Benefits, challenges and perspectives of using recycled PLA in construction
25/10/2023
Bioplastics
PLA, or polylactic acid, is a biodegradable and biocompatible plastic material derived from renewable sources such as maize or sugar cane.
It offers several opportunities in construction to reduce environmental impact, promote sustainability and improve the energy efficiency of buildings.
Its versatility and ability to degrade responsibly make it an attractive choice to address environmental challenges in the construction sector.
Let's discover the details and opportunities offered by the use of recycled PLA.
Sustainable construction: successful practices and projects
The international organisation Green Building Council (GBC), dedicated to the promotion of sustainability in construction and the spread of environmentally friendly building practices, promotes the responsible use of natural resources, emphasising the importance of using recycled, recyclable or sustainably sourced materials with a low environmental impact.
There are many projects that aim to spread the culture of using recycled plastics in a strategic sector such as construction.
New Raw's 'Print Your City!' project was conceived as an innovative circular economy initiative to tackle the problem of plastic waste in cities and promote urban sustainability.
The initiative promotes sustainability in two ways: reducing plastic waste in cities and using recycled PLA, which is a biodegradable and sustainable material.
The project, which involved several pilot cities, aims to encourage the separate collection of plastic waste in cities and to use recycled PLA (recycled poly-lactic acid) as a material for 3D printing furniture.
"The New Raw" uses advanced 3D printing to transform recycled PLA into design pieces for public spaces, such as benches, seats, planters and more. This furniture can be customised to the specific needs of the community.
The project involves citizens in collecting and recycling plastic through dedicated collection points where they can hand in their plastic waste. This waste is then transformed into urban furniture that can be used by everyone.
But there are several specific products incorporating recycled PLA in construction, such as flooring, insulation, wall panels, etc.
In 2022, the Italian company WASP, a leader in large-scale 3D printing, 3D printed a 100 m2 house in Massa Lombarda (Italy) using a recycled PLA composite material.
In 2021 Ecovative Design, the US-based sustainable building materials company, used a recycled PLA material to make a wall for a house in New York City.
In 2020, BIMobject, the Swedish marketplace platform for architecture and engineering, published a 3D model of a house made from recycled PLA.
These are just a few of the many success stories concerning the use of recycled PLA in construction.
Challenges and limitations of using recycled PLA in construction
The widespread use of recycled PLA in construction faces some challenges, including:
Material availability: the production of recycled PLA is still under development, and material availability is still limited.
Costs: the costs of recycled PLA may still be higher than those of traditional building materials.
Performance: the performance of recycled PLA in terms of strength, durability and fire must be further improved.
Here are some specific examples of challenges
The lack of an adequate waste collection system for PLA waste: this hinders the collection and recycling of large quantities of PLA.
The need to develop new recycling technologies to improve the performance of recycled PLA: this is necessary to make recycled PLA a viable alternative to traditional building materials.
Despite these challenges, the use of recycled PLA in construction is a growing trend. As new technologies are developed and material availability grows, recycled PLA is set to become an increasingly popular choice for sustainable building construction.
Here are some initiatives that can help address the challenges and promote the widespread use of recycled PLA in construction:
Development of appropriate waste collection systems for PLA waste: this can be done by governments, companies and non-profit organisations.
Investment in research and development to improve the performance of recycled PLA: this can be done by companies, universities and government agencies.
Public education and awareness-raising on the importance of using sustainable building materials: this can be done by non-profit organisations, governments and companies.
What are the benefits of using recycled PLA in construction?
The use of recycled PLA (polylactic acid) in construction offers several advantages from both an environmental and practical point of view.
Here are some of the main advantages:
Sustainability: PLA is a biodegradable and compostable material that can be produced from renewable resources such as corn starch or sugar beet. Its use in construction helps to reduce waste production and greenhouse gas emissions.
Ease of use: PLA is an easy material to 3D print, which can be used to make a variety of structural and non-structural elements. This makes it an ideal choice for the construction of customised or small buildings.
Versatility: PLA can be used to make a variety of construction products, including walls, floors, ceilings, roofs, furniture, wall panels, and even as a component in 3D printing for the production of customised architectural elements.
This makes it a versatile material that can be used to meet a variety of needs.
Here are some specific examples of the benefits of using recycled PLA in construction:
Waste reduction: recycled PLA can be used to replace traditional building materials, such as concrete, which produce a large amount of waste.
