Turning plastic waste into beautiful homes

The 'Plastic for Change India Foundation' recycled plastic waste into panelled sheets which was used for building the house in Mangalore that would sustain for more than 30 years. The house built at a cost of about Rs 4.5 lakh has utilized 1500 kg of plastic.

Mangalore: As plastic waste gets accumulated in large quantities, efficient management is a major challenge. Turning plastic waste into a beautiful abode, Bangalore-based 'Plastic for Change India Foundation' has succeeded in recycling it. It is the first plastic house built in Mangalore for civil labour Kamala.

The plastic house is built using non-recyclable lays chips packet, other non-recyclable Low-Density Plastic ( LDP) and Multi-Layered Plastic (MLP). The collected plastic bags is melted into panelled sheets.

Each panel uses approximately 25 kg of Low-density Polyethylene LDPE and MLP plastic. This one home is about 360 sq. feet and used 1500 kg of plastic. The house includes a hall, a small kitchen, a bathroom and a prayer room. It is built at a cost of about Rs 4.50 lakh.

The foundation is made of stone - cement, and the iron rods are welded and fixed to make the plastic panels stronger. Plastic sheets are also used for the roof. The house could be built in just ten days.

The durable house could sustain for nearly 30 years and has been reported to be in no way damaged by fire or weather. It has the power to withstand winds even if it blows at 120 km high speeds. The plastic panel is made from 8mm to 20mm.

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The foundation has planned to build houses for about 20 waste collector families in January next year. The rare house invited appreciation from many people due to its low cost of production, durability. After visiting the house, police officers also expressed interest in building a police station with plastic.

Director of Plastic for Change India Foundation Chandan M C Said, the plastic waste collected by the waste collectors is sent to Gujarat via our construction partner, Hyderabad's Bamboo House. The plastic waste is melted and converted into a sheet in Gujarat. Then we bring those panels here and build the house. Although the panel is made from recycled plastic, it is said that the chemical does not smell like plastic.

The beneficiary of the house, Kamala, said that her house had collapsed twice. The Plastic for Change India Foundation has built a beautiful home free for me. At first, I wondered how they would build a house out of plastic, but this house is as durable as a house made of stone and cement.