A British civil engineer has invented a building block made almost entirely of recycled glass, metal slag, sewage sludge and ash from power stations. John Forth of the University of Leeds said his “Bitublocks” might revolutionize the building industry by providing a sustainable, low-energy replacement for concrete blocks. This according to UPI via Science Daily.
The secret ingredient is asphalt, which binds the mixture of waste products together, before compacting them to form a solid block that is heat-cured until it hardens like concrete. Forth said it’s possible to use a higher proportion of waste in the Bitublock than by using a cement or clay binder. He’s now working on developing a “Vegeblock” using waste vegetable oil as the binder.
Another noble reincarnation for MacDonald’s used french-fry grease?–Julia Whitty
