Plastic Bricks For A Better World: The Nzambi Matee Story

Last year I had an idea, which resulted in a discussion about recycling plastic with my Lady.

I suggested that we could probably house a lot of homeless people (globally) and do it sustainably by using all of the plastic we waste in this country to produce what I called “plastic bricks“.

Statistica states that “Of the estimated 40 million tons of municipal plastic waste generated in the U.S. in 2021, at least 85 percent (34 million tons) was sent to landfill sites. Despite plastic waste generation soaring in the U.S., the recycling rate is falling.“

That’s right. We produced 34 million tons of unrecycled plastic in 2021!

I wondered if anyone was addressing this already and lo and behold, a Kenyan Engineer started a whole enterprise for just this purpose and so much more. Her name is Nzambi Matee.

Who is this woman?

Nzambi Matee. I will never put her or anyone in a box, but it’s my understanding that she is a young, black, intelligent, innovative, Kenyan woman and engineer who cares about the planet Earth as much as she cares about her people.

Matee came from the oil industry, but quit her job in pursuit of other ventures. Through her experience she learned that less than 10% of the plastic waste being produced in her area (500 Metric tons in Nairobi per day!) is actually recycled. She was tired of seeing so much plastic waste, and this ignited her flame. Her mission is multifaceted:

Solve the waste pollution problem by recycling and upcycling plastic.
Providing alternative construction products that are beautiful, strong, and durable.
Provide job opportunities for many skilled and unskilled youths in Kenya and Africa at large.
Promote recycling and upcycling culture in Kenya and Africa at large.
Promote and support the next generation of (likely melanated) women entrepreneurs within the engineering space.

The Enterprise

Her enterprise is called Gjenge Makers, a startup based in Nairobi (the capital of Kenya). Gjenge Makers operates in different sectors, servicing industrial, commercial, and residential projects.

Gjenge Makers use special machines that convert plastic waste into building materials. Matee and her team developed these machines with spare parts over a number of years. The machines can mix sand with the plastic waste (using it as a binder). They then use a machine press to form the material into uniform bricks, completely free of air pockets!

A Superior Product

Her bricks are 5-7 times stronger than concrete, and her special production process prevents air pockets from occurring in the bricks.

Because plastic is fibrous in nature, the Matee bricks have a stronger compression strength (they are more durable against physical impact and weathering), with half the weight of normal bricks, and are 15% cheaper than traditional concrete-based bricks.

Impact Player

Matee’s organization created incredible impact, producing 1000-1500 bricks a day (as of 2020), and employing over 100 people. Her team also won the United Nations’ Young Champion of Earth Award in 2020 for Africa!

I should also mention that as of 2021, she recycled 50 tonnes of plastic waste.

Her initial launch caters to road-paving blocks, but she plans on creating building blocks that can be used to build affordable housing (and break into the affordable housing market).

Gjenge Makers Website
https://www.gjenge.co.ke/

Matee’s Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/nzambimatee_ke/

References