Abstract

Eco-bricks, PET (Polyethylene terephthalate) bottles filled with inorganic waste materials, had become an accessible and low cost material for community development projects in regions where industrial recycling might not be yet available. Eco-brick proponents consider it is a valid recycling way to reduce waste disposal volumes. However, both the PET bottles used as shell of the Eco-bricks as well as the mixed materials used as filler, could be better recycled if more sophisticated separating and valuing process were implemented. Moreover, the Eco-brick performance as construction material depends highly on the materials used to manufacture them and the skills of the workforce involved. There is limited data available on the Eco-bricks characteristics and performance from past and current construction projects. This research work suggests making Eco-bricks filled with a single inorganic waste type. This way, it would work as a time capsule with potential of recovering the filling material when other ways of adding value would be available within those communities that currently have no better recycling options. In order to validate the proposed Eco-bricks, we performed an experimental characterization to address density, filler volume, radial shrinkage and compressive strenght. Results are compared with reference properties of similar products currently available in the construction market.