What is one application of the remaining plastics after e-waste processing?

• A. Exported as raw plastic pellets.
• B. Melted into feedstock for new plastic bottles.
• C. Used as aggregates for making pavements.
• D. Used as insulation material for buildings.

Answer: (C)

When plastics from e-waste can’t be cleanly separated into pure polymers for high-grade recycling, a practical and common use is turning that residual material into aggregates for pavements. The plastics can be processed into a form that substitutes for some natural aggregate in asphalt or concrete, helping to reduce landfill and lower material costs while giving the waste a productive end use.

Exporting as raw plastic pellets isn’t always feasible because the stream from e-waste is often contaminated and mixed, which makes producing uniform, sellable pellets difficult. Melting into feedstock for new plastic bottles requires very pure, single-type polymers—something not typically available from mixed e-waste plastics. Using it as insulation material isn’t the typical outcome for this residual plastic, whereas pavement aggregates are a well-established, practical application.