In Kenya, a young engineer has managed to turn plastic pollution into opportunity by developing paving blocks made from waste that no one was recycling.
Gjenge Makers, a company set up by materials engineer Nzambi Matee, produces hundreds of colourful pieces every day to replace traditional concrete, offering greater strength and a competitive price for urban projects.
The process combines shredded plastics with sand, subjected to heat and pressure, creating a solid, lightweight material that requires no water or cement in its manufacture.
In addition to reducing landfill waste, the initiative has generated employment in local communities and promotes more sustainable and accessible construction.
With this model, Nairobi is emerging as a benchmark for environmental innovation, showing how African creativity can transform a global problem into practical and lasting solutions.
Source: unep.org; euronews.com