Australian scientists at Flinders University in Adelaide have discovered a sustainable method of recycling waste materials into bricks, which could be used for construction. The team used a new kind of rubber polymer to convert PVC, plant fibers, or sand into viable construction materials.
The findings, published in Chemistry Europe, could mark a groundbreaking turning point in the future of the construction industry, given that they offer an alternative to all kinds of non-recyclable substances. The best part of all, it provides the advantage of giving waste materials a positive purpose, rather than ending up in landfills or the ocean.
The current method of construction involves the emissions of harmful toxins and greenhouse gases (GHGs), which exacerbate climate change and can be dangerous for human health. Unsurprisingly, air quality at construction sites is a big concern for those living in the vicinity.
The construction industry is responsible for 18% of all global GHG emissions, while concrete is responsible for 8% of CO2 emissions. To put things into perspective, the entire aviation sector contributes to 3% of CO2 emissions, while agriculture is responsible for 12%. This is why a sustainable source of construction material is vital.
The team developed a sustainable alternative that could be used to create bricks, as a replacement for concrete, or as insulation. In its powdered form, it could be used to manufacture rubber coatings, tubing, and bumpers. It’s made by fashioning a new type of rubber polymer made of canola oil and sulfur, then heating it to the desired temperature and mixing it with filler materials including sand, plant fibers, and plastic.
Nic Lundquist, the study’s lead author, explained:
This new recycling method and new material composites are an important step forward in making sustainable construction materials, and the rubber can be repeatedly ground up and recycled. The rubber particles also can be first used to purify water and then repurposed into a rubber mat or tubing.
The new method kills two birds with one stone, by recycling waste materials and using them to replace highly polluting ones.
