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Upcycling invention to launch in South Africa

South Africa’s un-recycled plastic waste could create thousands of jobs, clean environment and help build houses, hospitals, schools and roads. (Image source: warloka79/Adobe Stock)

The Centre of Regenerative Design and Collaboration (CRDC) is providing a range of solutions in South Africa in waste management, plastic recycling, waste to energy and implementation of zero waste to landfill

The product, EcoArena PRA and Ecoblock are environmentally friendly products which incorporate regenerated waste plastic particles combined with a standard sand-cement mixture to produce a highly resistant, durable cement or cement block while providing a viable up-cycling usage of this waste material.

The product has been tested and applied by PEDREGAL in Costa Rica for the past two years.

CRDC is collaborating with international USA chemicals giant Dow in the development of EcoArena in a bid to develop a leadership initiative for the alliance to end plastic waste.

Donald Thomson and PEDREGAL are introducing EcoArena PRA to South Africa via an initial investor and partner roundtable to be held in Cape Town in the first week of April.

CRDC will be testing EcoArena PRA with two major concrete manufacturers in the Western Cape as well as a major South African cement producer.

“In South Africa, there is an established and sophisticated cement industry. Against this, we need to create jobs, we need to clean up the environment and there is an urgent need for housing. Our plan is to use the Costa Rican model to initially launch in the Western Cape before rolling out the initiative nationally,” said Thompson.

South African government has recognised the role that waste can play in creating jobs and socio-economic opportunities and in moving South Africa towards a more resource efficient economy.

Thompson explained, “The objective is to create a platform whereby single-use plastics may be transitioned into a supply stream for high-quality construction materials while providing a solution to two of the world´s most pressing issues: the recovery of waste plastics from the environment and the global housing deficit. Every sector of society, including the underprivileged and homeless, stands to benefit from the application of this innovation and plan.”

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