Ecobricks information

An ecobrick is a plastic bottle densely packed with used plastic to create a reusable building block that achieves plastic sequestration.The concept behind ecobricks is to utilize and upcycle post consumer plastic, benefiting our Earth. These plastic bottles are precisely packed with clean and dry used plastic to avoid the growth of bacteria.^[1] Ecobricks can be used to produce various items, including furniture, garden walls and other structures.^[2] These plastic packed bottles are produced primarily as a means of managing consumed plastic by sequestering it and containing it safely, by terminally reducing the net surface area of the packed plastic to effectively secure the plastic from degrading into toxins and microplastics. Ecobricking is a both an individual and collaborative endeavor. The ecobricking movement promotes the personal ecobricking process as a strategy to raise awareness of the consequences of consumption and the dangers of plastic. It also promotes the collaborative process as a way to encourage communities to take collective responsibility for their used plastic and to use it to produce a useful product.^[3]

Typically, producers use a wood or bamboo stick to manually pack plastic into the plastic bottle.^[4] Containing and compacting plastic helps ensure these photo-grading materials stay in one place for numerous years. The strongest bottle candidates for ecobricks are thick and durable plastic bottles with wider cap openings that can resist UV radiation.^[5] Any size of transparent polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic bottle can be used to make an ecobrick. The bottle and the packed plastic are clean and dry to prevent the growth of bacteria. Plastic is cut or ripped into small pieces then packed little by little, alternating between adding the plastic and compacting it, layer by layer. The bottle is rotated with each press to ensure the plastic is evenly compacted throughout the bottle. This helps prevent voids and allows the packing to reach the requisite solidity needed for building block applications.^[6] Completed ecobricks are packed solid enough that they can bear the weight of a person without deforming—a density range between 0.33 g/ml and 0.7 g/ml.^[7] Maximizing density minimizes the flammability of the ecobrick^[8] while increasing its durability and re-usability.