Nairobi Woman Brilliantly Recycles Plastic Waste Into Paver Bricks That Are Stronger Than Concrete

photo via Gjenge Makers

Materials engineer and entrepreneur Nzambi Matee is the founder Gjenge Makers, an environmentally-conscious start-up company in Nairobi, Kenya that makes alternative building materials and products made from plastic waste. One such product is a super-sturdy plastic paver brick that is stronger than concrete and comes in a range of colors for home construction projects.

Matee told UNEP that there is a lot of potential in recycled plastic that is still yet unexplored.

It is absurd that we still have this problem of providing decent shelter – a basic human need. …Plastic is a material that is misused and misunderstood. The potential is enormous, but it’s after life can be disastrous.

Matee has also won prestigious recognition for her idea.

For her work, Matee was recently named a Young Champion of the Earth by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). The award provides seed funding and mentorship to promising environmentalists as they tackle the world’s most pressing challenges.