'Breakthrough' technology turns plastic waste into eco-concrete for construction

John Maytham speaks to Abraham Avenant, CRDC South Africa's CEO.

What is RESIN8?

A breakthrough eco-aggregate made from mixed plastic waste developed for the construction industry manufactured by CRDC Global.

RESIN8 represents a near and long-term environmentally friendly solution where the plastic industry waste stream becomes the raw material and value stream for the construction and building industry. Our technological solution represents circularity in action, where the concrete is eventually recycled at the end of its useful life.

Avenant says RESIN8 could solve the world's global plastic pollution problem, if the business is scaled enough.

"If at a global level, 2.6% of all natural aggregate is replaced with RESIN8, we'll solve the global plastic pollution problem. So this process can be scaled to make this happen in South Africa."

- Abraham Avenant, South Africa CEO - CRDC 

How it works: 

'We can take anything that cannot be recycled and put it into our process without having to separate them,' says Avenant.

• All types of discarded plastic (Resins 1-7) is received from industrial, municipal and environmental waste streams
• The mixed (and often dirty) plastic waste is shredded and batched according to bulk density
• The shredded plastic is 'pre-conditioned’ during a waterless stage that eliminates odors
• The pre-conditioned mixture is melted during a heated extrusion stage that produces an inert hybrid mineral-polymer
• The bulk RESIN8 is then granulated into the size, shape and gradation required by standard concrete mix designs

The benefit of using RESIN8 is that you get 'the same compression strength but the product is lighter reducing transporting costs and it has better insulation and lower water absorption,' adds Avenant. 

RESIN8 is also involved in a plastic recovery project which avid recyclers can get involved in. The concept is simple: you fill RESIN8's 'A Bag that Builds' with waste you pick up to.

RESIN8 will collect the bags as part of the regular waste collection process or at designated collection points which will then be turned into concrete. Learn more about 'A Bag that Builds' here.

For more information on this or if you'd like to get involved in the project, email Avenant: 
abraham@crdc.global 

Scroll up to the audio player to listen to the full conversation.