Waste plastic converted into bricks to build homes for the poor

NEW YORK — A New York startup has developed an innovative way to recycle waste plastic, converting it into an alternative building material that can be used to build affordable housing.

The company, called ByFusion, has designed a machine that is highly compact and modular. It can be powered by propane gas or electricity and can process all types of plastic waste, according to the ByFusion website.

The plastic waste does not have to be pre-processed. Instead, it is shredded inside the machine before it’s made into a new material called RePlast and compressed into bricks. The RePlast bricks are not as strong as concrete, so are reinforced with steel rods, wire and layers of mortar.

The company said RePlast has been used in projects including retaining walls in New Zealand and California, which have withstood environmental tests such as earthquakes.

ByFusion has so far raised around $30,000 of a $250,000 target on Indiegogo. On its campaign page, it says the machine will likely be available in the U.S. by May next year.