Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL), a Fortune Global 500 company, has developed a new solution for managing plastic waste. Through its Corporate Research & Development Centre and in collaboration with the Central Road Research Institute (CRRI), New Delhi, BPCL has introduced Geocell, a technical textile product that uses end-of-life and mixed plastic waste in road construction.

This initiative builds on BPCL’s earlier Waste Plastic Module, which has already used over 250 metric tonnes of plastic waste in various states across India.

The inauguration was attended by Dr. Kalaiselvi, Director General of CSIR, Chandrasekhar N., Head of R&D at BPCL, and Dr. Manoranjan Parida, Director of CRRI, along with BPCL scientists Dr. Ravikumar, Dr. Chiranjeevi Thota, and Dr. Mahesh Kasture.

“This trial section using end-of-life plastic is a joint effort by BPCL and CRRI. If successful, it could lead to wider use of plastic waste in road construction,” Chandrasekhar N. said

The trial covers about 1,280 square meters and uses 20–25 tonnes of plastic waste, in the form of both Modules and Geocells. The use of multi-layered plastic waste, which is not currently included in Indian Roads Congress (IRC) specifications, may increase the use of plastic in future infrastructure projects.

Geocell addresses challenges related to unsegregated municipal waste, especially multi-layered plastics (MLP). Plant trials, conducted with TATA Projects, showed that the technology is both technically and economically viable for use in roads and infrastructure.

India’s first field trial using technical textiles made from waste plastic was inaugurated on July 11, 2025, at Loop No. 1 of the elevated section of the DND–Faridabad–KMP Expressway, New Delhi. The project is a joint effort by BPCL, CRRI, and the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI).

This project supports India’s Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan and Net Zero targets. Besides managing waste, it also improves pavement strength and durability.

With this field trial, BPCL continues to lead in sustainable innovation and plastic waste management, offering scalable solutions for future infrastructure development