Plastic, one of the most dangerous and at the same time most abundant waste on Earth. Avoiding production would be the best solution but trying to find a new use could also help. That's what a Mexican start-up is doing that has found a way to reuse plastic to build affordable homes
He is about to end up run over, his mother saves him
La plastic, one of the most dangerous and at the same time most abundant waste on Earth. Avoiding production would be the best solution but trying to find a new use could also help. That's what a Mexican start-up is doing that has found a way to reuse plastic to build houses at affordable prices.
The amount of plastic thrown away every year is huge, it would even be enough to cover the circumference of the Earth four times. Of the plastics produced, some types can take up to 1.000 years to decompose. It has been estimated that 10 to 20 million tons of plastic end up in the oceans each year.
And if it could be reused, also giving a hand to those who cannot afford a home? This is the case of Mexico which is the 12th largest consumer of plastics in the world, consuming over 5 million tons per year. Here he lives Carlos Daniel González:
“Since I was a child I remember seeing all this plastic and the contamination it caused, for us and for the animals. I have always taken care of the environment, so I decided that I had to do something to find a solution " explains.
Thus, in 2013, he founded EcoDomum, a start-up that deals with di make panels by recycling plastic and building homes low cost. The goal is twofold: on the one hand to try to reduce waste by finding a new location for it and on the other to help the Mexican population who live in conditions of extreme poverty. In Mexico, 11,5 million people live in situations of severe poverty, with less than $ 1,25 per day.
EcoDomum follows the whole process, from the collection of plastic to the construction of the houses, passing through the assembly of the panels that compose them. The latter are in fact used for the walls and the roof.
The process is quite simple. First, the company collects all types of plastic, from bottles to old toys. Then he separates them to find the types that melt without emitting noxious fumes. Subsequently, the selected plastic is inserted into a machine that cuts it, and is then heated in a sort of oven up to 350 degrees Celsius, taking about half an hour. Finally, the liquid passes through a hydraulic press, which compresses and crystallizes the plastic giving shape to panels.
Each of them measures 2,5 × 1,2 × 0,10 m. The houses built in this way usually consist of two bedrooms, bathroom, living room and kitchen and measure about 40 square meters. It takes about 80 panels to put up a house and at its current capacity, the EcoDomum plant is capable of producingand 120 panels per day.
“It only takes seven days to build a house that uses two tons of plastic,” said González. "Furthermore, the durable, waterproof and affordable properties of plastic that have given it a competitive edge for decades can also be applied to these homes."
EcoDomum sells the panels individually at a cost ranging from $ 28 to $ 33 to local governments and organizations that build Lodging social.
To date, the start-up has built 500 rooms for the city of Huauchinango. The city of Chiconcuhutla already has a contract with the company to build 150 houses, of 40 square meters each. Currently, EcoDomum is working on a contract with the city of Pahuatlán for another 150 homes. In 2016, the company hopes to move to a larger facility and begin expanding throughout Mexico.
Perhaps they will not be the most beautiful houses in the world but at least they will allow the reuse of plastic by hosting those who, today, cannot afford a home.
Francesca Mancuso
Gallery
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