by Emma Louise Oldham March 23, 2020

Ecobricks are a fantastic solution for tackling plastic pollution. When plastic is exposed to sun and water, it breaks down into smaller pieces (microplastics) and releases toxins. Microplastics scatter around the globe, reaching even the depths of the ocean. By storing plastic in ecobricks, we are preventing pollution.


What you need:

  • Plastic bottles (including lids)
  • Clean and dry plastic rubbish
  • Scissors
  • A magic wand (a stick that is at least the length of the bottle)
  • Scales
  • Enamel paint, nail polish or permanent markers (for writing on the bottle)


    What to do:

    Step 1: Make sure your plastic materials are clean and dry. Dirty plastic inside an ecobrick will cause bacteria to grow and gas to form inside your brick. This can make your bottles bloat and caps pop off.


    Step 2: Ensure your magic wand can reach the bottom of your bottle. We call it your magic wand as it helps your plastic disappear. Bamboo and wooden sticks work best.


    Step 3: Add a base layer. Choose plastic with a solid colour, then push it down to
    the bottom of your ecobrick using your stick. Fill the first 1-2cm of the bottle with
    the same colour.

    Tip: cellophane bags work great. 


    Step 4: Pack it tight. Cut large pieces of plastic into smaller pieces. Also, mix up soft and hard plastic. Don’t overfill it. There should be 1-2cm between the cap and the plastic inside.


    Step 5: Weigh your bottle. To find a perfect weight for your bottle, multiply its volume in millilitres by 0.33. So, a 600ml bottle has to weigh at least 200g. This ensures the ecobrick is strong enough to build with.


    Step 6: Record your ecobrick. Head over to www.GoBrik.com to register your bottle. Don’t forget to write your name, date, serial number (this will be given to you by the app) and final weight.


    Step 7: Choose a project to support. Find out if there are any local community projects who are looking for ecobrick donations. If you can’t find one, there are hundreds online to get involved in.


  • 1 Response

    Vrinda
    Vrinda

    November 10, 2022

    I work as an educator in an Environment based NGO . We focus on different themes of environment and then try to engage students by doing action projects. The idea of Eco brick really fascinates when it comes to managing plastic waste. The only issue I have been facing with the students in this period of lock down that we don’t have much of ideas to create structures out of eco bricks as the age group is 7-9. Any idea suggested from your end will really be appreciated

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