Grad, polytechnic and Clark Builders team up for circular economy win
The world produces hundreds of millions of tonnes of plastic waste every year, with much of it ending up in landfills. A NAIT Applied Research project seeks to eliminate some of that by substituting reusable plastic for the wood commonly used in a resource-intensive practice in the construction industry.
The work began with an idea by [Re] Waste founder and CEO Corey Saban (Civil Engineering Technology ’13). Since 2020, the Edmonton-based company has been recovering plastic for new uses in a variety of industries.
Saban wondered if plastic waste might be transformed into sheeting to replace plywood formwork that, after being used to shape concrete for construction projects, is often discarded. It would be a double win for the “circular economy,” which maintains the usefulness and value of materials that might otherwise be considered garbage.
The idea led to a collaboration between [Re] Waste and NAIT, under the supervision of industrial chemist Kelsey Deutsch of the NAIT Applied Research Clean Technologies Team. Together, they made forms of differing plastic compositions then tested them with the help of students and staff from the School of Skilled Trades. Clark Builders will trial the forms under controlled conditions in the field.
“This change will enable us to take plastic away from landfills and use it in an environmentally sustainable manner, addressing the global issue of plastic waste while serving our economy,” says Deutsch.
The project is part of Plastics Research in Action, a $10-million, 10-year research collaboration in partnership with NAIT Applied Research and Heartland Polymers to advance the reuse and recycling of plastic in Canada and around the world.
Check out the video above. Happy Earth Day!
Learn more about the NAIT Applied Research and Heartland Polymers initiative with [Re] Waste and Clark Builders