Plastic Stone

Problem:  

The per capita consumption of plastics of Colombia is amazing at 24 kg, but only 17% is effectively recycled and reused. The rest is thrown to landfills or in bodies of water, such as aqueducts, wetlands, rivers, and seas.  This problem is having a severe impact on our environment, particularly on our oceans, which produce 60% of the oxygen we breathe and are a crucial source of food for humanity. 

In this sense, our innovative solution aims to address the critical problem of the high production of plastic waste, also seeks to reduce deforestation and damage to the plant layer because of the exploitation of natural stone for pre -enclosed concrete production. 

 Our project aims to address these problems through the implementation of a circular economy model that collects and recycles plastic waste at the source and uses them as raw material in our industrial process (plastic stone and perpetual omega of mezzanine). In doing so, we can reduce plastic waste, prevent contamination of our environment and food chain with microplastics, and promote a more sustainable and ecological economy.  

Impact: 

The scale of plastic waste that we are throwing to the oceans is alarming: 8 million tons per year, or a complete garbage truck every minute. This plastic pollution is contaminating our food chain, and the United Kingdom studies have shown that we are consuming around 4 grams of microplastics every week with our foods, potentially having harmful consequences for long -term human health. 

As a result, we need to act quickly and find innovative solutions to address this urgent problem.  In addition, our solution has a social impact, since our goal is to create new jobs for recyclers, especially women's household chiefs, displaced by internal violence or internal and external migrants that urgently require a change in the paradigm of the paradigm Urban and better recycling. 

Our project also has the potential to create a virtual market for recycled plastic and contribute to the local economy.  Investing in our project means contributing to a cleaner and healthier environment and supporting the social and economic development of the country in which the model is implemented, which would initially be Colombia. 

Currently, only 17% of the plastic produced by our society (Colombia) is recycled. However, our plastic stone circular economy model will help us gradually increase this percentage to 85%. This model involves using recycled plastic as a new material in construction, which will make the constructions lighter and more resistant. The ready-mix concrete construction market is so large and global that it can cover 100% of the production of recycled plastic. Even then, it would only supply 20% of the market for stone aggregates that the world construction requires. Our solution innovates by reducing the use of natural stone in the process and sustainably using plastic in the data OECD only recycle 9% of plastic waste in the world and in the next three decades will be double the production and consume of plastic in the planet how consequence of demographic explode and industry progress food.

the technology to produce Plastic Stone is injection machinery to use how raw material, plastic waste pelletized and add others pulverization minerals to give the blend the best to properties of resistance and compression test.

in the case of Omega Profile the raw material is the same but the technology is extrusion to production profile in different long to build structures floors in social houses and walls internal or externals, thanks of mechanical joint is easy the erection of deck structure floors and walls, modular and systematic solution.

Video system building in houses:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SfclV9RakGk

versión end video product:

https://youtu.be/rUmxb4bT4Uw

Reducing plastic pollution is essential to protect our planet. In addition to the environmental benefits of reducing plastic pollution, creating a model for capturing plastic waste and turning it into new products can provide a better life for people who are dedicated to recycling. Many of them are linked informally, among which are single mothers, older adults, young people, migrants without documents, who can only work in recycling in the big cities of the world.

  By creating a sustainable circular economy model, we benefit the environment, we can also generate income, give value to waste and thereby provide education, food quality and other benefits to these people and their families. To build a trash-to-treasure or waste-to-product mindset, plastic producers need to better understand the financial and sustainability benefits. 

Reducing pollution from plastics will require action and cooperation to reduce plastic production, through innovation with the design of our products, the development of the app and achieving strategic alliances as we will improve waste management and increase recycling.   

It is essential to create a new model to administer plastic waste with a cycle of life of 40 years to the new construction industry. This model aims to reduce the carbon footprint and provide decent employment opportunities for immigrants and recyclers with education and new management of human capital.

The worked immigrants who depend on recycling are often exploited and do not have social benefits, stable salaries, or good health. All the money earned goes to intermediaries between the collection and final product. Recycling is essential to protecting our planet and reducing the amount of waste that is created. It is also economically beneficial because it creates jobs since recycling activities are more labor-intensive than waste incineration.

