According to Statista, only 44.2% of household plastic packaging was recycled in 2021.

Greenpeace reports that over half of UK recycling is actually sent overseas, due to our lack of recycling facilities. It’s usually sent to countries with low recycling rates and a history of plastic waste being burned or dumped illegally, like China, Turkey and Malaysia.

This means that popping our soda bottles in the recycling bin really isn’t enough to clear our eco-conscience.

Even if our plastic does make it to a recycling plant, there’s the argument that recycling facilities consume a lot of resources (though they have a smaller carbon footprint than creating virgin materials, and less impact on the environment than throwing stuff in landfill).

Obviously, prevention is better than cure, and not using plastic (or things with packaging that can’t be reused/recycled) is the best solution, but let’s be real – it’s not always the easiest one.

Enter ecobricks – an alternative solution to dealing with used plastic.

What are ecobricks and what can I do with them?

Ecobricks are PET plastic bottles that are tightly packed with washed, dried and cut up non-recyclable plastics. This turns them into solid building blocks, which can be used to make indoor furniture like tables, beds and benches, and garden walls, flowerbeds and furniture. You can even make full buildings out of them, though this is far less common – 99% of bricks are used in small projects, using 20 bricks or less.

If you don’t fancy doing a home project of your own, there may be organisations in your area that will happily take them off your hands.

However, making ecobricks isn’t as simple as stuffing crisp packets into an old soda bottle – if you want to use them for building, they need to have specific weights/densities for safety/structural reasons. For this reason, it’s best not to start making ecobricks until you’ve found a use for them. However, it’s definitely worth starting to wash, dry and store your plastic waste, so you’re good to go when you’re ready.

Check in with local community groups on Facebook to see if anyone uses ecobricks, otherwise you can buy, sell or trade ecobricks on GoBrik’s online brik market. Ecobricks UK is a great Facebook community with lots of useful info, and the Global Ecobrick Alliance website is packed with information.

If you’re looking for inspiration, Lesley Ravenscoft has worked on a number of ecobricking projects with Hampstead Norries Community Shop and Café, including a ‘Sammy the snake’ earth build bench at a primary school, and an eco-friendly wildlife pond in her own garden.

What can go inside an ecobrick?

You can add any plastic that won’t biodegrade. The best ecobricks will contain both hard and soft plastics – harder plastics will help you reach your goal weight.

This list is not exhaustive, but to give you an idea, you can include:

• Plastic food packaging e.g. crisps packets, biscuit wrappers, cheese packets, pasta bags
• Medication blister packets
• Plastic carrier bags
• Clingfilm
• Plastic straws
• Styrofoam

Are ecobricks a long-term solution?

Put simply, no. Ecobricks are a short-term solution to a wider problem, and (like recycling) they run the risk of giving you the green light to keep consuming plastic. They could also be a huge waste of time and effort if made incorrectly or contaminated.

Plus, if ecobricks are exposed to sunlight, they can leak microplastics into the environment, which is the opposite of what we’re trying to achieve.

Making ecobricks is also tedious – washing and drying plastic is a chore, and if you don’t do it as you go, you’ll be left with a mountain of waste in your kitchen, like I currently have.

However, watching the packaging pile up has been a real eye-opener to how much waste I’m creating, which is encouraging me to consume less/find alternatives.

A brief guide to making ecobricks

Please note that this is a simplified guide, to give you an idea of what goes into making an ecobrick. When making your first brick, carefully follow the Global Ecobrick Alliance’s guide, which is incredibly detailed and will ensure your brick is a success.

You can also sign up for ecobrick Zoom workshops – check out GoBrik or search your local online ecobrick networks.

Wash, dry and store your plastic

Ensure all plastics are free of food waste and dirt, and completely dry, otherwise you’ll end up with microbial growth in your brick, rendering it useless.

Choose a bottle

It’s best to try a small bottle when making your best brick, but the size of bottle will depend on your project.

Find a packing stick

The stick is used to compact the plastic into the bottle. You need a stick that’s around one third of the width of the bottle opening, and twice the height of the bottle.

I initially experimented with a chopstick (too short) and a spatula handle (too short and too wide) before randomly finding a long stick in my house. You might be able to use a wooden spoon handle.

Choose a bottom colour

The Global Ecobrick Alliance suggests starting your bottom with a single colour, so it can be used for patterns or designs during building.

Start with soft plastic, cutting it up small (the smaller you cut, the denser your brick will be) and pushing it down to the bottom of the bottle, before loosely filling the bottle halfway.

Sidenote: if you have a dog who’s obsessed with the sound of rustling packets, expect an audience.

Pack the bottle tight

Once your bottle is halfway full, start mixing hard and soft plastic, pushing it down with the stick as you go. Keep weighing your brick to ensure you’re on track for your intended weight. Don’t overfill your bottle – leave a 1-2cm space at the top.

Weigh your brick

Good quality ecobricks are solid, strong and densely packed, with no air or gaps inside. The Global Ecobrick Alliance state that an ecobrick’s weight should be at least a third of its volume i.e. a 1500ml brick should weigh 500g or more.

Cap and log your brick

Pop the cap on and head to GoBrik to register your brick, which will generate a serial number, which should be written on the brick.

Store your brick until ready to use

Keep your brick indoors and away from sunlight, protected from dirt and dust.

Build

The building process is way more complex than we have room for in this article – head to the Global Ecobrick Alliance’s website for loads of info on the process, which generally starts with making modules out of clusters of bricks.

Top tips for successful ecobricks

‘Common errors when ecobricking include not using clean and dry plastic (which encourages mould), not packing the plastic down hard enough, and making ecobricks with no thought as to how they’ll be used,’ explains Lesley.

‘I advise deciding on a project, involving the community, and investing in a workshop run by an accredited ecobrick leader.

‘Make sure you quality audit as you go – there’s no point making 20 bricks, none of which can be used (I have seen this time and time again). When working with children, ensure there’s lots of adult supervision.’

I would highly recommend bricking as you go, rather than trying to do it in one session – my 1.5 litre brick took a total of seven hours. Save time by having one person cutting plastic and one filling the bottle.

While ecobricking is certainly time-consuming, there’s no doubt that it can be a great way of taking personal responsibility for your impact on our ever-burning planet.

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