This plastic house is located in the botanical garden of Chandrapur, a city in India’s Maharashtra state. It is a unique house built by Dr. Balmukund Paliwal with the help of IAS Vivek Johnson, Chief executive of District Council. Made using 13 tons of plastic waste, the two-story structure has a gable-roof at the front and slanted roof at the back giving it an attractive look. Currently, the house is being used by breastfeeding mothers and tourists visiting the garden.
People using plastic for crafts and décor is nothing unheard of, but to build a whole house out of plastic waste is mind-blowing. The house employs floor tiles, doors, walls, stairs, and ceiling all made from recycled waste. It has a hall, bedroom, stairs, small room for kids, and a front porch that allows an immersive view of the botanical garden.
The unique house is spread across 625 square feet and measures 18 feet high and 10 feet wide. It utilized all kind of plastic waste including chips packet, water bottles, medicine wrappers, cosmetic bottles, and milk pouches. The house tells a story of the revolution that Dr. Paliwal started in 2014 during the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan (Clean India Mission) with a thought of making the world a better place and tackling the issue of plastic pollution.
In a conversation with The Better India, he said, “Plastic waste is not only harmful to the environment but also to human health. In cities like Delhi, you can see mountains of waste. While the government spends crores on waste management, there is a public outcry around plastic pollution. We need an urgent solution to divert this waste.”
For the construction of the house, the builders used plastic pellets, which are small particles formed by breaking down plastic bottles and other plastic waste. These pellets were melted into a semi-fluid substance and shaping them into doors, legs of a bench, and tiles, among other things.
The house was completed after three months of relentless work. Dr. Paliwal carved beautiful design on the doors and beds to make it look like a cozy wooden home. He and his team also used 2.5 tones of steel for better support to give it a strong framework.
Also Read: Low-Cost Khudi Bari is Providing Shelter for Flood-Affected People in Bangladesh
According to him the plastic house consumes less water, is crack resistant, rust-free, fireproof, and shock-free. Moreover, it doesn’t require any maintenance like concrete house, and is built to last. It offers portability as it can be dismantled and assembled in hours by operating the screws. It can also be used in extreme climes as the plastic keeps the house insulated and protected from the weather. While its a demo design, it could turn into a complete housing option in the future.
According to Dr. Paliwal, the total cost of the plastic house including workers, machineries, and materials was 9 lakh ($10,749). Out of which 5 lakh ($5,971) was sanctioned by District Council).
Follow Homecrux on Google News!