Recovering products and components and the reuse of materials for recycling purposes fosters sustainable development because it reduces the need to use precious natural resources and raw materials. Recycled materials could be more fully integrated into the manufacturing processes of many industries, but there are challenges. For upcycling to occur, a specific use for the recycled material must be identified at the product design stage. Environmental benefits of recycling include reducing the amount of waste sent to landfills and combustion facilities, conserving natural resources, and preventing pollution by reducing the need to collect new raw materials. Therefore, creating a new model to administer plastic waste can provide a sustainable solution to the problem of plastic pollution while also providing decent employment opportunities and education for immigrants and recyclers.  

It is now clear to many people and countries that plastic waste is a major problem that we must address as soon as possible. Due to the possibilities that plastic has at an industrial level, it is a material that will continue to be used and consumed. Therefore, it is essential to find new ways to recycle plastic waste and give it a sustainable post-consumer use.

Our project seeks to be part of the solution, using plastic waste as a replacement for rock as an aggregate in ready-mix concrete and as raw material for the mezzanine profile. At this moment we already have a minimum viable product (MVP) that satisfactorily passed the laboratory tests carried out by the materials laboratory of the Javeriana University of Bogotá. Who tested the feasibility of using this plastic waste as an aggregate in ready-mix concrete.

 According to the analyzes carried out, we have the potential to sell up to 3,000 tons of this product per month to clients that currently use stone aggregates. We are also testing the raw material and characterizing the mixture of mineral and plastic waste for the industrial production of plastic stone in a laboratory in the city of Medellín. Recycling is an important part of the solution to protect our planet and reduce the amount of waste that is generated. 

By reusing plastics and other materials, we can save energy and production costs and reduce the negative impacts that extracting and processing virgin materials have on the environment. However, recycling plastic is challenging, and today only a limited volume is recycled due to market disconnect.  Therefore, it is necessary to find new technologies, such as advanced recycling, to recycle challenging plastics. The plastics recycling industry and the waste management industry can work together to scale up recycling of these challenging plastics.

In conclusion, the use of plastic waste as an aggregate in ready-mix concrete and the industrial production of plastic stone is a promising solution to the problem of plastic waste. However, it is necessary to find new ways to recycle plastics and work together to scale up the recycling of these plastics.  

The city of Bogotá has 44,000 recycling workers with unsatisfied needs such as security, health, wages, basic education, feeding their children, and job training. They would be the direct beneficiaries of the project when it starts up.  It is essential to improve the working conditions of these workers and provide them with the necessary resources to carry out their work safely and efficiently. 

Recycling is an important part of the solution to protect our planet and reduce the amount of waste that is generated. However, recycling plastic is challenging, and today only a limited volume is recycled due to market disconnect. 

When our project starts operating, the effects of reducing plastic waste and protecting the sea will benefit us all. We will also have advantages over the construction sector. Therefore, it is necessary to support new technologies, such as our plastic stones that respond to these challenges.  

Our project faces challenges related to financing, international patents, and investment in technology for injection and extrusion with plastic waste and other pulverized minerals. We seek support and guidance from MIT, given their extensive experience in technology and innovation projects that solve critical problems for society.

An alliance with MIT would help us develop our project, starting with finding the necessary capital to expand the operation to other cities or countries. Recycling can be a solution to the plastic waste problem, and using recycled materials in manufacturing and construction can save production and energy costs, reduce negative impacts on the environment, and create jobs. Therefore, it is essential to invest in local collection infrastructure to support significant downstream recycling economic activity.  

Currently, only 17% of the plastic produced by our society is recycled (Colombia). However, our plastic stone circular economy model will help us gradually increase this percentage to 85%.  

This model involves using recycled plastic as a new material in construction, which will make the constructions lighter and more resistant. The ready-mix concrete construction market is so large and global that it can cover 100% of the production of recycled plastic.  

Even then, it would only supply 20% of the market for stone aggregates that the world construction requires. Our solution innovates by reducing the use of natural stone in the process and sustainably using plastic  

Our project aims to increase the collection rate of plastics at the source and recycle them in our industrial process. To achieve this, we will create an innovative APP that will create a new culture of recycling for schoolchildren and seniors. 

