Trash to treasure Turning waste into shelter lab

  • Unique Paper ID: 178453
  • PageNo: 4960-4965
  • Abstract:
  • This project explores the innovative reuse of plastic waste, particularly discarded water bottles, as a sustainable building material in concrete construction. Through a series of laboratory tests, we evaluated the structural performance, thermal insulation properties, and environmental benefits of concrete infused with shredded and intact plastic bottles. The goal was to determine the feasibility of converting non-biodegradable waste into valuable resources for low-cost, durable shelter solutions. Results indicated that incorporating plastic waste reduced the concrete’s overall density while enhancing its insulation properties, with only minor trade-offs in compressive strength. This approach not only diverts plastic from landfills and oceans but also offers a viable method for producing affordable housing in resource-limited settings. Our findings suggest that "trash" can indeed be transformed into "treasure" through strategic engineering and environmental innovation.

Copyright & License

Copyright © 2026 Authors retain the copyright of this article. This article is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

BibTeX

@article{178453,
        author = {Mohammed jalaluddin asst proff and Shaik shazan and Mohammed Ameer ahmed and Shail Salman and Abubaker},
        title = {Trash to treasure Turning waste into shelter lab},
        journal = {International Journal of Innovative Research in Technology},
        year = {2025},
        volume = {11},
        number = {12},
        pages = {4960-4965},
        issn = {2349-6002},
        url = {https://ijirt.org/article?manuscript=178453},
        abstract = {This project explores the innovative reuse of plastic waste, particularly discarded water bottles, as a sustainable building material in concrete construction. Through a series of laboratory tests, we evaluated the structural performance, thermal insulation properties, and environmental benefits of concrete infused with shredded and intact plastic bottles. The goal was to determine the feasibility of converting non-biodegradable waste into valuable resources for low-cost, durable shelter solutions. Results indicated that incorporating plastic waste reduced the concrete’s overall density while enhancing its insulation properties, with only minor trade-offs in compressive strength. This approach not only diverts plastic from landfills and oceans but also offers a viable method for producing affordable housing in resource-limited settings. Our findings suggest that "trash" can indeed be transformed into "treasure" through strategic engineering and environmental innovation.},
        keywords = {Upcycling, Recycling, Sustainability, Waste Management, Environmental Awareness, Creative Reuse, Eco-friendly, Repurposing, Green Living, Innovation, DIY (Do It Yourself), Resource Conservation, Pollution Reduction, Circular Economy, Sustainable Design.},
        month = {May},
        }

Cite This Article

proff, M. J. A., & shazan, S., & ahmed, M. A., & Salman, S., & Abubaker, (2025). Trash to treasure Turning waste into shelter lab. International Journal of Innovative Research in Technology (IJIRT), 11(12), 4960–4965.

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