Construction Blocks Made of 100% Plastic Waste

ByBlock helps you build faster, cleaner, and greener than any construction block on the market. Made of recycled and often unrecyclable plastic waste, ByBlock gives builders, architects, weekend warriors, and DIY’ers alike a sustainable, high-performing construction material usable for anything from walls to sheds and furniture to fencing.

The qualities that make plastic such a valuable material for packaging are exactly what make it one of the most powerful building materials around: it’s malleable, insulative, and doesn’t degrade easily. Using our proprietary system which uses only steam and compression, ByFusion’s clean technology maximizes these traits by processing recovered plastic waste of any sort into ready-made building materials, thus offering builders around the world an easy-to-use, eco-friendly, and inexpensive product to use in residential or commercial settings.

ByFusion’s ByBlock offers one of the most intriguing construction products the building industry has seen in years. Below, we show you how easy it is to build with ByBlock, and hopefully inspire some ideas for what YOU will build with ByBlock.

Each ByBlock has two clearance holes (both extending completely through the product), two pins located on the top, and two dimples located on the bottom. The clearance holes are used to run metal rods through each ByBlock to reinforce structure strength, while the pins and dimples are designed to connect to one another while stacking ByBlock (yes — just like Lego).

Want more details on ByBlock? Review this data sheet.

ByBlock’s user-friendly build, coupled with its eco-friendly footprint, make it a unique building material compared to traditional construction materials. But don’t just take our word for it — sustainable builder and ByFusion advocate, Rob Brower, has positive things to say after spearheading the installation of our latest pilot project at the Island School in Lihue, Kauai.

“The ByBlocks went up fast and easy. When you see how the finished product looks, it’s clear that ByBlock is a great way to give plastic waste a responsible end use. They seem to have great R value and sound proofing qualities.” — Rob Brower

So, ByBlock saves you time, money, and energy — but we’re sure you still have a few questions. Here are some frequently asked questions:

What about the potential of pesky termites and water damage?

ByBlock’s plastic composition renders it both insect- and water-proof. In fact, because plastic does not absorb moisture, ByBlock will actually float!

What if I move and want to take my ByBlock structure with me?

Any project made from ByBlock can be disassembled and repurposed (with the same strength and quality) easier than any other building material. ByBlock will not crack under pressure nor break if dropped, so you don’t have to worry about replacing materials. If you do somehow manage to break a ByBlock (a feat we have not found to be easy), any waste material can always be sent back and remade into a new fully functioning ByBlock.

Does ByBlock contribute to LEED certification?

Yes - ByBlock will contribute to LEED credits. Our low emission process, high rate of plastic waste diversion, and minimal materials required for installation make ByBlock the most eco-friendly building block to choose from.

Now that you know ByBlock’s benefits compared to traditional building materials, put on your hardhat and let’s dive into the building process.

How to Build with ByBlock

Building with ByBlock is fast and easy.

The primary materials required for ByBlock construction include the ByBlock itself, threaded rod, washers and nuts, lumber or steel top plates, base mounting hardware, and covering. That’s it! ByBlock does not require any additives or fillers, glues, or mortars. Instead, the rods are secured within your base and extend through each ByBlock with the pins and dimples locking together.

Your base material could be concrete/cement, lumber, or steel. With concrete, there are a few options for anchoring the metal rods: place rods in cement when it is poured, drill holes in concrete, and either install drop-in anchors or use epoxy. Using drop-in anchors afford us the quickest installation with the most precision.

Remember, when planning your project, you need at least one rod running through each ByBlock.

Once ByBlock stacking has been completed, a top plate is placed onto your final course and secured using standard washers and nuts. At this point, tightening the nuts (post-tension) will draw the ByBlock courses together and lock them tightly into position. This is where a ByBlock wall assembly gets its strength.

Then, once the nuts are tightened and the walls are compressed together and level, the excess rod can be cut back using a grinder or reciprocating saw.

