Atlas Building Composites, a startup created based on the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, converts plastic waste into a durable construction material. One of its first notable applications was a 12-meter bridge across a wetland area in Massachusetts.
The plastic is shredded, melted, and mixed with glass fiber, which increases the strength of the composite. Then a robotized large-format 3D-printing system forms structural elements from the mixture.
The company uses this material not only for bridge truss components, but also for foundations, decking, walls, floors, and roofs.
Atlas also works with plastic waste that is a poor fit for conventional recycling. As a result, material that might otherwise quickly return to single-use products is given a chance to remain part of infrastructure for decades.
Source: Interesting Engineering
Date: 2026-09-14T13:43:44.560Z