This will help us rationalize and make efficient the long journeys that recyclers have today, who are mostly women heads of household and internal or external migrants, whose only source of income is the collection of recyclable materials from large urban centers. 

Our project has three main objectives. 

First, we want to increase the income of recyclers and formalize their profession by training them so that they can soon have a better job and a place to leave their children safe with non-formal education and a basic diet that allows them not to carry their children to work to the street’s day and night. 

Second, we want to create a virtual market for recycled plastic, which will help recyclers have a better income for their work. 

Third, we want to create a new material (plastic recycled) that will make the constructions lighter and more resistant, reducing the use of natural stone in the process.

Our project is innovative and sustainable, and we believe it has great potential for growth and impact. 

Our project aims to manufacture plastic stone with recycled plastic, to measure and monitor the progress of our project we have identified several indicators that will help us measure the impact of our project. 

These indicators include:

• # of tons of plastic recycled 
• # of tons of plastic processed 
• # of tons of raw material manufactured
• # of tons of plastic stone sold 
• # of families recycling (kg/month) 
• # of students recycling (kg/month) 
• # of shopping centers recycled (kg/month) 
• # of public and private schools recycling (kg/month) 
• # of universities recycling (kg/month) 
• # of buildings that recycle plastic (measured in kg/month).  

In addition to these indicators, we also want to measure the income of recyclers and the number of jobs created, as well as the growth of the virtual market for recycled plastic that we will create.  These metrics will help us assess the social impact of our project and its contribution to the local economy. Our project is innovative and sustainable, and we believe it has great potential for growth and impact.  

According to a recent global report on plastics by Greenpeace, before the pandemic, Colombia had a per capita consumption of 24 kg of plastic, and only a small amount was recycled.  Most plastic ends up in landfills, which are already full in big cities, or in bodies of water like wetlands, rivers, and oceans. 

Our innovative solution aims to reduce contamination of the food chain with microplastics, which we all consume at the rate of 4 grams per week.  This is equivalent in size and weight to one bank credit card per person every 8 days. 

Our mobile application will help instill new habits and a culture of recycling in children and young people of school age, helping to save the planet and giving the older adult community a new opportunity to contribute to the planet and society by becoming advocates and monitors. recycling in their communities.  

In Bogotá alone there are about 44,000 recyclers, most of whom are women heads of households, displaced by internal violence or external migration. These essential workers urgently require more benefits and recognition for their hard work every day, including better opportunities for their children.  

Our goal is to end the stigma that the children of waste pickers will also become waste pickers due to lack of access to education, food and different life opportunities that could lead to different outcomes for their lives.  

To collect plastic and track its location, we are developing an application that we hope will be very intuitive and easy to use. So each registered person will be responsible for collecting the recycled material at its source, and recyclers can use the same tool to schedule delivery routes. efficient pickup once or twice a week, this optimizes your workforce and reduces the long drives through crowded cities you currently face. 

We are proud of our plastic aggregate production technology, which consists of injecting recycled resin and pulverized industrial waste. We are testing raw materials extensively in the laboratory to ensure they meet ASTM D 638 standards. 

We are also excited about our extrusion process that produces omega profiles, used as support for lightweight slabs in low-cost housing, particularly for self-build projects. in Latin America, where high-rise housing is expensive.  

These innovative technologies are being developed in Austria and Italy, respectively. For them to work, we need to use bi-metal mixer screws and abrasion-resistant hardened steel from recycled plastic. Before processing the plastic, we use machinery to wash and shred it.  Once it's ready, we blend it with recycled minerals in a granulation process to create the optimal raw material for our construction process, considering strength, elongation, and yield strength.  

The company's founders come from humble beginnings and face significant challenges in achieving their academic and professional goals. 

One of them is a woman who worked hard to pay for her college education, eventually earning a master's degree and a doctorate while also serving as a full-time professor at the National University of Colombia. 

The other founder is an architect who worked by day to finance his undergraduate studies in architecture at night. 

However, as we conducted extensive research on the topic of plastic pollution and its impact on society, we recognized that our project needed to address not only environmental concerns, but equity and inclusion issues as well. We saw that many people who collect and recycle waste in urban areas are often exploited by intermediaries who have the necessary machinery to transform waste into raw material.  

