Innovative Building Blocks are made of 100 percent Plastic Waste - Zarkon Group News Blog - FAH33M
CategoriesConstruction International News

Innovative Building Blocks are made of 100 percent Plastic Waste

Innovative Building Blocks are made of 100 percent Plastic Waste by ByFusion to make building more sustainable. The company created ByBlock, the first construction-grade brick made entirely out of recycled plastic materials.

What is ByFusion?

 

“We have been working hard over the past several years to develop an innovative system to help the recycling industry address the plastic waste crisis by being able to recycle plastics that were previously considered unrecyclable,” CEO Heidi Kujawa told Manufacturing.

The first thing you’ll probably notice about the large building blocks is how cool they look. Each one has a mix of vibrant colors because the plastic waste it’s formed from — like water bottles, packaging and other single-use items — is still visible.

Each brick is made by heating, compressing and fusing the recycled materials together. It’s for this reason that ByBlock boasts itself as the ultimate landfill diversion solution. ByFusion works with material recycling facilities, waste management operations, municipalities and corporate partners to upcycle their rubbish. The zero-waste process uses a whopping 30 tons of trash per month.

But construction workers won’t be giving up quality when they use ByBlocks. Unlike concrete, these don’t crack or crumble. You can peep a worker in the video attempting to smash one with a hammer — it doesn’t give. The concrete block on the other hand shatters after a few hits. Moreover, ByBlocks don’t require glues or adhesives, making them easier and quicker to install.

According to ByFusion, ByBlocks are ideal for sheds, accent walls, furniture, non-load bearing walls, privacy fences and most building projects.

The U.S. represents only 4 percent of the world’s population but produces 12 percent of its waste. That’s largely because America only recycles 35 percent of its waste, making it the only developed nation whose waste outpaces its recycling.

If you enjoyed this story, check out Australia’s New Road Asphalt from Coffee Cup Recycled Waste.

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First California Recycled Plastic Highway - Zarkon Group News Blog - FAH33M
CategoriesConstruction International News

First California Recycled Plastic Highway

The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) has repaved a busy stretch of Highway 162 using recycled plastic bottles.

Source: CBS Sacramento

First California Recycled Plastic Highway

To make the recycled plastic roads, crews grind up the top 3 inches of old pavement and mix it with a liquid plastic polymer binder made largely from used plastic bottles. This mixture is then placed on top of the road.

Paving one mile of road with the new plastic-asphalt mix recycles about 150,000 plastic bottles and is estimated to last two to three times as long as traditional asphalt. The plastic-asphalt mixture eliminates the need for double layers and saves dozens of truck trips, reducing smog and greenhouse gas emissions.

“We’re excited about introducing a new sustainable technology and helping pave the way for recycled plastics throughout the state,” said Caltrans District 3 Director Amarjeet S. Benipal. “This process is better for the environment because it keeps plastic bottles out of landfills and helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions and reliance on fossil fuels.”

Millions of pounds of plastic have ended up landfills across California and in the Pacific Ocean where it breaks apart and harms marine life.

Some environmentalists are concerned that the new roadway would create little bits of microplastics which could enter the state’s waterways.

Caltrans officials plan to monitor and conduct detailed studies on the plastic-asphalt section.