What is a key advantage of using recycled plastics in ABC's concrete?

• A. It increases costs but improves aesthetics.
• B. It reduces energy use and environmental impacts.
• C. It has no effect on sustainability.
• D. It decreases durability.

Answer: (B)

Using recycled plastics in concrete mainly targets environmental and energy benefits. The strongest advantage is that it lowers energy use and reduces environmental impacts because waste plastics are diverted from landfills and less virgin material needs to be produced. This can cut emissions and energy consumed in material preparation and manufacturing, contributing to a smaller overall ecological footprint for the concrete product. While aesthetics or cost considerations can vary in practice, the core gain here is the sustainability improvement from recycling and material substitution. The other options describe outcomes that aren’t typically the primary environmental benefit and may even be risks or trade-offs in performance.