Development of Clay/Plastic Waste Building Block in a Circular Economy

Anele Trust C; Onu Elvis U; Atulomah, Chimere I

Authors

Anele Trust C Department of Materials and Metallurgical Engineering, Federal University of Technology Owerri. Author
Onu Elvis U Department of Materials and Metallurgical Engineering, Federal University of Technology Owerri. Author
Atulomah, Chimere I Department of Materials and Metallurgical Engineering, Federal University of Technology Owerri. Author

Abstract

This project is motivated by the desire to develop low-cost, high-quality building bricks that will compete favourably with existing conventional masonry units using plastic waste and clay in line with the call to transition to a circular economy. The study uses clay samples from Ngor-Okpala bonded by waste plastic bottles for building applications as a response to the call to mitigate the adverse effect of indiscriminate plastic waste disposal. The materials were collected from local sites and sorted and screened for this project. Clay was poured into molten plastic at 255 C and mixed until a supersaturated mixture was achieved. The mix was then compressed in a metallic mould to form bricks of predetermined shapes. Test specimens were subjected to crushing, water absorption and dry density to determine their suitability for use in the industry. The production process of the materials proved more eco-friendly and could help to convert waste to wealth in the long term while making the environment more habitable for human beings.