Recycled Plastic Waste Transforms into Affordable Home for Costa Rican Family
Cindy Mora Abarca, a single mother from Alajuelita near San José, Costa Rica, spent nine years saving money to buy a small plot of land for herself and her six-year-old son, Fabrizio. With the help of a loan, she finally purchased the land in Lámparas but still lacked funds to build a traditional house.
The solution came through a collaborative project involving Habitat for Humanity Costa Rica, Procter & Gamble, Urbarium, and recycled-materials group Ekojunto. Seven tonnes of recycled plastic waste were repurposed to create interlocking building blocks, which formed the walls of the house.
The project not only provided Abarca and her son with a permanent place to live but also demonstrated how waste materials can be incorporated into housing projects. The initiative addresses two pressing problems: the shortage of affordable housing and the growing challenge of plastic pollution.