Bhutan has been recycling plastic to pave its roads since 2015, creating eco-friendly roads that require less maintenance. The project will use up all of the nation’s plastic waste and protect the environment. Bhutan is governed by the “Gross National Happiness” philosophy and charges tourists between $200 and $250 USD per day to visit.
When it comes to roads, Bhutan may be a laggard, but now the rest of the world is trying to catch up. Since 2015, the small South Asian nation has been recycling its plastic by using it to pave the country’s roads. That’s an impressive feat, especially considering Bhutan didn’t even have paved roads until 1962. The so-called Green Road project combines plastic waste with bitumen to build eco-friendly roads, according to entrepreneur Rikesh Gurung, who contributed to start the effort. Gurung said the road works would use up all of the nation’s plastic waste. “Recycling plastic waste and not burning it is the right approach to protect the environment,” Gurung said. The project will not only find a new use for the old plastic but also create roads that require less maintenance, Gurung said. Typically, the mountainous country’s roads face severe weather conditions and require annual work, but Gurung said it would take at least five years before plastic-based roads needed improvement.
Basics of Bhutan:
Depending on the season, tourists have to pay between $200 and $250 USD per day to visit Bhutan.
Bhutan is governed by the “Gross National Happiness” philosophy; uses an index to determine the collective well-being of its population.
About a third of Bhutan’s population is under the age of 14, and its median age is 22.3.
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