Student Guide

PUT YOUR SINGLE-USE PLASTICS TO WORK WITH THE ECO BRICK MOVEMENT–HERE’S WHERE TO DONATE

Multinational corporations need to exponentially reduce their plastic production, but what do we do with all the plastic that's already here?

PAULINE NACAR / 7 December 2020

It doesn’t take lots of research to know that our oceans are currently heavily polluted with plastic waste. As a race, human kind has produced million tonnes of plastic each year since its invention, and even more so in the past couple of years. And though corporations are being demanded to take action and stop this needless production of single-use plastics, we still have about an island’s worth of waste to worry about.

Hence, the invention of the eco brick.

The innovation to use plastic liquid containers as an alternative to cement bricks originated from The Circle Hostel in 2013, and it grew from Zambales, La Union, Baler, and further on. The concept basically makes use of plastic waste that are otherwise polluting the Earth, to create solid plastic bricks burned and melted together to imitate cement. These so-called “eco bricks” are then used to construct pavements, buildings, and more. The impact this has to the environment would be substantial as it puts plastic waste to good use, and it also offers a cheaper alternative for the construction industry.

Over the years, as the movement grows, there have been many initiatives across the country to promote and implement this new technique. These consist of communities being incentivized to trade plastic waste “eco bricks” with food packs, and eventually introducing new jobs and building establishments to support the high demand. Moreover, a group of engineers and entrepreneurs have also kickstarted Green Antz Builders, Inc. which specializes in mass producing these plastic bricks through donations from various communities.

If you’ve never heard of this, you wouldn’t be the first. As much as the movement is growing in awareness in other regions of the Philippines, many people are still unfamiliar with the concept. Most communities who have pledged to turn in their plastic waste to accepting organizations work within themselves, and aren’t talked about enough to inspire more people to do the same. If more and more people and communities chipped in to make this change, we might eventually make a dent on the world’s ever-growing plastic pollution problem.

So here are a few organizations to check out to get started:

 

AYALA LAND, INC.

Via Facebook: Ayala Land, Inc.

Ayala Land and Green Antz are working together to rebuild sidewalks and pavements around their properties using plastic donations. You can drop off yours at Vertis North in Quezon City (10am-3pm), Salcedo Saturday Market in Makati (7am-11am), and Sunshine Mall in Taguig (1:30pm-4pm).

 

BRGY. SAN ANTONIO, PASIG

The barangay partnered with Planeta Cares to host a plastic waste donation drive in exchange for some goods. The project doesn’t have a set schedule, but a new drive is announced every few months, so make suer to follow them to know when the next one would be.

 

WINDER RECYCLING COMPANY, DAVAO CITY

Via Facebook : Winder Recycling Company

This organization specializes in producing furniture made out of discarded and donated plastic waste. From stools to tables, and to plant pots, they’ve made a name for themselves in Mindanao for their unique items with a very important purpose. They also announce plastic drives every few months with their partner organizations, so stay tuned for the next.

 

UPCYCLE MINDANOW, MINDANAO

Upcycle MindaNOW is a youth-led initiative across the region to make Mindanao a more sustainable place. On top of their plastic waste drives, they’ve also hosted webinars and virtual concerts to inspire the youth to join them in their advocacy.

 

THE PLASTIC SOLUTION

Via Facebook : The Plastic Solution

 

One of the most popular plastic donation drives, The Plastic Solution had several drop off points across the country for eco brick donations before the pandemic. Due to the current quarantine protocols that have made it difficult for the organization to reopen their posts, operations have been suspended for the time being. But we’re sure The Plastic Solution team would come back sooner than later with more initiatives and building projects for us to support.