A group of researchers from the **Multidisciplinary Training Laboratory for Technological Research** (LEMIT), dependent on the Scientific Research Commission (CIC) of the province of Buenos Aires, is developing a system for the [construction of sustainable homes](https://noticiasambientales.com/compromiso-ambiental/viviendas-con-materiales-sustentables-los-nuevos-ladrillos-ecologicos/) using blocks made from recycled plastics, called “ecoblocks”.
The project proposes [an accessible and ecological alternative](#) to address two urgent problems: the housing deficit and [plastic waste pollution](#). Due to its innovation, this initiative was selected in Stage 3 of the Technological Innovation Fund of Buenos Aires (FITBA), promoted by the Undersecretariat of Science, Technology, and Innovation.
The ecoblocks began to take shape in 2019 with the company Rentor SRL, as a [response to the increasing volume of plastics](#) that have no commercial value in the circular economy and end up accumulating in landfills or open dumps. From this problem, [the idea of reusing them in construction](#) emerged.
The resulting blocks are similar to conventional cement blocks, but [replace stone with crushed plastics](#) as the aggregate component. “The final product resembles the traditional block, but we replace the coarse aggregate with plastic, reducing weight and utilizing waste,” explained Mariana López, architect, researcher at LEMIT, and project director.
## Modular Homes with Positive Environmental and Social Impact
The proposal also [includes the design of prototypes of modular homes](#) on a single floor, with the possibility of expansion. The basic module is a studio apartment with a bathroom, kitchen, and laundry room, designed to facilitate installations with optimized plumbing routes and minimal infrastructure.
In addition to its environmental focus, the project incorporates a social dimension by considering the training of labor in trades related to both recycling and self-construction. This initiative seeks to empower vulnerable communities with [housing solutions, including sustainable homes](#), low-cost, and replicable.
According to CIC data, the housing deficit in Argentina ranges between three and five million homes, and half of that demand is concentrated in the province of Buenos Aires. Faced with this scenario, ecoblocks could represent a realistic and sustainable alternative. With this advancement, the province positions itself as a benchmark in the search for innovative solutions that integrate [environmental sustainability](#), social justice, and technological development.
## **San Miguel de Tucumán Turns Solid Waste into Bricks**
With an investment of 15 million dollars, the [treatment of urban solid waste](https://noticiasambientales.com/residuos/san-miguel-de-tucuman-convierte-los-residuos-solidos-en-ladrillos/) (RSU) in the Greater San Miguel de Tucumán could take a revolutionary turn.
A project presented by the company Moviser SRL proposes the possibility of [reducing the 1,200 tons of daily waste](#) collected in the metropolitan area, transforming 300 of them into reusable powder to manufacture bricks.
In a report submitted to the Metropolitan Consortium for the Management of RSU, chaired by María Eugenia Andrade, Moviser SRL proposed a model that, in its first stage, [will process 300 tons of non-recoverable waste daily](#) at the San Felipe plant.
Source: El Ciudadano Web.
