Cindy Mora Abarca spent nine years saving for a small plot of land in the Alajuelita neighborhood of Costa Rica. Her goal was clear from the start: she wanted to build a permanent home for herself and her six-year-old son, Fabrizio. She eventually secured the land through a bank loan, but that left her without the funds needed for construction. Her path forward shifted when she partnered with Habitat for Humanity Costa Rica, the local group Urbarium, Ekojunto, and Procter & Gamble. This collaboration resulted in a house constructed from approximately 7 tons of recycled plastic waste.
Technicians processed the plastic into interlocking bricks known as Bloqueplas. The construction system functions like large-scale plastic building blocks, which the team used to form the home's walls. While the foundation, roof, and plumbing required conventional materials, the walls themselves diverted a significant amount of waste from landfills. Once finished with plaster and paint, the residence appears indistinguishable from other modest homes in the area, proving that sustainable materials can serve practical residential needs.
Media reports often circulate claims that 800 people built the house, but the reality is more grounded. The project relied on more than 800 hours of volunteer labor from employees at partner organizations. These participants worked alongside professional construction teams to complete the structure. The home was finished and handed over to the family on May 26, 2018.
The project served as a proof of concept for using recycled plastic in housing, with designers citing benefits like seismic resistance and insulation. While these remain internal project claims, the primary success is measurable. A mother who spent nearly a decade saving now has a stable, permanent residence for her child. It demonstrates a move toward incorporating discarded materials into standard residential construction.