Riya Mala 
[file/photo]
Fiji is exploring a new way to tackle hard-to-recycle plastic waste by turning it into material for climate-resilient homes.
The Pacific Recycling Foundation and the University of New South Wales are working on a model that could use recycled plastic in 3D printing to build sustainable housing.
The first model house is planned for a farm in Fiji, where the project team will test how the technology can be used in local conditions.
Pacific Recycling Foundation Founder and CEO Amitesh Deo says solutions to the region’s waste problem must include the grassroots organisations and communities already dealing with waste every day.
“A circular economy can be created, but it should also include grassroots organizations and community recyclers.”
The project will also involve architects and engineers to ensure the proposed homes meet building compliance requirements.
UNSW Professor Hank Haeusler says using recycled plastic for 3D-printed homes could address two challenges at the same time, reducing plastic pollution and creating climate-resilient housing.
The project is expected to develop best practices that could eventually be expanded across Fiji and shared with other Pacific countries.
The initiative was presented at the Sydney Circular Economy Hotspot, where Pacific recyclers highlighted the region’s waste challenges through art, culture and storytelling.
