Recycled Bottles For Building

[Jollygoodfellow]

A charity in the Philippines is using old plastic and glass bottles to construct classrooms in order to accommodate a rising population of students.

[Jake]

A charity in the Philippines is using old plastic and glass bottles to construct classrooms in order to accommodate a rising population of students.

Excellent idea for recycling plastic bottles!

[i am bob]

I have seen buildings made from bottles before though I am not sure if they are using the same method to put them together... but that doesn't really matter! What does matter is that these buildings were cooler than normal construction (if done right) and were practically indestructible! Cost was negligible as well! I'd love to see more of these go up in the Philippines for housing too! I wonder how the late Dennis Weaver's house would do there... You know? The one he made from old tires, tin cans, bottles and other garbage along with a couple tons of poop?

[Tukaram (Tim)]

My daughter was doing a fund raiser for a group that does this. It seems pretty cool. Very inventive.Have you seen the bottles they use as lights?http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SBWi3NtND68

[Call me bubba]

just wondering. would this be safer than a NIPA HUT?

and easy to put back together if an earthquake had struck?

[i am bob]

Depending on the style, it probably isn't earthquake proof.  It would really suck to be buried under tons of dirt that used to be your house.

 

But - and I do mean but - there are designs that they say are earthquake proof.  I would still look at each one closely as to how they would stand up to the heavy rains that could weaken them too.

[JJReyes]

just wondering. would this be safer than a NIPA HUT? and easy to put back together if an earthquake had struck?

 

Nipa Huts are probably safer because bamboo flexes during an earthquake.

 

The old plastic bottles were nearly indestructible. It would take 20 to 50 years to degrade in a landfill. The newer bottles used today are made from another material. They are designed to degrade rapidly when exposed to sunlight. Their use for school construction is a good way to generate publicity and support. I believe the first was for a school in South America started by two Peace Corp volunteers (the Peace Corp is still around). The school children were ask to gather old bottles and to stuff them with plastic pieces. The dual purpose was to save on construction materials and as a community clean-up project. You don't see plastic trash because the children and adults collect them to stuff bottles.

 

It is still possible that the bottles in the Philippines and South America still uses the old plastic made from oil rather than the new one, which I recall is made from corn. The reason is old equipment, actually the entire factory, is shipped to less developed countries as new factories with the most recent technology are built in the West.

Edited January 28, 2013 by JJReyes

[i am bob]

It is still possible that the bottles in the Philippines and South America still uses the old plastic made from oil rather than the new one, which I recall is made from corn. The reason is old equipment, actually the entire factory, is shipped to less developed countries as new factories with the most recent technology are built in the West.

 

It's easy enough to tell without even looking to see what number is on the bottom of the bottle.  If the pop bottle (yes, I'm Canadian) collapses in on itself much easier than they use to?  It's the new bottle.  They don't have near as high a strength factor on pressure in as opposed to internal pressure.

[stevewool]

if you liked a drink more then often, you could build your own house with the empties then,