Eco-Composite Bricks and Paver Blocks from Parali Ash and Recycled Plastic waste

The burning of crop residue (Parali) causes severe seasonal air pollution across Northern India. Simultaneously, unmanaged plastic waste clogs rural waterways. Conventional clay brick manufacturing also heavily depletes topsoil and generates massive carbon emissions.

This material science project creates a closed-loop solution by combining Parali ash (controlled burning) with shredded single-use plastics to form a novel composite building material that is stronger and lighter than traditional red bricks.

Through rigorous thermal and compression testing, the lab optimized the ratio of ash to molten plastic polymer. The resulting mixture is molded and cooled, locking the plastic waste permanently into the structural matrix and requiring no water for curing.

The Eco-Composite Bricks have passed standardized compressive strength and water absorption tests, outperforming grade-A clay bricks. A pilot compression unit has been built to test localized manufacturing scalability.

This innovation prevents plastic from entering the ecosystem, provides a safe sink for agricultural waste, stops topsoil depletion, and offers a cheaper, highly insulating building material for rural housing projects.

We aim to establish decentralized, community-run molding facilities where locals can trade collected plastic waste and crop residue for finished building materials.