Bill Overview
Title: Recycled Plastic Asphalt Act
Description: This bill directs the Department of Transportation to develop a research program to review and evaluate the use of recycled plastic modified asphalt mixtures and mixtures using additives derived from recycled plastics.
Sponsors: Rep. Burchett, Tim [R-TN-2]
Target Audience
Population: People using or involved in infrastructure projects utilizing recycled plastic asphalt.
Estimated Size: 300000000
- The bill is focused on the use of recycled plastic modified asphalt mixtures.
- This bill concerns industries involved in the production, modification, and application of asphalt.
- Road construction and maintenance companies and workers will be directly affected as the new materials and methods could change their operational practices.
- The recycling industry, particularly those dealing with plastic recycling, may experience increased demand.
- Environmental agencies and advocates may observe changes due to possible environmental benefits or concerns.
- Governments may experience economic impacts due to changes in infrastructure costs.
- General public could see an impact on road quality, road safety, and potentially air and water quality due to changes in road materials.
Reasoning
- The primary efforts of the policy will be directed towards industries involved in road construction and plastic recycling. It makes sense to include individuals from these industries in our simulation.
- Since the policy is primarily about enhancing road materials with recycled plastics, environmentalists concerned with polymers and sustainability should be included to represent environmental impacts.
- The general public, especially frequent road users, could be indirectly impacted by changes in road quality, cost, or safety, and should be represented as well.
- Given the budget constraint, we will focus on individuals who are most likely to be immediately affected within the first year, while considering long-term impacts on others.
Simulated Interviews
Construction Company Manager (Atlanta, GA)
Age: 45 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm interested in how these new materials could reduce costs and improve our company's environmental footprint.
- There could be an initial learning curve and equipment costs, but it might pay off in the long-term.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 7 |
Civil Engineer (Los Angeles, CA)
Age: 29 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 15.0 years
Commonness: 2/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This could significantly change how we design roads, making them more sustainable.
- I think it’ll help meet our city's sustainability goals, though it might take years to see the results.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 6 |
Recycling Plant Operator (Houston, TX)
Age: 38 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Increased demand for recycled plastics could mean more business for us, which is exciting.
- We might need to upgrade our facilities to handle more production; that’s a significant investment.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 6 |
Truck Driver (Miami, FL)
Age: 52 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Better roads could mean fewer repairs and accidents, which is good for my line of work.
- I hope this leads to smoother roads but remains cost-effective for taxpayers.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 5 |
Environmental Advocate (Seattle, WA)
Age: 46 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Using recycled materials is a step in the right direction for environmental sustainability.
- I'm supportive but cautious; we need to ensure that the new materials don't introduce other environmental issues.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 7 |
Asphalt Mixture Researcher (Chicago, IL)
Age: 33 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 1/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy could broaden my research field and open up new funding opportunities.
- It's an exciting time for innovation in road materials; the environmental impact prospect is positive.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 8 |
City Planner (New Orleans, LA)
Age: 39 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 15.0 years
Commonness: 2/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Adopting new road materials can enhance city planning outcomes environmentally.
- There might be initial hurdles in public acceptance and adaptation to new materials.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 7 |
State Transportation Official (Phoenix, AZ)
Age: 50 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The cost and longevity benefits of these materials could be substantial for our state budget.
- We need to ensure quality standards with these materials are maintained.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 6 |
Environmental Science Graduate Student (New York, NY)
Age: 24 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 2/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy aligns well with my research interests in eliminating plastic waste.
- However, we need to carefully consider the lifecycle impacts of the new materials.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 8 |
Retired Highway Engineer (Raleigh, NC)
Age: 60 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Innovations in road materials are essential, I support this bill.
- We should consider both long-term benefits and any unforeseen issues it might bring.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 6 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $10000000 (Low: $8000000, High: $15000000)
Year 2: $12000000 (Low: $9000000, High: $16000000)
Year 3: $13000000 (Low: $10000000, High: $20000000)
Year 5: $15000000 (Low: $12000000, High: $22000000)
Year 10: $20000000 (Low: $15000000, High: $30000000)
Year 100: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Key Considerations
- The scalability and economic feasibility of implementing recycled plastic asphalt across different road environments need to be studied.
- Assessing the environmental impact of recycled plastic usage in roads, such as microplastic pollution.
- The program's success will depend on collaborative efforts between industry, government, and research institutions.