Plastics could help build a sustainable future — yes, you read that right
Plastic building blocks
I study plastic waste with the specific aim of finding interesting ways to remove it from the environment. Since 2009, I have developed a number of building materials made of post-consumer plastics mixed with different waste-stream materials. From agricultural wastes such assugarcane bagasse– a by-product of the sugar industry in Brazil – andcoffee dregs, to concrete waste andconstruction debris, compounded with recycled plastics, there are many ways to obtain materials to produce bricks, roof tiles, plastic lumber and other useful elements for building.
Our team is currently trying to develop aviable building blockmade of recycled plastics. We have prepared a range of prospective materials using a mix of virgin and recycled plastics – colored PET bottles, polypropylene, polyethylene – and other local waste-stream materials – hemp, sawdust, concrete waste , andred mud.
We are currently adjusting the properties of the materials for therotomolding process, a plastics molding technology which is ideal for making large hollow articles. We want to use the maximum amount of recycled plastics in this block. Blocks made of 25% recycled plastics have performed extremely well in mechanical tests. Next, we’ll try 50%, 75%, and 100%.
We are also thinking about the aesthetics of the blocks. Blends of recycled mixed-color plastics usually end up with a grey or black color. To enable color, we are preparing blends of virgin or recycled plastics to overlay the main bulk of the block.
Building from waste
So perhaps plastics are not necessarily the problem. They can be part of a pathway towards a more sustainable way of living. Usingnatural or renewable resourcesis not necessarily environmentally friendly. The ecological footprint of a polymeric material is smaller than that of natural materials, which have a sizeable demand on arable land, clean water, fertilizers andregeneration time.
According to theGlobal Footprint Network, before the pandemic, we were demanding 1.75 times the available resources of the planet. Working with the “unrecyclable” waste and developing plastics alternatives to natural materials may reduce this demand and leave a cleaner and more sustainable planet for the next generations.
Building materials made from recycled plastics are not yet widely used in the construction industry – prototypes have mainly been used for demonstrative installations. It will take political will and widespread environmental awareness to encourage more investment into the potential in plastics recycling.
But hopefully, the tide is beginning to turn, as a consequence of the increasing pressure from public opinion about the plastic pollution matter. Thanks to the engagement of government and industry to the idea of a circular economy, it seems that there will be an opening in the market – and in people’s minds – to welcome plastic initiatives to replace conventional building materials.
This article is republished fromThe ConversationbySibele Cestari, Research Fellow in Polymeric Materials,Queen’s University Belfastunder a Creative Commons license. Read theoriginal article.
Story byThe Conversation
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