House built from more than 1M recycled plastic water bottles

Many places in the world rely on bottled water as their source of hydration. This may be because the municipal water is not up to par, or maybe it’s because the concept has been normalized over generations. With the rise of global warming, pollution is at an all-time high. This includes the amount of plastic that litters our oceans. One solution is to recycle the bottles. But, one company is using them to build houses. This year, they got to work building a house out of 1.25 million empty plastic water bottles. It’s nearly complete, and the result is amazing.

A house made of plastic water bottles

The world is currently facing a turning point in the way we function. Big changes are necessary to make to ensure humanity’s survival on earth. A company called Ecoplast Solutions came up with a creative and constructive way to minimize the amount of plastic waste. They are using recycled plastic water bottles as a building material for houses. They are almost finished building a house in Alberta, Canada which is made of 1.25 million plastic water bottles.

The managing partner at Ecoplast Solutions, Kelly Rogers, says it’s a concept many people struggle to wrap their heads around. “When you’re telling someone you are building a house out of recycled plastic water bottles, it’s hard to fathom,” Rogers said.

Rogers went on to explain that using plastic water bottles to build houses is much stronger than people might initially think. Not only is it a strong building material, but it will not rot. This means the houses will last a long time. “It comes with a very high strength-to-weight ratio and it doesn’t rot or mold so it’s a very long-lasting option as well,” said Rogers. “It’s resistant to pests, and termites can’t get into the walls, they can’t chew through it,” she added.

Furthermore, minimal maintenance is required to keep the house in a good condition. “It also requires less maintenance. There’s a lot of long-term savings flowing into this product,” said Rogers. “We don’t really need clapboards or cladding. It can be easily painted, but all kinds of exterior aesthetics can be applied.”

Read: Woman Finds Way To Recycle Plastic Into Bricks That Are Stronger Than Concrete

From East to West

Rogers first learned about the idea from companies in eastern Canada. She soon adopted it into her own methods and techniques in Western Canada. “Out east they have history in the marine industry,” Rogers said. “So they were working with composites and building ships and boats their whole life. They came across this product and realized the potential of it and the strength of it and we partnered with them.”

Equipped with her Eco-friendly approach to building houses, Rogers is excited to share the idea with the world. “The housing industry has been pretty much the same for 100 years,” Rogers said. “We are excited to show people what new and improved methods can look like. It’s reduced on-site construction time, less waste, and all the benefits we’ve put together for building these homes.”

This revelation has the potential to help the Earth in the long run. Not only will it alleviate the amount of pollution, but it is an affordable way to build houses for those who need it. “The amount of plastic lying on top of the earth not being used is astronomical,” said rogers. He went on to describe the number of houses they could build over the next 40 years. “25,000 homes per year for the next 40 years,” Rogers said.

Keep Reading: These Nigerian Homes are Earthquake-Proof and Made from Thousands of Plastic Bottles