Unimas ecobrick initiative turns plastic waste into tools for sustainability

KUCHING (Dec 14): What began as a small initiative at Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas) has grown into a successful environment project, teaching students and communities the value of recycling through ecobricks.

For the past five years, senior lecturer of the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities (FSSH) Dr Haslina Hashim has led the project, transforming plastic waste into solid bricks that can be used to create functional furniture.

“The idea began because there was so much plastic waste with no proper disposal method. Plastic bottles could be sold, but items like straw and other non-sellable plastics ended up in landfills,” Haslina said at the ‘Sustainability Within, Green Earth Beyond 2025’ programme on Saturday.

The process involves packing plastic packages and other non-biodegradable plastics into polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles to make them solid. The ecobricks can then be used to construct furniture such as indoor stools.

“Outdoors, ecobricks are vulnerable to rain and heat, which can make them brittle. But inside, they last for years,” she explained.

The initiative has since expanded beyond the university, reaching schools in Asajaya and Kota Samarahan. Schools have welcomed the project, integrating it into environmental and innovation clubs, as well as geography classes.

“We teach our students about ecobricks, and then we send them out to share this knowledge with other young students.

“About three years ago, we started by approaching schools nearby our university. We have actually covered five schools, including SMK Kota Samarahan, SMK Muara Tuang, SMK Wira Penrissen, SMK Siburan, and SMK Sungai Tapang,” she said.

Working with the Natural Resources and Environment Board (NREB) Sarawak, the Unimas team has also conducted workshops at several schools, including SMK Pesantren Abdul Taib Mahmud, SMK Hajjah Laila Taib, SMK Asajaya, SMK Sadong Jaya, and SMK Sadong Hilir last year.

Students participating in the three-series workshop ‘CARE PROJECT: Reduce Plastic, Make Fantastic Ecobrick 2.0’ learned the full process — from creating ecobricks to making their own products and competing against other schools.

“Ecobricks are made to last. A single 500 to 700 gramme bottle can contribute to a sturdy piece of furniture, saving around 12 kilogrammes of plastic from ending up in the environment,” she said, noting that schools with limited furniture benefit from the initiative.

Haslina also highlighted the long-term environmental impact of plastic waste.

“Plastics can take up to 500 years to decompose and may enter the human food chain through marine life. Studies show traces of microplastics in humans, from fish that consume feed containing microplastic ingredients, which we then consume ourselves.

“It is a serious matter, and we hope to spread this knowledge as widely as possible,” she emphasised.

Looking ahead, Haslina believes ecobricks can be a solution to plastic pollution while also contributing to the economy.

“Even if an ecobrick becomes damaged over time, it can be repaired and reused. In Peninsular Malaysia, there is a system called by-bed ecobricks, where good-quality ecobricks are purchased at affordable prices to create new products,” she said, noting that this could motivate more people to adopt a greener lifestyle.

She added that society must take plastic pollution seriously, recognising it as a global crisis.

“I hope we become more proactive, and every time we use plastic, we consider what happens to it,” she said.

From a small university effort to a community-wide educational movement, the ecobrick project demonstrates how practical sustainability initiatives can empower students and inspire long-term environmental responsibility.