Lastly, because ByBlock is designed to be covered and protected from the elements, the final step is to add a finish of your choice (stucco, sheetrock/drywall, plaster, siding, paneling or even specialized paints). If your outdoor project is designed to feature ByBlock visually, a clear UV coating will need to be applied. UV protective products are readily available in the market today.

Done! Now you have a perfectly-functioning, durable structure made almost entirely out of post-consumer plastic.

During the construction process, we recommend cutting any half ByBlock that you need in advance to keep the project running smoothly. ByBlock can be cut using standard power tools such as a table saw, reciprocating saw, band saw, or even a chainsaw.

What Can You Build?

ByBlock is designed for a wide variety of residential, commercial, and institutional projects. From landscaping and gardening, to flooring and fencing, to small buildings like sheds or offices, ByBlock truly does it all. Tap into your construction imagination and ByBlock can likely accommodate.

Thus far, ByFusion has completed two official pilot projects: an athletic pavilion on the sports field of Island School in Lihue, Kauai and a lifeguard tower on Bruce’s Beach in Manhattan Beach, California. In both cases, the community was elated with the quality of the structures and their waste diversion function, while the construction team raved about ByBlock’s simple assembly — inspiring ideas for additional projects in both locations.

Below are some images to inspire your next project. We encourage you to stretch your imagination and think of ways to use ByBlock that even ByFusion hasn’t thought of!

What Will You Build?

ByFusion has created an innovative solution to the global plastic waste crisis. ByFusion offers communities the power to not only decrease plastic waste in their own backyard, but turn this plastic waste into buildings and infrastructure. Even at the DIY home project level, ByBlock turns the average building project into something special.

ByFusion is committed to recycling 100 million tons of plastic by 2030. With each ByBlock repurposing 22 lbs of post-consumer plastic, ByFusion and communities around the world can co-create a future with less plastic waste and more environmentally-superior buildings.

ByBlock will be available for pre-order starting October 2020, subscribe here if you’re interested in the pre-order process.

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ByFusion ByBlock made with marine debris and fishing nets from Kauai, Hawaii

ByFusion ByBlock made with marine debris and fishing nets from Kauai, Hawaii

There isn’t a day that goes by that we don’t hear about plastic and the damage it is doing to our oceans and communities. Plastic waste can be found in just about every corner of society, whether it’s from our blatant disregard, leaked during transit, or natural disasters that wash our waste out to sea.¹ Studies have found that approximately 9 million tons of plastic enters our oceans each year, significantly impacting sea life and coastal communities.² 

ByFusion is committed to eliminating the burdens of plastic waste by reshaping its future and putting it to work. Our zero-waste system called the Blocker, converts any kind of plastic waste, including marine debris and fishing nets, into a construction-grade, multi-purpose building material called ByBlock. Blockers divert plastic waste from landfills, incinerators, and oceans empowering communities to take control of their own waste and convert it to a new, sustainable purposeful second life that can be used to support local building projects– this is something evolutionary.

In April 2017, Rob Brower reached out to ByFusion and described the challenges the island of Kauai, Hawaii was facing due to marine debris. Rob is a 45-year veteran surfer and diver who serves on the board of Surfrider Foundation– Kauai Chapter as well a luxury home builder with an emphasis on sustainability. Since then, Rob’s commitment to protecting our oceans accelerated our marine debris research when he introduced us to Surfrider Kauai’s Senior Scientist, Dr. Carl Berg.  

A few years and Blocker generations later, ByFusion reached a big milestone and successfully produced the world’s first construction-grade ByBlock made of plastic marine debris and abandoned fishing nets. While we were busy in the Innovation Lab, Dr. Berg and Rob Brower were scouring Kauai in search of the ideal construction project for these new ByBlocks when they learned Island School in Lihue, Kauai needed a new athletic pavilion.

