Costa Rica pilot project builds home using recycled plastic blocks

In Alajuelita, near San José, Costa Rica, a pilot housing project has successfully utilized recycled plastic to construct a home for Cindy Mora, a single mother. After nine years of saving her wages as a domestic worker to purchase land, Mora was able to complete her home through a collaborative initiative.

The structure was built using 850 ‘Bloqueplas’ interlocking blocks, manufactured by the Costa Rican company Ekojunto. These blocks were created from approximately seven tons of plastic waste provided by Procter & Gamble.

The project was coordinated by Urbarium and supported by Habitat for Humanity Costa Rica, which selected Mora based on socio-economic criteria. The initiative serves as an experimental model for sustainable, affordable housing solutions in regions where many families lack access to formal housing.