What if we could use all of the plastic bottles, bags, and packaging that we throw in the recycle bin to make stronger, more environmentally friendly concrete additives? According to Plastics Today, that is precisely what startup CRDC Global is accomplishing with its ground-breaking RESIN8 technology.
Using CRDC’s technology, any kind of plastic waste—from shopping bags to soda bottles—can be converted into an environmentally acceptable addition for concrete mixtures. The business can now produce this revolutionary building material from one tonne (2,205 pounds) of plastic every hour at its recently established first Australian facility in Melbourne.
“Pivotal moment” for e-waste management, says CEO of Australia New Zealand Recycling Platform Warren Overton, on the opening of the Australian plant.
How then does it operate?
The combined plastic garbage is first shredded by CRDC and sorted according to density. Subsequently, they combine and melt the broken plastic to create a mixture of polymers and minerals. Ultimately, the RESIN8 material is chopped and mixed to concrete in the form of granules. The finest aspect? At the very least, the company claims that RESIN8-made concrete is more resilient to heat and fire than ordinary concrete, as well as being stronger and more flexible. It also reduces the quantity of newly manufactured materials.
CRDC is a Costa Rican company that is growing internationally to incorporate its environmentally friendly technology into as many concrete mixtures as it can. After plants in South Africa, Pennsylvania, and Costa Rica, the Melbourne unit is the company’s fourth.
South African research even discovered that RESIN8 strengthens the bond between 3D-printed concrete layers. This implies that we may be able to employ this additive that is good for the earth in 3D printed homes and structures. As we strengthen our building materials and keep plastic trash out of landfills and the ocean, CRDC is paving the way—pun intended—for a more sustainable future. Don’t be shocked if you see a little recycled plastic in that new sidewalk or office building nearby as it spreads to other places throughout the world.
Thanks to forward-thinking businesses like CRDC, we’re getting closer to a future where plastic waste isn’t just an issue, it’s a part of the solution.
