Nzambbi Matee is the founder of the Gjenge Makers in Nairobi, a factory which transforms plastic waste into building materials that last.
Matee explains that their product is almost 5 times sturdier than concrete. And, when you throw it, it doesn’t crack, despite the loud bang it makes.
Her factory, located in the Kenyan capital, gets its waste from packaging factories free-of-charge; however, she does pay for plastic she acquires from other recyclers.
They Produce 1500 Bricks per Day, Making Use of Plastic Waste
The factory makes 1500 bricks per day, all a mixture of various types of plastic.
Matee explains that there’s that waste which can’t be processed anymore or recycled and this is what they get.
For example, high density polyethylene which is commonly used to make milk and shampoo bottles, low-density polyethylene used to make cereal and sandwich bags, as well as polypropylene that’s used for flip-top lids, ropes, and buckets.
However, Matee explains she doesn’t work with PET that’s common choice for plastic bottles.
How Does the Process of Creating Bricks from Plastic Look like?
During the process, they mix plastic waste with sand and heat it up. Then, they compress it into bricks which are sold at different prices, depending on the colour and thickness.
For example, a common grey brick is 850 Kenyan shillings of $7.70 per square meter.
Matee is a materials engineer who has also designed her own machines and explains her factory has managed to recycle 20 tonnes of plastic waste since its founding in 2017.
Matee adds she’s planning to include another larger production line which could help triple their capacity. She has set up her factory after running out of patience waiting for her government to resolve the problem of plastic pollution.
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