Trivasa to Incorporate Plastic Resin into Construction Blocks

To make the construction industry greener, construction material company Trivasa seeks to incorporate plastic waste into the fabrication of concrete blocks. This effort will be supported by the Center for Regenerative Design & Collaboration (CRDC), which will provide the technology to process plastic resins.

Trivasa said that it aims to fabricate over 120,000 concrete blocks per month using CRDC’s patented RESIN8, which aims to make the construction process more eco-friendly as the resin is made from plastic waste. Trivasa said it will fabricate the blocks in its Xcitan plant in Yucatan. 

According to Diana Colin, Manager for Continous Improvement and Innovation, Trivasa, the company allied with CRDC to foster a circular economy in the industry. She added that the first blocks are expected to be sold in March 2023. In a first stage, they will be commercialized in Yucatan, Campeche, Quintana Roo and Tabasco.

CRDC says RESIN8 is a breakthrough eco-aggregate made of different kinds of plastic resins with codes from 1 to 7. The plastic is treated to remove odors and then shredded and batched according to bulk density. Then the mixture is melted, resulting in an inert hybrid mineral polymer. At the end of the process, it is granulated into the size, shape and gradation required by the standard concrete mix. 

According to CRDC, concrete applications using RESIN8 exceeded ASTM International standards, a benchmark for material performance. The company highlighted that RESIN8 has proven to increase compression strength, flexibility, fire resistance, thermal resistance, lower weight and acoustic properties. 

CRDC assures that there is no leaking, abrasion or microplastic release after the concrete mix is used. It also says the mix is completely circular as it can be crushed and reused without requiring much energy.

María Rojas, Director General for Mexico, CRDC, said that the product could raise the construction sector’s standards in Mexico. “By harnessing the use of plastic waste, we are adding value to a new product and at the same time being part of a circular economy model that will help take care of our planet. As part of the project, we are planning to contribute to the construction of 50 INFONAVIT houses in Quintana Roo and Tabasco,” said Jhosue Chávez, Business Developer, Trivasa. 

According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), buildings and the construction sector accounted for 36% of final energy use and 39% of energy and process-related CO2 emissions in 2018, of which 11% resulted from the manufacturing of building materials.