Tucson residents could soon see their trash used in local construction projects as part of a pilot program through City Councilman Steve Kozachik’s office.
Kozachik is collecting plastic products that can’t be recycled in the city’s blue bins — such as plastic bags, plastic utensils and bubble wrap — in a roll-off container behind his ward office at 3202 E. First St. He plans to turn that plastic into construction-grade blocks for local projects.
The councilman has long advocated for the city to partner with the start-up company ByFusion, which creates blocks from unrecyclable plastics. The company places plastics into a patented machine that uses steam and compression to churn out 22-pound blocks that fit together with interlocking pegs.
Kozachik said plastics should be bagged to simplify the baling process, and items like cardboard, cans and recyclable plastics should still be recycled with the city. The Ward 6 office has bags available for people to collect their nonrecyclable plastics.