Plastic poised for use as building material

Recycled plastic may become a familiar sight on building sites if plans go ahead for a new factory.

Talks are going on between recycling firm Revalue Technologies and authorities in London and Birmingham over the possible site of a £1 million factory which will take everyday plastic products such as cling film, yoghurt pots and margarine tubs and turn them into building materials, reports Materials Recycling Week.

Rod Fox, recycling technologies director at the firm, told the magazine the resulting product has been tested by construction firm Taylor Wimpey, which has expressed a wish to use the material when it becomes available.

He said: "The field trial results were excellent and there are no problems with dust like you get when cutting concrete."

Another modern construction material being put into use is that of structural insulated panels.

These are being used to build homes quickly by the Guernsey Housing Association and offer both high insulation capacities and four times the strength of timber panels, this is Guernsey has reported.


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