Would you live in a plastic home? Engineer Frank Cato Lahti discovered that by building structures from the recycled material, he could help end Africa’s housing crisis. “There is a housing deficiency of 160 million homes,” Lahti says. “But in 2050 it’s predicted to be 360 million.” As the founder of OTHALO, a Norwegian start-up, Lahti has developed a revolutionary technology to combat this problem.
People produce 300 million tonnes of plastic waste each year, and only 9% of this is recycled worldwide. Lahti is based in a small fishing village on Vardø Island in the High Arctic. One day after a storm, locals decided to clean up waste from the shore. Most of it was plastic, sparking Lahti’s idea to use it for shelter. It was while travelling overseas that he identified a grave need for housing, and decided to explore how one problem could solve another. "Affordable housing is a matter close to my heart because I've seen the slums," Lahti says. "I've seen how people live." With a qualification in house building and engineering, he created a model to influence future constructions. "The moment you have a home, you have something of value in life,” Lahti says. “You have somewhere you feel safe, and protected."
Lahti designed his patented technology in conjunction with architect Julien De Smedt. It can use plastic waste from a variety of sources, including landfills, oceans, and people’s homes. Once shredded and mixed with other non-flammable elements, a 60-square-metre home can be built using over eight metric tonnes of recycled plastic. The different materials are used to reinforce each other to construct sturdy buildings. “One production line could produce up to 5 000 homes per year,” Lahti says. “It makes a dent in the housing need and it makes a dent in the plastic waste problem.”
In addition to placing a roof over people’s heads, he intends to empower low-income communities and create jobs. Lahti’s approach will not only achieve environmental justice, but also fortify the human right to adequate housing. “Dare to be the one that stands out,” Lahti says. “It is a lonely journey, but if you don’t believe in yourself and your dream nobody else will.”
Footage by OTHALO was used in the creation of this film
