Gransnet forums

News & politics

Plastic bricks make classrrooms in Ivory Coast

(16 Posts)
Baggs Fri 24-Jan-20 16:55:46

This looks like a positive news story:
"A new factory in Ivory Coast is buying waste from female recyclers to produce plastic bricks that can be used to build [classrooms] cheaply and quickly. The interlocking bricks, which work rather like Lego, are cheaper, lighter and will last hundreds of years longer than conventional building materials, according to Norman Muhwezi of Unicef. His organisation is funding the factory with the Colombian recycling company Conceptos Plasticos."

I love human ingenuity.

lucywinter Fri 24-Jan-20 17:33:37

That is such a good idea. Well done them. Hope it takes off. Could be done in other countries too couldn't it?

Love the picture of those gorgeous happy kids too! tbsmile

MaizieD Fri 24-Jan-20 17:42:18

It is being done in other countries. If you search 'making bricks from plastic' you'll get lots of results, even instructions for DIY plastic bricks!

Her's one article:
www.expertskiphire.co.uk/plastic-bricks

My county council has done some road resurfacing using a mix that incorporates plastic.

I know there's been concerns recently about micro particles of plastic getting into food chains and watercourses. I wonder if plastic bricks are stable enough to not lose micro particles?

MerylStreep Fri 24-Jan-20 17:52:44

Brilliant!! I get incensed every time there's a feature on tv commenting on house building.
Thank goodness there are people with enough common sense to think of alternatives.
A little publicised fact: the world is running out of sand.
Hard to believe, but it's true. Also, the process of taking the sand is causing untold environmental damage.
Then there's the added whammy of making cement ?

Kalu Fri 24-Jan-20 18:02:15

What a wonderful idea. I do hope the women especially, feel a sense of achievement as what they are working towards will benefit many including funds to educate their own children.

Such a happy piece of news.

janipat Fri 24-Jan-20 18:45:34

Indeed, good happy news. Just what we need to brighten a gloomy day. Thanks for posting the link Baggs

polnan Sat 25-Jan-20 09:28:15

thank you for the good news...

Coconut Sat 25-Jan-20 09:52:20

Wow that’s amazing ! Our wildlife can be spared the scourge of all the plastic littering our beautiful planet ?

M0nica Sat 25-Jan-20 10:09:53

DGS was interviewed on local television about a scheme his school was involved in stuffing big plastic bottles with plastic waste to make bricks.

I found this link online of buildings built with these filled bottles www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/8936899232932072/

4allweknow Sat 25-Jan-20 11:05:08

Great idea but thinking of safety, what would happen in a fire? Have seen this before and did think it innovative. I like the plastic pellets included in road surfaces but then again with friction will there be any pollution given off. There just doesn't seem to be an answer to the whole plastic mess.

ALANaV Sat 25-Jan-20 13:37:31

In effect a brilliant idea ...the only thing that troubles me is the risk of fire (think plastic coated cladding on Grenfell) unless they could be treated with anti inflammatory material, which would no doubt be way too expensive. but if a way can be found to fire proof them, its a wonderful thing that helps the women to earn a living and take a pride in what they are doing.flowers

M0nica Sat 25-Jan-20 16:48:32

I suspect in poor countries where these seem to have been adapted, that is the least of their concerns.

The buildings they are being used for are mainly small buildings, where exiting in a hurry would not be a problem and you are not going to be building multi-storey buildings with the bottles.

In this country the filled bottles cuuld be used to build garden sheds, animal housing and the like.

MerylStreep Sat 25-Jan-20 17:08:11

4alweknow & AlanaV
I wanted to know more about this project and found a YouTube video where it states that the bricks are fire proof.

MaizieD Sat 25-Jan-20 17:16:30

Gosh, MOnica. Aren't people inventive grin

M0nica Sat 25-Jan-20 18:01:17

I remember watching a Grand Design of a house built in Brittany of a house built with old tyres, rammed full of earth and used for building walls. They used coloured glass bottles in walls to great effect. Most of the house was built from recycled materials and is now a very popular holiday let.

Barmeyoldbat Sat 25-Jan-20 20:05:35

What a wonderful idea, will look t up on Youtube.