Plastic Bottles in Brick Avatar for Low Cost Const

Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles stuffed with plastic bags are the unlikely champions of a sustainable building movement in Perambalur. The brainchild of C. Mithra, secretary of Christian Educational Institutions (CEI) and director of CEI’s social service wing DAWN Trust, the ‘eco-brick’ project has been making waves in Perambalur since 2018 for its budget- and environment-friendly features. While initial efforts to use these bricks were restricted to street furniture and ornamental fixtures like Christmas trees, the CEI and DAWN team soon started building a room using eco-bricks on the CEI campus in Venkatesapuram. “We felt it would be a model that others could emulate for their local requirements, and on reuse plastic waste in a constructive manner,” said Ms. Mithra. A protective coat of ultraviolet (UV) paint ensures that the plastic bottles remain safe during heat exposure. “An added advantage is that these eco-bricks are reusable. You can remove them from one place and use them in a new building, since they are not prone to erosion like the usual raw materials,” Ms. Mithra pointed out. Currently putting up an eco-brick bench for visitors at Perambalur’s Government Hospital, the team hopes to use the concept to build homes and toilets for economically backward families. “This is one way to save our environment and also help those without a roof over their head,” said Ms. Mithra.