A recently installed planter made out of eco-bricks produced from recycled plastic waste has become a focal point for Welridge residents, and has given them a new reason to admire their greenbelt area.

The planter was made by student Megan Reubenheimer and her friends as a way of reducing plastic waste while promoting environmental awareness in the community.

Megan shared that the project was part of a compulsory environmental sustainability programme at the institution, which required students to carry out useful projects that benefit the community.

She explained that she decided to focus on eco-bricks after discussing ideas with the Welridge Residents Association’s (WRA) vice-chairperson, Audrey Vrachionidis, who suggested creating bricks from plastic bottles to help manage litter in the neighbourhood.

“Sometimes when you walk around the neighbourhood, you see litter here and there, especially in our greenbelt,” Megan explained.

“We need to keep it clean, and the WRA does their best to maintain it. We thought if we encouraged the community to make eco-bricks, it would reduce the plastic waste going to landfills and create something useful at the same time.”

It took almost two months for Megan and her friends to collect plastic from residents and create the eco-bricks themselves. Once enough bricks were made, they constructed a planter, which now stands in the greenbelt. A sign that explains the project and its purpose has also been placed at the site next to the planter.

“It’s a reminder that if we come together as a community, we can make a positive difference. It encourages people to find better uses for their plastic waste rather than just throwing it in the bin or on the ground,” Megan said.

Megan recently completed her BSc in Life Sciences, specialising in Biomedical Science, through Unisa. She hopes her project will inspire other residents’ associations to undertake similar environmental initiatives.