old fishing nets return as eco-friendly construction blocks

eco-friendly construction blocks made from plastic waste

Meet Eco-C Cube, an eco-friendly construction block built from recycled plastic waste, such as old fishing nets, buoys, agricultural vinyl, mulching film, and other mixed, discarded plastic. The manufacturer Westec Global relies on what it describes as New-Cycling process. Instead of cleaning, sorting, and breaking plastics down into raw polymers, mixed plastic waste is fused directly into usable blocks to preserve the materials’ strength and flexibility while avoiding the cost and emissions that are often linked with traditional recycling.

Because washing and sorting are eliminated, water use and chemical use are also reduced, resulting in the entire plastic input being recycled. The design of eco-friendly construction blocks is based on modular cube-shaped bricks intended for infrastructure. The cross-like shape with a hollow center allows builders to interlock and bond Eco-C Cubes in three dimensions, and this modular system supports quick installation and flexible design depending on the environment and where they’ll be built. By limiting the recycling process and reusing the plastic waste as it is, the project aims as well to reduce the carbon emissions generated during the manufacturing process.

image courtesy of Westec Global, via CES

Recycled plastic instead of concrete can lower emissions

The eco-friendly construction blocks target plastics that contribute directly to environmental damage. Marine plastic threatens ecosystems and enters food chains. Agricultural plastics accumulate in soil and rural areas, where recycling infrastructure is limited. By using these materials as feedstock, Eco-C CUBE addresses both ocean pollution and agricultural waste at the same time by reusing mixed plastics without separating them. These materials are typically difficult to recycle because they are contaminated with soil, salt, organic matter, or chemical residues. As a result, they are often incinerated or sent to landfills, which harms the environment.

Eco-C CUBE, as the manufacturer describes, redirects these low-grade plastics into construction use, turning waste streams into building materials for architecture. Environmental impact is a core part of the project’s purpose, too. Using recycled plastic instead of concrete can lower greenhouse gas emissions, since concrete production is a major source of carbon dioxide. The eco-friendly construction blocks also prevent emissions that would occur if waste plastic were incinerated. In addition, diverting plastic from landfills helps reduce microplastics from going into the soil and water. The technology was co-developed by the manufacturer WES‑Tec Global and the nonprofit Korea Low Impact Development Association. Recently, the eco-friendly construction blocks appeared at CES 2026 in Las Vegas.

the manufacturer uses a ‘New-Cycling’ process | from here, all images courtesy of Carbonsaurus Co., Ltd.