Sand, rock, and melted plastic now sit beneath the tires on a quiet residential street in Oahu. For nearly a year, cars have rolled over an experiment that could reshape how Hawaii deals with its mounting plastic waste. The test road looks ordinary. What sets it apart is what holds it together. Researchers at the Center for Marine Debris Research at Hawaiʻi Pacific University have been working with the Hawaii Department of Transportation to turn discarded plastic, including fishing nets pulled from the Pacific, into asphalt. Early results suggest the idea may be more than a symbolic fix. “This work investigates whether it’s responsible to use recycled plastics in Hawaii’s roads,” said Jeremy Axworthy, a researcher involved in the project. “By reusing plastic waste that is already in Hawaii, we can reduce the environmental and economic impacts of transporting waste plastics from the islands, incinerating it or dumping it in Hawaii’s overflowing landfills.” In Hawaii, researchers turn discarded plastic, including fishing nets pulled from the Pacific, into asphalt. (CREDIT: Wikimedia / CC BY-SA 4.0) Roads …