Dr. Berg enlisted the help of Schmidt Marine Technology to help fund the project and Rob’s construction company, Brower Construction, tapped his network of industry specialists including; Architects Kauai, Island Truss, Kick Ass Concrete, Mahelona Sheet Metal Fabrication, and Pacific Plaster & Stucco and got to work building a valuable new structure for local students to enjoy.

Heidi Kujawa, ByFusion CEO, shared how invaluable these two have been to ByFusion’s success, noting that “Rob and Dr. Berg have become a part of ByFusion’s family. Their support over the years has enabled us to achieve several major milestones. We are forever grateful for their contributions and looking forward to continuing to partner with them on many more projects.”

Designing a Custom ByBlock From Kauai, For Kauai

The ByFusion Blocker is the only machine which can process nearly all forms of plastic marine debris, without the need for intense cleaning and sorting. Each ByBlock, while streamline in function, is unique to the plastic waste recovered from that particular community. 

In this case, to create the athletic pavilion using ByBlocks– volunteers first collected marine  debris on the local beaches of Kauai. This was then mixed with a collection of post-consumer waste, which we call “pre-marine debris”. We coined this term due to the fact that most plastic waste starts out as post-consumer waste before making its way into our oceans. 

Testing was then employed to identify the highest ratio of marine debris to plastic waste that would result in a ByBlock meeting ByFusion quality standards.

Ease of Building with ByBlock

Along with the environmental benefits of the Blocker and ByBlock, they are also incredibly effective and easy to use for construction projects. According to Rob, who served as the general contractor, “The ByBlocks went up fast and easy. When you see how the finished product looks, it’s clear that ByBlock is a great way to give plastic waste a responsible end use. They seem to have great R value and sound proofing qualities.”³ Because the ByBlock is lightweight and user friendly, anyone from a skilled contractor like Rob, to the average handy-person can build with them, achieving high level construction results.

Dr. Berg and Rob’s crew took only a day to stack the blocks that formed the walls of the pavilion.

Once seasoned builders get their hands on ByBlock, they are often eager to talk about the possibilities for future projects. Michael Kujawa, ByFusion VP Product Development, witnessed this first hand during the Hawaii project with Rob Brower and his team, “After we began stacking the wall and cutting ByBlock, Rob and his team’s imaginations started thinking of all the different ways they could use ByBlock. This is a typical reaction and it’s energizing to be a part of those brainstorming sessions during the build and witness the excitement of discovery.” With contractors building with ByBlock and community members collecting plastic waste, this project brought together a unique set of people, working together to better their home island and the environment in a tangible way.

Environmental Impact

Surfrider hosts community beach cleanups and targeted net patrols, collecting an average or approximately 10,000 lbs per month. Without a means to recycle or repurpose this waste, the Honolulu H-Power incinerator is their only option, resulting in the production of toxic greenhouse gas emissions.⁴ The Island School project alone has utilized 2.4 tons of plastic waste which was previously burdensome on the island community, making a significant stride in the fight to solve the global plastic waste issue.³

A collection of nets, ropes and lines collected from Kauai’s beaches and stored at the Surfrider Marine Debris Processing Center awaiting recycling.

Dr. Carl Berg as well as other key players in this project have expressed interest in obtaining a Blocker on the island which can facilitate a community run, closed loop cycle for plastic waste and marine debris.³ Local plastic waste, transformed into construction-grade building material, used for local projects– eliminating plastic waste pollution, creating jobs, and improving community infrastructure, all in one. 

Moving forward

Thank you to Schmidt Marine Technology, Mayor Derek Kawakami, Island School, Surfrider Foundation – Kauai Chapter, Brower Construction, the construction companies, and the local Kauai community for supplying time, energy, resources, and support to the Athletic Pavilion project. It showed the potential of ByFusion, the power of partnership and contributed to the improvement of the Island School’s infrastructure while taking a step to combat local plastic waste problems. 

