Saving Environment By Converting Plastics Into Bricks

Introduction

Nowadays plastic is used in almost all of the things we use, right from pens to home appliances and even cars. It has become an inseparable part of our life. It is widely used because of its easy production process and flexibility. However, its hazardous impact on the environment can not be ignored. Indeed it is very useful and highly demanded for producing various products but due to its non-biodegradable nature, it brings havoc to the environment after being used or discarded.

Scientists around the globe are trying to find alternatives to plastics. However, no alternative has been discovered yet. Many suggested alternatives aren’t good enough to replace plastic so the pursuit is still ongoing. Therefore as of now, the only available option is to reduce the usage as much as possible and recycle & reuse the plastic which has already been produced.

In this article, we will learn about an interesting and innovative way of recycling plastic. In this recycling process, the waste plastic is used to make bricks, which are known as eco-bricks. These bricks are lighter than traditional bricks and provide similar strength and usability. Many innovative young startups and entrepreneurs are working in this field and many houses and other structures have been built from these plastic made eco-bricks. 

Process of Converting Plastics into Bricks

The process is straightforward and can be divided into the following steps:

• Collection: The very first step in the process is to collect the plastic which can be used for the conversion. Many specialised channels are set up to easily collect the plastic and reach the processing or conversation stations.

• Disinfecting and Cleaning: If the plastic waste being collected is required to be disinfected such as in the case of PPE Kits and medical equipment it is done to remove all the bacteria, virus or other unwanted particles. After disinfecting cleaning of plastic may also be done to remove the smell or other unwanted materials.

• Melting of Plastics: After collecting and cleaning the plastic, it is put into a specialised electric oven, which breaks it down and melts all the plastic.

• Shaping: After melting the plastic, now it can shaped in the form of bricks with the help of brick moulds. Various other equipment such as compressing rods and jet sprinklers are also used in this step.

• Final Product: After following all these steps the bricks and letting the plastics set in the moulds, the final product is ready which can be separated from the moulds and can be stored to be used later.

Advantages of Eco-Bricks

Bricks made from the conversion of plastic are popularly called eco-bricks. These bricks can easily be used instead of traditional bricks and provide the same strength. Many houses have already been obstructed by using these bricks and you can also consider using them whenever constructing your house or other structures. These bricks not only provide the same functionality but are also cost-effective. The average weight of these bricks is about 2.5 Kg, which is less than the traditional bricks, thus reducing the weight of the structure i.e. less burden on the pillars and beam. Moreover, these bricks work wonders in cases of shocks by absorbing them.

Disadvantages of Eco-Bricks

Every coin has two sides and eco-bricks are no different, indeed they have numerous advantages such as saving of environment,  cost-effective, lightweight and many more. However, on the other side, it has several disadvantages as well. The disadvantages of eco-bricks are as follows:

• Still Non-Biodegradable: These bricks are made by just changing the form and shape of the plastic, it’s still non-biodegradable and hence doesn’t provide the proper solution for the plastic problem.

• Not Mortar Friendly: These bricks are not very mortar friendly, whenever the eco-bricks are used the mortar doesn’t stick properly in one go and hence extra efforts are required to stick the mortar.

• Not Sturdy: Eco-bricks are very sturdy but are little comparable due to the flexible nature of plastic. Whereas conventional bricks are not at all compressible therefore are more sturdy, when compared to eco-bricks.

• Flammable: The most important disadvantage of eco-bricks is that they are flammable as they are made of plastic only. Therefore this factor must be considered before using them to construct your house.

Effect of UV Rays & Heat: Eco-bricks are not suitable for places with high temperatures because they may get damaged due to extreme heat and UV rays. Therefore they should be used only in those areas where the weather is generally cold and pleasant.