Bridge Built from Plastic in the NJ Pine Barrens

South Jersey’s Wharton State Forest
is home to a unique bridge constructed from a renewable
resource—thermoplastics. A team of
Rutgers University researchers developed a unique formula to transform
discarded plastic bottles and foam containers into a strong and durable
construction material. This 100%
recycled plastic material is lighter than wood or concrete and is projected to
far outlast traditional construction materials.
With a weight capacity of 36 tons, this bridge can easily sustain the
weight of cars, trucks, and heavy forest fire service equipment crossing the
Mullica River, which provides critical access to the Goshen Pond section of
Wharton State Forest west (upstream) of Atsion Lake.
Rutgers Professors Thomas Nosker and
Richard Renfree, along with their team of graduate students, developed the
bridge’s thermoplastic composite material, a carefully combined mix of
high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and polystyrene (PS). HDPE is the type of plastic typically marked
with the number “2” inside of a recycling symbol. It is found in stiff plastic,
like milk bottles, liquid containers, and laundry detergent bottles. PS, indicated with the number “6,” is used to
create foam products like coffee cups, egg cartons, and clam-shell takeout
containers. Polystyrene has increasingly become harder to recycle in curbside
collection programs nation-wide.

This team of researchers and
developers were joined by students and volunteers to construct this bridge in
2002, replacing an older wooden bridge that was destroyed by fire. Although other thermoplastic bridges were
constructed in the United States around the same time, this was the first
bridge to have its load-bearing I-beam substructure entirely molded from
plastic. A bridge’s I-beam must be
carefully engineered to bear and distribute applied weight. It must have the
right proportion of flexibility and durability, something this recycled plastic
material was able to provide.

The bridge is also resistant to rot,
mold, and fire. Its lightweight nature facilitates quick and easy installation
without the use of heavy machinery, too. Thermoplastic bridge pieces were molded and designed to nest together,
adding an easy reinforcement to strengthen the entire structure. The bridge has a long-life expectancy and
although some routine repairs may be needed, they are projected to be
inexpensive and infrequent.

This nearly two-decade old
bridge nestled in the Pine Barrens has proven to be a successful demonstration
project for recycling in action. Recycling makes a difference. Developing a beneficial reuse for recycled
products demonstrates the true value of community recycling programs, showing
that curbside recyclables put out at the street can be transformed into
something useful. However quirky, this bridge serves as a reminder for the
potential of what can be done with materials that would otherwise end up in a
landfill.

Learn more about this bridge:
World's First Thermoplastic Bridges
Recycled Plastic Lumber Invented by Pioneering Rutgers Professor - Rutgers Today
Learn more about Rutgers Professor Thomas Nosker
See how Atlantic County’s recycling
gets transformed:
#1 PET
bottles become:
-other
plastic bottles, soft drink bottles, honey, liquor, dish detergent bottles,
toiletries, recording tape, food packing, heatable food trays, and carpet
fiber.
#2 HDPE jugs
become:
-other juice,
milk, and water containers, rubbing alcohol bottles, laundry detergent bottles,
dispensers, dental floss, baby wipes, motor oil bottles, and antifreeze
containers.