WATCH: Granny turns plastic waste, bottles into ecobricks

Granny Felicity-Ann Cole, 82, spends her day filling up plastic bottles with used plastic to make ecobricks at a retirement home in Edenvale. She said a family member in Modderfontein in Joburg encouraged her to take on this initiative in March last year.

“After my cousin told me the ecobricks were used to build classrooms and homes for families and school children in Grahamstown in Port Elizabeth who were less fortunate, I couldn’t stop myself from getting involved,” Cole said.

“And besides, what better way to recycle plastic and paper which are often dumped into our rivers, oceans and dams, causing harm to animals and the environment.”

Cole said the ecobricks were collected by friends who would deliver them to the relevant areas, where they were used to either build homes, classrooms or make furniture for parks. She said since the Covid-19 outbreak this had stopped because people were more cautious about touching the bricks.

“The neighbours in the retirement village and around the area are often dropping their plastics and papers at my door. I appreciate their contribution but since Covid-19, the ecobricks are piling up in my backyard with nowhere for them to go,” she said.

Cole has two daughters and three grandchildren. She lives with her husband Michael in a retirement village in Edenvale. She said when her grandchildren visited, they would help her pack the ecobricks.

“I use any plastic, sweet plastics, onion bags, potatoes, tea bags and even dog food sometimes. I first clean the plastics so they don’t smell,” Cole said.

“Making the ecobricks keeps my muscles active and my husband helps with his strong muscles to press the plastic further down to make space for more plastics.”

Cole said it was important for each bottle to weigh 4kg for it to serve its purpose as a reusable building block.

Video: Carlos Muchave