How To Make Cycle Paths With Self-locking Blocks in Recycled and Recyclable PVC

The problem of environmental protection is now a completely transversal topic in our life and, at every level of responsibility and competence, its protection and the reduction of the impact of man on the ecosystem is to be kept in evidence.

Cities and the connecting areas between them are undergoing a transformation in the field of sustainable mobility, pushing decisively towards the use of bicycles.

Precisely in the era of a pandemic there was a rediscovery of the pedal vehicle, an activity that takes on factors that are not only of a social, urban or environmental character, but also those principles of "slow life", that is a more natural and relaxed approach to life, where time is given the right value, not consumed but lived.

The use of the bicycle has led to the rediscovery of a healthier mobility system, more participatory towards the environment crossed and a form of newfound familiarity and conviviality between people .

To follow this new approach to sustainable mobility, it is necessary to create and improve routes that are expressly dedicated to bicycle traffic, through projects that take into consideration the principles of sustainability and the circular economy.

For this reason, in the technical design phase, the use of materials that can contribute to the environment, waste reduction and recyclability of the elements at the end of their life.

As for the road paving of cycle paths in urban areas or connecting one city to another, the tendency is not to use materials that have created an environmental impact already in their constitution before their use, such as asphalts or concrete blocks, whose raw materials derive from natural resources, but to use elements that derive from the recycling of plastic materials.

One of these is the self-locking block made of recycled PVC, whose raw material consists of the waste from the processing of electrical cables, from which the copper and the plastic sheaths.

These sheaths are recovered, selected, recycled and transformed into raw material to create driveways with monolithic interlocking suitable for road and cycle-walkable pavements.

A flooring made with PVC recycled interlocking blocks fully embraces the principles of the circular economy, that is, the use of processed waste to replace natural raw materials for avoid the impoverishment of the planet.

The flooring in self-locking blocks in recycled PVC has a long life, remains flexible in operation, does not create holes, does not undergo degradation due to road salts, it is light and with an economical do-it-yourself installation, it does not stain as it does not absorb oils or pollutants, it is washable, non-slip and paintable.

In addition, the replacement of individual pieces of the flooring is very simple and economical, as the self-locking block is quickly replaced without creating an interruption in the road network for maintenance.

See more information on cycle tourism

Automatic translation. We apologize for any inaccuracies. Original article in Italian.