{
  "id": 15348340,
  "title": "Banking on bricks: entrepreneur builds a business case for recycling plastic waste",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/18/banking-on-bricks-entrepreneur-builds-a-business-case-for-recycling-15348340",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-18T04:15:04.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "South China Morning Post",
    "slug": "south-china-morning-post",
    "url": "https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3371254/banking-bricks-entrepreneur-builds-business-case-recycling-plastic-waste"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Former investment banker Shervin Sharghy has founded EcoBricks, a Hong Kong-based business aiming to turn plastic waste into concrete, the world's most widely used material. Sharghy believes the main obstacle to recycling plastic is often economic rather than scientific. Ecobricks' cold process can handle mixed plastics and materials rejected by conventional recyclers, potentially diverting waste from landfills, incinerators, or Hong Kong's natural environment. The company's bricks have been used in various projects, including the Gold Coast development in Tuen Mun, with several years of monitoring. EcoBricks claims its approach is more cost-effective and environmentally friendly than producing new materials from oil and gas. The company's manufacturing process in Hong Kong comes with challenges, such as scarce and expensive industrial sites, but Hong Kong's stringent building standards and supportive ecosystem for start-ups also present advantages. As demand grows, EcoBricks is expanding its product line, offering fire-certified internal wall blocks and pursuing additional waste recycling solutions.",
  "summary": "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…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "South China Morning Post - Hong Kong",
        "title": "Banking on bricks: entrepreneur builds a business case for recycling plastic waste",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/18/banking-on-bricks-entrepreneur-builds-a-business-case-for-recycling",
        "published": "2026-10-18T04:15:04.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}