order not only to reduce the harmful impact on the environment, but also to create an alternative to Chinese lithium batteries.