Plastic waste could transform Africa’s construction sector

From the newsletter

A South African company has developed a new recycling technology that converts all types of plastic waste into RESIN8™, a patented eco-aggregate that is incorporated into commonly used building materials. The technology, already being applied in Cape Town, could fuel sustainable construction on the continent.

• Africa’s construction sector mainly consumes natural aggregates and cement, putting pressure on the environment and contributing to waste and carbon emissions.

• The new technology could ease Africa’s reliance on conventional inputs while providing a scalable way to manage the region’s growing plastic waste.

More details

• Developed by the Centre for Regenerative Design and Collaboration (CDRC), RESIN8™ turns all kinds of plastic waste into a strong, hybrid aggregate that bonds seamlessly with cement, making it ready for use in bricks, pavers, and other construction materials. The technology has already been deployed in several Cape Town projects such as the V&A Waterfront, which constructed the world’s first steel-reinforced concrete deck with RESIN8.

• “On a single 500-unit housing project, 204 tons of plastic waste will be diverted from landfill. That’s 45 million chip packets, " CDRC’s CEO Abraham Avenant said. Beyond reducing plastic waste, the CEO noted that the new technology reduces pressure on natural aggregate mining, transport emissions, and improving insulation of the homes being built.

• RESIN8 technology could transform Africa’s construction sector, which is expanding rapidly due to urbanization and the resulting growing housing demand. Despite this growth, the industry remains heavily dependent on natural aggregates and cement, driving environmental degradation and high carbon emissions. These pressures are exacerbated by informal construction and the mounting volumes of plastic and other waste in urban areas, creating additional challenges for city management and sustainable development.

• Plastic-based construction technologies such as RESIN8™ offer a sustainable alternative. By converting plastic waste into building materials, these solutions can reduce the industry’s reliance on finite natural aggregates and lower carbon emissions while providing a productive use for growing urban waste streams.

• Beyond environmental benefits, these technologies deliver tangible economic value by reducing waste management costs and providing materials that can improve building performance, including better insulation and durability. They can also be applied at scale across the sector making them a versatile tool for driving sustainability and circularity in Africa’s construction industry.

• This latest development in South Africa aligns with a growing trend across the continent where plastic waste is being leveraged as a sustainable construction material. In August, the African Development Bank (AfDB) signed an agreement with a Japanese consortium for the deployment of PET Asphalt Concrete, a recycled plastic technology, in road construction and maintenance across Africa.

• In West Africa, circular initiatives are beginning to transform plastic waste into building materials. In Côte d’Ivoire, for example, UNICEF partnered with Colombian social enterprise Conceptos Plasticos to construct a factory that converts collected plastic waste into modular, durable, low-cost bricks for construction of classrooms. Similarly, in Ghana, Nelson Boateng’s NelPlast Eco Ghana Limited is producing interlocking bricks and paving tiles from recycled plastic waste, offering affordable housing solutions in low-income communities.

Our take

• The surge of innovations converting waste into valuable materials suggests Africa could finally turn its plastic problem into an economic and environmental opportunity. However,this will require policy alignment and investment.

• Africa should harness the same innovative spirit driving plastic-based construction to scale solutions for other waste streams.

• South Africa’s approach to turning plastic into construction materials offers a model other countries can follow to address their plastic waste crises.