A report by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) predicts that global plastic waste production will triple to over 1,000 million tons by 2060.
Developed countries are expected to continue producing the most plastic waste per person, while Africa and Asia are expected to experience the fastest growth due to population growth and urbanization.
Plastic pollution is already causing harm to the environment and human health, but the share of recycled plastic is expected to nearly double to 17% by 2060.
In Africa, a startup called Kubik is leading plastic waste reuse and sustainability efforts in the continent’s nascent recycling sector.
The company upcycles hard-to-recycle plastic waste into affordable building materials and has the capacity to build over a quarter million square meters of wall surface area every year.
Kubik’s interlocking building materials, including bricks, columns, beams, and jambs, allow developers to erect walls without the need for cement, aggregates, and steel.
The strength of walls built with Kubik’s products is at par with cement-based walls, but they cost at least 40% less per square meter and have chemical properties that make them safe, anti-flammable, and nondegradable.
Additionally, the products are low carbon, with a greenhouse gas emission of “at least 5x less than cement-based products.”
Kubik plans to double down on the production of building materials in Ethiopia before scaling to other countries within Africa, against the backdrop of a recently closed $3.34 million seed funding round.
The company aims to address the global housing deficit of affordable housing units, which is currently estimated to be over 300 million.
Kubik’s materials’ affordability can play a role in bridging this gap, which is driven partly by a growing urban population and hefty construction costs.
Kubik’s purpose-driven vision, exceptional team, and unique business model combining positive social impact, circular economy, and low-carbon construction have attracted investors, including Plug and Play, Bestseller Foundation, and GIIG Africa Fund.
Climate tech VC Satgana co-founder Romain Diaz said, “Their purpose-driven vision, exceptional team, and unique business model — combining positive social impact, circular economy, and low-carbon construction — positions Kubik as a scalable and sustainable solution to Africa’s most pressing challenges.”
Kubik’s CEO, Kidus Asfaw, said, “We have a product that is transforming how we build sustainably and more affordably, and we see ourselves becoming a company that will continue to drive technology into the materials used for decarbonizing the built environment faster.”
Source: Techcrunch
