Ecobricks, a resident startup at the National Science and Technology Park, showcased its products at the Sustainable Development Policy Institute’s expo this month, presenting everyday items made from plastic waste and used beverage cartons. The startup turns this waste into functional products including bricks, pots and furniture, and it used a booth at the event to meet visitors and explain how its process works. The expo is held by the institute on the sidelines of its annual Sustainable Development Conference, which brings together startups, innovators and people working on ideas that can make a difference.
Ecobricks was founded by Kashaf Akhtar, who serves as its Chief Executive Officer and is a mechanical engineer. Her company works on some of the most pressing problems in the field of sustainability, including plastic waste, the circular economy and sustainable materials. Used beverage cartons and plastic packaging are widely discarded, and few facilities in the country can process them, which gives a startup that finds a use for them a clear opportunity. By turning waste into building materials and furniture, Ecobricks aims to keep it out of landfills and open water while creating products that people can use.
The startup said that its recycled shields were also part of the conference, meaning that items made from its materials were used at the event itself. Having its own products in use at a large policy gathering shows the practical side of what the company does, and it gave visitors an object they could hold in place of a description. The founders thanked the Sustainable Development Policy Institute and its team for making their participation possible.
The National Science and Technology Park described the showcase as proof that the most urgent problems are being solved at the park. Events like the expo give young companies a chance to meet policymakers, researchers and potential customers in the same place, and for a materials startup that depends on supply of waste and demand for its products, those contacts can be valuable. As Ecobricks continues to develop its range, exposure at a national sustainability event adds visibility for a company working to turn waste into useful goods.
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