One company wey grow from MIT research dey turn discarded plastic into parts for buildings and infrastructure, according to university report of September 14. Atlas Building Composites dey commercialise work wey connect with MIT HAUS, research programme wey focus on manufacturing and housing.
Di process start with shredding plastic, then melting am and mixing am with fiberglass reinforcement. Large additive-manufacturing machine shape di mixture into parts. So na engineered composite material, not building element wey person make just by stacking ordinary bottles together without changing dem.
Di report list existing uses like decks and sheds, and describe composite trusses wey company supply for bridge inside Massachusetts wetland. Dat na concrete example beyond laboratory sample. E still leave questions about how di method go perform for other building types and other places.
Di company highlight recycling wey no use water and hope to put production systems near communities wey need di parts. Those na elements of its process and business plan. Plans for many factories different from verified number of factories wey don already start operation across di world.
Turning waste into durable part join two tasks: handling raw materials wey fit vary and meeting requirements for structural component. Fine recycling story alone no answer questions about design approval, long-term performance, maintenance or wetin go happen when di component finish its useful life.
Di useful development na manufacturing method with reported practical applications. E no prove say plastic waste or housing shortage don end. More deployment fit test di founders' local-production vision. Reader need separate components wey dem don demonstrate, company performance claims and ambitions for how large business fit grow.