[GreenYes] Re: PLASTICS RECYCLING IN THE CARIBBEAN

["Nancy Poh" <greenbeingnancy@no.address>]

Hi Mike

Have you heard of "Pet Brick"?  Physics professor Newton Lima's ecological brick requires no baling machine as he used the bottle whole. First he sealed the bottle with air before inserting it into the centre of a much larger rectangular wooden mold. The mold is then filled with quartz sand and cement and once hardened, the "PET brick" is removed and ready for use.

The benefit of building homes with his "PET bricks" in hotter climate is
that they will keep homes cooler as the air pumped into the bottles
is effective as insulator.  He hope to use his ecological bricks as a solution to providing low-cost
housing for low-income families in his country in Brazil.

You can view pictures of his invention at this link:

http://www.iom3.org/claytechnology/apr07/news.htm
http://www.temasactuales.com/temasblog/?p=90

Rgds
Nancy
http://greenbeingnancy.blogspot.com/


<-----Original Message-----> 
>From: michael cowing [mjcowing@no.address]
>Sent: 6/3/2007 8:13:54 AM
>To: 
greenyes@no.address
>Subject: Re: [GreenYes] PLASTICS RECYCLING IN THE CARIBBEAN
>
>I am attempting to establish a plastics recycling programme in St Lucia, in the
>Caribbean, along with a local NGO.
>
>The island, like many others throughout the Caribbean, is blighted by plastic
>litter, primarily soft drink bottles. So, we are planning to establish a
>recycling programme, focusing, in the first instance, on the numerous large
>hotels. Our intention is to collect all plastics and process them on island, and
>produce a low quality product such as roofing tiles, at a pilot level.
>
>We already have funding for the programme, and the local hotel association have
>provided assurances that they will purchase the roofing tiles from us.
>
>Therefore, I would much appreciate any advice from those who may have been
>involved in similar programmes elsewhere. In particular, I am interested to
>learn about the recommended equipment, such as shredders and moulds, plus the
>basic process, and any things to be wary of.
>
>Any advice is much appreciated.
>
>Regards, Mike Cowing.
>