Two problems looked like one. Plastic waste stays in nature for centuries. Construction is running short of sand and raw materials. I proposed using recycled plastic waste in construction materials to Dow's Sustainability Academy, and the project was selected.
The design target was an affordable house, 80% of it made from locally recycled plastic waste, with the roofing platform as the demand side. Four colleagues from the academy cohort joined: a process safety engineer, an account manager, an analytical manager and a research scientist. I split the research between them.
What happened
It stayed a concept. It was further than the organization was ready to go at the time, and I couldn't give it the time it needed next to my role. It did lay the groundwork for a cross-division sustainability strategy between Packaging & Specialty Plastics and Construction Chemicals.
I still think construction is a natural outlet for recycled plastic, and that the circular economy for plastics needs someone working on the demand side.