We are interested in making a difference in the lives of these recyclers and their families by providing them with safe and decent working conditions, as well as education, care, and basic needs for their children, with inclusion criteria. 

Taking into consideration that in this group of people, we find high percentages of mothers who are heads of household, the elderly, and the migrant population, we believe it is important to design sustainable solutions for this group.    

Ultimately, his dream is to help these families achieve greater economic security and social mobility, while contributing to reducing the amount of plastic waste in the environment and contributing to the development of the construction sector and the country.  

We have a canvas model in Excel for your observations and comments at the time they require it. To attend to this form, we can say in general terms, we attend the construction market that requires stone aggregates. In such a signal, our product (plastic stone) that is an unconventional aggregate from recycled plastic, contributes to reduction of the weight of concrete structures that are manufactured with these mixtures (foreskin) lists of concrete. 

Our second product, the mezzanine profile, would be used for the construction and remodeling of houses from one to three floors, profiles are required between the floors that today are metallic and very expensive due to inflation and shortage of steel In the world due to war and political conditions. In this sense, our second product is a solution for this type of market.  

Therefore, we have some products (plastic stone and omega profile) that obey their creation to the need for innovation and replacement for more efficient and safe goods for the end user and that are consumed in large quantities for the market in Colombia and Latam de The following way: 

Metallic mezzanine profile (human resources steel) = 9 million m2

stone aggregates = 7.82 million tons per year 

On the other hand, we have that the production of plastics is:  24 kg/per capita x 48 million inhabitants = 1.15 million tons per year.

If we can process and recycle up to 85% of the plastic that our society consumes in these two products, we would have managed to put an end to plastic pollution in our country and cities during a few years in a safe and profitable way, but above all sustainable and sustainable.  

With this business model we can, in addition to the environmental benefit, we positively influence the recycling population (single mothers, older adults, both internally (displaced by violence in the country) and externally (Venezuelan migrants)); who, upon reaching large urban centers, have no other possible option to work as collectors and recyclers of our garbage and in the vast majority of cases that lead their school -age children with them, which, since they do not have enough income.

 In this regard, in addition to the environmental benefit, this project has a high social sense against the recycling population and their families. 

We have a business model with a ROI of 36%, per month 18 from the start of the industrial and productive operation and with an initial investment of $989,000 USD to buy the machinery to industrial process of transformation trash in raw materials to construction and in the next operation period we need other $ 1.0 million USD to buy plastic waste, cost operational and administrative but will arrive int the month 12 of production and sales the balance point; the model in Excel and approved by experts is available for review and consultation when needed and deems convenient. 

To date we have financed ourselves with the company's shareholders' own resources and we are the winners for Colombia of the NTT Data Foundation contest and one of the thirteen international finalists for the grand finale in Madrid Spain in November 2022, there we won an award on which 100% was invested in the plastic stone project; Now in April/23 we are finalists of the RoPlastic Prize 2023 contest based in Milan Italy and where we hope to win another prize in money plus technical advice for product development and recently we signed up for the Holcim Awards 2023 that in November 2023 we will deliver $1,000,000 USD in prizes for projects that lower the carbon footprint of the construction industry and are more sustainable for society. 

With the help of Solve we want to start participating in the Grands and various funds that seek to invest in socio-environmental projects that provide solutions to the great problems that humanity has and its overflowing consumption of resources, forgetting that we do not have planet B yet and that the earth it is not infinite. We are available to develop the project where it best suits or our majority investor has to execute our pilot and then export it to all of America and Latam.  

In the 2022 NTT Data Foundation contest for the research and development of sustainable models based on innovation, we managed to raise $10,000 USD and now in the RoPlastic Prize in Milan Italy we are finalists for another $10,000 Euros. 

We have a confidentiality agreement with the leading ready-mix concrete company in Colombia for the technical and commercial development of the market.  This company has a monthly consumption of 3,000 tons of stone aggregates and has committed to purchasing 100% of our plastic production as a substitute for stone in their industrial process.  

Our business model has undergone revisions and improvements through the mentoring and technical support provided by the NTT Data Foundation as part of the prize awarded. This has helped us develop our financial and strategic plans for the company.