Recycled Plastic Bottles: A Sustainable Solution for Building Materials

Abstract

Recycled plastic bottles are emerging as a highly efficient and sustainable building material, offering numerous environmental and practical benefits. By repurposing plastic waste, these bottles reduce the strain on landfills and lower the demand for virgin materials, contributing to significant waste reduction. The inherent properties of recycled plastic, such as durability, resistance to moisture, and insulating capabilities, make it a viable alternative for various construction applications, from insulation and roofing to structural components. Additionally, the use of recycled plastic bottles can lead to cost savings and promote greener construction practices, making it a compelling option in the quest for eco-friendly building solutions. In this work, plastic brick was created using a 500 mL bottle that was manually compacted and filled with waste polythene that had air dried. The brick was shaped like a typical clay brick using a cardboard frame. The filled bottle was positioned in the middle of the frame, and the entire frame was covered with mortar that had been manually blended to the specified dimensions. When the prepared brick samples were put through a compression test, the average strength for the 14- and 28-day crushing age samples was 2.88 and 3.29 N/mm, respectively. This showed that the bricks had a great potential for usage in construction projects. In addition to controlling plastic waste and mitigating the risk posed by natural disasters in the camps for displaced people, using plastic bricks can be an affordable, practical, and sustainable means of creating a sturdy and secure living environment.