Eco-Friendly Pothole Repairs

Potholes cause billions of dollars in vehicle damage every year. They are typically repaired using asphalt — a hydrocarbon-based material that leaches unwanted chemicals into the surrounding soil. But a team of scientists recently formulated an alternative ceramic mortar using grit from wastewater treatment. The new substance, known as grit-assisted patch (GAP), is reportedly safer for the environment while being just as effective at patching the holes.

Grit is a nonbiodegradable solid that’s unsuitable for recycling due to high levels of pathogens and impurities. So the first step in the formulation of GAP was to prevent the dangerous micro-organisms from growing by mixing the grit with calcium oxide and magnesium oxide to form an alkaline slurry. A weak acid (potassium dihydrogen phosphate) was then added to form a mortar-like compound that can be used to patch asphalt. Experiments on operational roadways are currently underway.

In addition to creating a use for materials that would otherwise be buried in landfills, the researchers believe that GAP will prove to have superior longevity when compared to asphalt patches.