Banking on bricks: entrepreneur builds a business case for recycling plastic waste
Former investment banker Shervin Sharghy takes a practical approach to plastic recycling, first asking whether it makes financial sense before tackling the technical challenges. The founder of Hong Kong-based EcoBricks said the main obstacle to recycling plastic was often economic rather than scientific. Collecting, sorting, cleaning and processing waste plastic typically costs more than…
Former investment banker Shervin Sharghy has built a business case for recycling plastic waste by turning it into concrete, the world's most widely used material. The founder of Hong Kong-based EcoBricks believes that economic obstacles, rather than technical challenges, often hinder plastic recycling efforts. EcoBricks is a finalist for the Spirit of Entrepreneurship Award in this year’s Spirit of Hong Kong Awards. Sharghy left investment banking to tackle the global plastic waste crisis.
EcoBricks turns plastic waste into concrete paving and wall blocks, reducing waste and carbon emissions. The company developed detailed financial models to prove that there is a sustainable business model before demonstrating the technology's commercial and technical viability. EcoBricks offers concrete, glass, ceramics, and plastic recycling services to customers, allowing them to buy products made from their own waste and lower disposal costs.
Sharghy aims for sustainability to be a win-win situation, helping customers solve problems while contributing to environmental benefits. EcoBricks can handle mixed plastics and materials rejected by conventional recyclers, using processed plastic that might otherwise end up in landfills or the environment. The company has even considered the end-of-life recycling process, ensuring that used EcoBricks can be entirely recycled into new ones.
Manufacturing in Hong Kong poses challenges, such as scarce and expensive industrial sites and the need for heavy machinery and appropriate land-use permissions. However, the city's compact market and access to government, major businesses, and decision makers provide advantages for an early-stage venture bringing new technology to market.
EcoBricks has expanded its offerings to include fire-certified internal wall blocks and is developing products to help recycle more of Hong Kong's waste. Sharghy emphasizes the importance of sustainable materials gaining acceptance when customers have a clear financial incentive to use them.
Written by urgent.news from South China Morning Post - Hong Kong's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
