Ghana is tackling its growing plastic waste problem by transforming discarded plastic into durable paving blocks that are cheaper than conventional concrete, offering an innovative solution to both pollution and infrastructure challenges.
Accra, the country's capital, generates between 300 and 450 tonnes of plastic waste every day, yet only a small portion is recycled. Much of the remaining plastic ends up in landfills, waterways, illegal dumps, or is burned, contributing to environmental pollution.
To address the challenge, Ghanaian entrepreneur Nelson Boateng, founder of Nelplast Ghana Ltd, developed a process that converts plastic waste into paving blocks by mixing shredded plastic with sand. The company purchases plastic from more than 500 waste collectors, many of them women, creating jobs while encouraging recycling.
The manufacturing process involves shredding, washing, and drying the plastic before combining it with sand. The mixture is heated, moulded, and compressed into strong paving blocks without using cement or bitumen. According to the company, the finished products are about 30 percent cheaper than traditional concrete blocks while offering high durability, resistance to cracking, and long-lasting colour.
Nelplast's paving blocks have already been used in residential areas, public sidewalks, church compounds, and government facilities across Ghana, including projects around the Ministry of Environment.
Despite the innovation's success, production remains limited due to the high cost of machinery and difficulties in expanding manufacturing capacity. The company says increased investment and improved access to equipment would allow it to produce significantly more paving blocks and recycle larger volumes of plastic waste.
The concept follows a model pioneered in India, where recycled plastic has been incorporated into asphalt roads for more than two decades. However, Nelplast's approach differs by producing paving blocks without asphalt, providing an alternative solution for urban infrastructure while reducing plastic pollution.
The initiative is being hailed as an example of how waste can be transformed into valuable construction materials, creating employment opportunities and promoting a circular economy.
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