Recycled Plastic Bricks - Do They Work?

In this video, we're looking at all things Recycled Plastic Bricks. Because on paper, they sound like the ideal solution to not only our plastic pollution problem, but also housing issues. However, it's certainly a complicated subject - so there's a lot to look into! 🧱

#BrothersMake #HDPE #PreciousPlastic #HDPERecycling #RecycledPlastic #RecycledPlasticBricks #PlasticShredding #InjectionMoulding #PlasticRecycling

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FAQ:
➡️ Our workshop is powered 100% by renewable energy. We don’t use any energy from fossil fuels whatsoever.

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Music by Epidemic Sound

[isaacgraff]

One use I can see for the plastic bricks is interior walling. It'd take some work but imagine a ware house, then you bring in a ton of these lego block walls, you could design what ever sized rooms you wanted.

[orngjce]

As many have pointed out, these would make very poor house material, but as temporary interior partitions or convention booths there is some promise.

[Drathstar]

If tongue and groove slots were added to the sides it would probably solve a good bit of the lateral strength issues.

[NickCombs]

It’s admirable that you guys made sure to point out the limitations. I remember seeing a similar product called Lok N Blok which has seen some adoption in South America, but it isn’t fully recycled and only uses higher grade plastics.

[joeschmo]

Suggestions:
-- 2 vertical tongue/grooves on each short side, 1 in, 1 out. This way they interlock on the sides and don't leave gaps.
-- half-width and half-height bricks, to simulate the way actual bricks stack.
-- corner-pieces, right angles as well as 45deg in/out, to be able to customise the building's footprint.
-- "bumps" or "knobs" on the sides, to allow stucco, etc., to be applied and adhere to. Protects against UV, too.
-- filler in the plastic, eg, as in "glass-filled nylon". Adds strength, rigidity, etc.
Great idea, I'd still run with it.

[sandyslank]

In 2021 CBS told the story of Material Scientist Nzambi Matee, she is making bricks in Nairobi, Kenya out of plastic waste cluttering the streets of Nairobi. It is truly awesome the work you are doing, encouraging people to do more with plastic. Thank you

[Dallen]

If the design for the big bricks were more in line with your Giant Legoish brick I think the Viability becomes more viable then they realize. The ones you guys made can be covered in plaster, mortar, or concrete and filled with foam for sound deadening. I could see them used for quick and easy building foundations which can turn a 90 day modular building project down to a 2-3 week building project time.

[YeloPartyHat]

It is important to remember that reducing the amount of plastic we have is one step of the battle. Stopping plastic being made for 1 time (or less) use items like superfluous packaging is a very very important and necessary step!

PS: I love their bike shed!

[EddieBurke]

The outdoor furniture that circular11 make looks astounding, they are phenomenenal and the molds keeping the wood grain makes it really just look like spray painted, pressure-treated wood which is so cool.

Such a great use of low grade plastic.

Definitely isn't low grade anymore, that's awesome.

[casey]

I like you guys. I love that you’re involved in the conversation and you’re excited and spreading the word but not lying about anything. I think it’s great

[SeaforgedArtifacts]

It may be beneficial to make a more complex mold that extrudes bricks with "I-beam" like fullering properties. Use less material and decrease weight while not losing much in the way of strength.

[ladyaj]

This kind of innovation is going to save the world. We just don't know how yet. Thank you, gentlemen, for working to solve such a huge problem.

[HabteshDefar]

hi how are you My name is Habtamu from Ethiopia. I really like what you guys are up to. I tried this many times before I saw your video, but one day I found you while searching on YouTube. I am very happy. its very good job

[zuzax]

These are a fantastic idea, but will face the challenge of overcoming what I call 'the inertia of tradition'. Cinder blocks are ubiquitous now, but faced many of the same problems that these bricks face today. Prior to their widespread use, kiln-fired red clay bricks were the go-to building material for most buildings. Then, cinder blocks appeared, and were immediately compared to the standards established by the red bricks for strength, durability, etc. But, as their use increased on smaller projects, it became apparent that they were cheaper and faster to make, easier and faster to build with, and yet still capable of holding up over the long haul for most jobs.
I think it will just take time and finding a niche market (like emergency housing) for these bricks to become mainstream.
One thing I thought of was essentially, tiny houses, in a kit. Preferably palletizable. If they could come up with roof tresses also made of this material, you could have an emergency shelter that could be brought to a natural disaster area, dropped off and built within a few hours. Even an 8'x8' shack is better than sleeping outdoors.
There is another channel I've watched where they make 1"x3"x6' planks out of recycled bottle caps, then use those planks to make park benches. No one worries about sag, or flammability, or UV breaking down the plastic, because park benches are innocuous items.
Here, if you are going up against the building industry directly, you will have a fight. But, if you can find a niche market, like emergency shelters, or sheds, or even raised garden beds, you have a chance to get your foot in the door. Once people start using them in these roles, they will start to wonder why they aren't being used in other roles, like housing for homeless, etc.
Now, I've done some experimenting recycling #2 (HDPE) plastic coffee cans (US here), more as an attempt to see if it could be done at a home kitchen level, more than anything else. Reviews are mixed. I was able to take a couple dozen coffee containers and reduce it down to a blob about the size of a building brick, but that's as far as I went. Basically, reducing the volume of the plastic waste from a garbage bag to a brick. If I didn't live in an apartment building, I would have pushed the experiment a bit further. But, overall, I learned a few things for myself. Sometimes that is where the fun is.

Also, on a side note, one possible solution to the flammability and UV damage problem might be in a coating like adobe. It can help with the thermal properties as well as sealing up any gaps between the bricks. since adobe is applied to a mesh that is attached to the wall, regardless of the wall's building material, it would help with stability as well.

[JeffDM]

I was wondering about the bricks. It seemed like C11 was reinventing injection molding but without the benefit of the last century's worth of automation innovations. Extruding construction planks is a much better workflow for their machine.

[meltorme-ntor]

I love the idea of the bricks, and I would love to see dome houses being built with them. Yes, I know not many people like dome homes (I don't know why, I find them very esthetically pleasing) but that and/or Santa Fe/adobe style homes. The bricks could be covered with quickcrete or similar compound that would also be nonflammable? I'm not a builder or architect or anything like that, so I'm just making stuff up. I have no idea how feasible any of this would be. Just dreaming. Thank you for the awesome videos!

[DeniseSkidmore]

What if in the disaster relief application you made building tools rather than bricks? Clay brick molds, tempers, connecting hardware for pole structures...

[JohnMadeit]

My sister recently started a nursery daycare. The small blocks would be perfect for the kids to play with. She's always coming up with creative ways to entertain the kids. And these would be perfect for her and the kids.

[Crits-Crafts]

Love this idea. I'd actually quite like a shed made from these...

[HDwoat]

Hi, a few questions if I may. Any outgassing or leaching of harmful chemicals into the environment? Does the plastic lend itself to additives to help with fire resistance? Same question but about incorporating for example metal into the top joining lugs to aid in strength and rigidity? Or even adding strength through an alternative manufacturing process such as lamination like plywood or osb.