ByFusion’s goal is to recycle 100 million tons of plastic by 2030. With the support of recycling facilities and communities across the globe, we know this can be accomplished. For coastal communities and island nations, we are eager to play a leading role in giving local leaders the ability to reduce ocean pollution and create construction materials.

Finished athletic pavilion structure on the Island School field.

Plastic is a material we are all familiar with, from the everyday shopping bag to the parts in your car. But what do we really know about plastic after we’ve fulfilled its first use?

The first thing that comes to mind is recycling, of course. We take our bags, cups, bottles, and more– separate the plastic from the other trash, and drop them in the blue bin; which then gets taken away and presumably processed to recreate new plastic consumables from the old ones, in a sort of cycle.

Unfortunately, this process is not actually a cycle at all, but rather a linear relationship leading to a far fewer ratio of plastic recycled than plastic inputted into the system. This may not be news to you, as the flaws in our recycling system have been increasingly exposed– but to what extent?

Is All Plastic Recyclable?

Recycling by Numbers

Plastics 1 and 2 are most commonly accepted by recycling facilities, while 3 through 7 are rarely accepted, rendering them landfill waste in most regions. With only 2 out of 7 types of plastic waste getting recycled regularly, even if the process was endless, those are discouraging odds for the environment and low income communities, which bear the brunt of overflowing landfills.

On top of that, the recycling process is not endless– recycling of plastics 1 and 2 is limited by the number of times the product can be repurposed before the material is too weak to hold a new shape.⁵

Check in With Your County

All county curbside recycling facilities have different regulations and protocols. Therefore, it is important to look up and/or contact the facilities picking up your bins to understand exactly how to separate your waste. In regards to recyclable containers for food, drink, cleaning supplies, hygiene products and more, the best recycling practice is to wash out the remaining product with water before tossing it into the recycling bin. Oftentimes, any contamination in a grouping of plastic waste can spoil the entire batch, leaving them bound for the landfill.

Is Plastic Waste Processed Locally?

Unfortunately, for many years plastic waste was shipped overseas to China for industrial processing. This method was already full of problems, such as increased emissions due to transportation as well as a lack of direct regulation for workers and the environment.

However, in 2018, China enacted the “National Sword” policy, which banned the import of plastic and other recyclables to their country for processing. This caused extreme strain on the United States’ ability to effectively recycle the vast amount of plastic waste being produced. Without adequate recycling infrastructure within the U.S., a large portion of our recyclables are now being sent to landfills, reducing the beneficial impacts of consumer efforts to understand and sort their plastics diligently.

Plastic Isn’t the Problem, Endless Plastic Waste Is

It’s time we reevaluate our relationship with plastic. As a material, plastic is dynamic, durable, and capable of long term purposeful use, such as for life saving medical supplies, transportation needs, electronics, sports, and even energy efficiency.

ByFusion has come up with a simple innovation to our plastic waste problem. Our systems clean and convert low-value plastic waste into a construction-grade building material called ByBlock. The industrial machine used to manufacture the ByBlock, called the Blocker, can be installed into materials recycling facilities and all other recycling locations to increase revenue and/or decrease costs, achieve diversion targets, and help facilities meet community and environmental goals. Plus, the equipment is built for scale, allowing it to be implemented in almost any facility, big or small.

ByFusion has already taken on and completed successful community projects using ByBlocks such as an athletic pavilion at Island School in Kauai, Hawaii in partnership with Surfrider Foundation– Kauai Chapter, as well as a lifeguard tower on Bruce’s Beach in Manhattan Beach, California. Additionally, ByBlocks will soon be offered at general hardware stores for all your home improvement projects alongside bulk ordering for larger scale community infrastructure improvements.

We have a goal: Recycle 100 million tons of plastic by 2030. With support from all sides, we believe this can be possible. We can reshape the future of plastics, improve community infrastructure across the globe, facilitate job creation, and eliminate plastic waste from our environment. Join us and learn more at ByFusion.com!