Reduced greenhouse gas (CO2) emissions: the production of recycled PLA requires less energy and produces fewer greenhouse gas emissions than the production of virgin PLA.
Reduced costs: recycled PLA can be cheaper than traditional building materials.
Improved air quality and low toxicological impact: PLA is known to have a low toxicological impact, making it safer for indoor use than materials containing harmful chemicals. Choosing to use PLA in construction can help improve indoor air quality.
Inspiration for innovation: The use of recycled PLA in construction stimulates innovation in the building materials sector, encouraging the development of more sustainable and advanced solutions.
Improved corporate image: For companies that embrace sustainability, the use of recycled PLA can improve corporate image and attract consumers who are sensitive to environmental issues.
Regulatory compliance: The use of sustainable materials such as recycled PLA can be incentivised through government regulations and legislation that promote sustainable construction.
Energy saving: Some PLA-based building products can have thermal insulation properties, helping to reduce the energy consumption of buildings.
Renewable resources: PLA can be produced from sustainable crops, reducing dependence on fossil fuels.
Future perspectives for the use of recycled PLA in construction
The future prospects for the use of recycled PLA in construction are positive. Here are some specific applications that are expected to become increasingly popular in the future:
Construction of residential and commercial buildings: recycled PLA can be used to make walls, floors, ceilings and other structural elements.
Infrastructure construction: recycled PLA can be used to build bridges, roads and other infrastructure elements.
Sustainable building construction: recycled PLA is a sustainable material that can help reduce the environmental impact of buildings.
In conclusion, the use of recycled PLA in construction is a growing trend that has the potential to make the construction industry more sustainable and environmentally friendly.
Gianeco: a sustainable supplier of recycled PLA and other biopolymers
If you are already using virgin PLA and would like to test recycled PLA, contact Gianeco now.Among recycled Pla producers, Gianeco stands out for having believed in bioplastics and recycled bioplastics at an early stage.
For almost ten years, Gianeco has been collecting bioplastic waste and making granules and ground PLA, PBAT and PBS.
Gianeco's recycled PLA products are a sustainable choice for companies wishing to reduce the environmental impact of their products.
Benefits, challenges and perspectives of using recycled PLA in construction
25/10/2023
Bioplastics
PLA, or polylactic acid, is a biodegradable and biocompatible plastic material derived from renewable sources such as maize or sugar cane.
It offers several opportunities in construction to reduce environmental impact, promote sustainability and improve the energy efficiency of buildings.
Its versatility and ability to degrade responsibly make it an attractive choice to address environmental challenges in the construction sector.
Let's discover the details and opportunities offered by the use of recycled PLA.
Sustainable construction: successful practices and projects
The international organisation Green Building Council (GBC), dedicated to the promotion of sustainability in construction and the spread of environmentally friendly building practices, promotes the responsible use of natural resources, emphasising the importance of using recycled, recyclable or sustainably sourced materials with a low environmental impact.
There are many projects that aim to spread the culture of using recycled plastics in a strategic sector such as construction.
New Raw's 'Print Your City!' project was conceived as an innovative circular economy initiative to tackle the problem of plastic waste in cities and promote urban sustainability.
The initiative promotes sustainability in two ways: reducing plastic waste in cities and using recycled PLA, which is a biodegradable and sustainable material.
The project, which involved several pilot cities, aims to encourage the separate collection of plastic waste in cities and to use recycled PLA (recycled poly-lactic acid) as a material for 3D printing furniture.
"The New Raw" uses advanced 3D printing to transform recycled PLA into design pieces for public spaces, such as benches, seats, planters and more. This furniture can be customised to the specific needs of the community.
The project involves citizens in collecting and recycling plastic through dedicated collection points where they can hand in their plastic waste. This waste is then transformed into urban furniture that can be used by everyone.
But there are several specific products incorporating recycled PLA in construction, such as flooring, insulation, wall panels, etc.
In 2022, the Italian company WASP, a leader in large-scale 3D printing, 3D printed a 100 m2 house in Massa Lombarda (Italy) using a recycled PLA composite material.
In 2021 Ecovative Design, the US-based sustainable building materials company, used a recycled PLA material to make a wall for a house in New York City.
In 2020, BIMobject, the Swedish marketplace platform for architecture and engineering, published a 3D model of a house made from recycled PLA.
