PLAEX Building Systems Inc., a Maritime startup, recently created a new building material made from recycled plastic. The upcycled plastic is commonly used by farmers to cover soil and caterpillar tunnels and is shredded and turned into a reusable system of interconnecting bricks and finish panels. Thanks to a closed-loop system, the company claims that PLAEX uses less energy and less water than current recycling methods. As a result, it has a smaller environmental impact.
PLAEX Building Systems Inc. recently joined forces with David Wolpin, who runs a farm supply company in Bloomfield, N.B., that services the Maritimes, to create a supply chain. The company will acquire the plastic at its end-of-life (after three to five years of use) instead of having it sent to landfill.
Image Credit: Dustin Bowers
What's Driving This Trend
- Upcycled Building Materials
- Opportunity for other startups to create building materials using upcycled materials and to capitalize on the eco-friendly trend.
- Closed-loop Recycling
- Opportunity for companies to adopt more environmentally sustainable practices by implementing closed-loop recycling systems.
- Circular Economy
- Opportunity for companies to shift their business models towards a circular economy by incorporating upcycled or recycled materials into their production processes.
Who This Affects Most
- Construction
- Opportunity for the construction industry to shift towards more sustainable practices by using upcycled building materials like PLAEX's bricks.
- Recycling
- Opportunity for the recycling industry to adopt closed-loop systems and work with companies like PLAEX to create more efficient and sustainable recycling methods.
- Agriculture
- Opportunity for the agriculture industry to adopt more environmentally sustainable practices like upcycling and closed-loop systems to reduce their environmental impact.
