SEATTLE (Recycling Monster): The City of Tucson announced that it has entered into a contract with California-based ByFusion to implement a program that will transform discarded plastic waste into construction-grade building blocks.

As per the agreement, the city will spend a sum of $1 million over the next four years on the project. Additionally, it will invest around $2.4 million towards setting up a new facility at the Los Reales Sustainability Campus to house ByFusion’s operations. The ByBlock facility will supply one-tenth of its total production to the city.

The idea was first introduced in March last year. The Ward 6 office launched the concept as a pilot program in August last year. The goal was to divert a minimum of 20 tons of non-recyclable plastic which would otherwise end in landfills. However, the pilot surpassed the initial goal by collecting more than 93 tons of plastic. Also, community showed great enthusiasm towards the project.

Following the success of the pilot program, Tucson decided to expand it into a city-wide service.

According to Council member Steve Kozachik, Tucson has emerged as the first city to implement the program. But it certainly will not be the last city to do so, because all other jurisdictions are seen facing the problem of plastic pollution.

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