These are just a few of the many success stories concerning the use of recycled PLA in construction.
Challenges and limitations of using recycled PLA in construction
The widespread use of recycled PLA in construction faces some challenges, including:
Material availability: the production of recycled PLA is still under development, and material availability is still limited.
Costs: the costs of recycled PLA may still be higher than those of traditional building materials.
Performance: the performance of recycled PLA in terms of strength, durability and fire must be further improved.
Here are some specific examples of challenges
The lack of an adequate waste collection system for PLA waste: this hinders the collection and recycling of large quantities of PLA.
The need to develop new recycling technologies to improve the performance of recycled PLA: this is necessary to make recycled PLA a viable alternative to traditional building materials.
Despite these challenges, the use of recycled PLA in construction is a growing trend. As new technologies are developed and material availability grows, recycled PLA is set to become an increasingly popular choice for sustainable building construction.
Here are some initiatives that can help address the challenges and promote the widespread use of recycled PLA in construction:
Development of appropriate waste collection systems for PLA waste: this can be done by governments, companies and non-profit organisations.
Investment in research and development to improve the performance of recycled PLA: this can be done by companies, universities and government agencies.
Public education and awareness-raising on the importance of using sustainable building materials: this can be done by non-profit organisations, governments and companies.
What are the benefits of using recycled PLA in construction?
The use of recycled PLA (polylactic acid) in construction offers several advantages from both an environmental and practical point of view.
Here are some of the main advantages:
Sustainability: PLA is a biodegradable and compostable material that can be produced from renewable resources such as corn starch or sugar beet. Its use in construction helps to reduce waste production and greenhouse gas emissions.
Ease of use: PLA is an easy material to 3D print, which can be used to make a variety of structural and non-structural elements. This makes it an ideal choice for the construction of customised or small buildings.
Versatility: PLA can be used to make a variety of construction products, including walls, floors, ceilings, roofs, furniture, wall panels, and even as a component in 3D printing for the production of customised architectural elements.
This makes it a versatile material that can be used to meet a variety of needs.
Here are some specific examples of the benefits of using recycled PLA in construction:
Waste reduction: recycled PLA can be used to replace traditional building materials, such as concrete, which produce a large amount of waste.
Reduced greenhouse gas (CO2) emissions: the production of recycled PLA requires less energy and produces fewer greenhouse gas emissions than the production of virgin PLA.
Reduced costs: recycled PLA can be cheaper than traditional building materials.
Improved air quality and low toxicological impact: PLA is known to have a low toxicological impact, making it safer for indoor use than materials containing harmful chemicals. Choosing to use PLA in construction can help improve indoor air quality.
Inspiration for innovation: The use of recycled PLA in construction stimulates innovation in the building materials sector, encouraging the development of more sustainable and advanced solutions.
Improved corporate image: For companies that embrace sustainability, the use of recycled PLA can improve corporate image and attract consumers who are sensitive to environmental issues.
Regulatory compliance: The use of sustainable materials such as recycled PLA can be incentivised through government regulations and legislation that promote sustainable construction.
Energy saving: Some PLA-based building products can have thermal insulation properties, helping to reduce the energy consumption of buildings.
Renewable resources: PLA can be produced from sustainable crops, reducing dependence on fossil fuels.
Future perspectives for the use of recycled PLA in construction
The future prospects for the use of recycled PLA in construction are positive. Here are some specific applications that are expected to become increasingly popular in the future:
Construction of residential and commercial buildings: recycled PLA can be used to make walls, floors, ceilings and other structural elements.
Infrastructure construction: recycled PLA can be used to build bridges, roads and other infrastructure elements.
Sustainable building construction: recycled PLA is a sustainable material that can help reduce the environmental impact of buildings.
In conclusion, the use of recycled PLA in construction is a growing trend that has the potential to make the construction industry more sustainable and environmentally friendly.
Gianeco: a sustainable supplier of recycled PLA and other biopolymers
If you are already using virgin PLA and would like to test recycled PLA, contact Gianeco now.Among recycled Pla producers, Gianeco stands out for having believed in bioplastics and recycled bioplastics at an early stage.
For almost ten years, Gianeco has been collecting bioplastic waste and making granules and ground PLA, PBAT and PBS.
Gianeco's recycled PLA products are a sustainable choice for companies wishing to reduce the environmental impact of their products.
