The ecological future of Zimbabwe’s premier tourist destination has received a massive boost as Duracrete and Ele-Collection officially announced a groundbreaking partnership aimed at sanitizing the entire Victoria Falls region of plastic pollution. Under this historic agreement, Duracrete has committed to purchasing a sufficient volume of eco-aggregate from Ele-Collection to effectively fund and facilitate the removal of all plastic waste from the local environment. This collaboration represents a decisive step toward turning one of the region’s greatest environmental threats into a sustainable resource for the national construction industry.
At the heart of this initiative is Ele-Collection’s innovative “Plazrok” technology, a first-of-its-kind process in Africa that transforms all seven resin types of plastic into a durable building aggregate. Unlike traditional recycling methods that often reject contaminated or mixed plastics, this specialized factory can process plastic waste even with a ten-percent residue of dirt or organic material. Ele-Collection’s ability to shred and extrude these materials into high-performance particles, enables it to produce an aggregate that replaces traditional quarry stone and sand in concrete, effectively locking plastic away for good within the nation’s infrastructure.
The partnership with Duracrete provides the critical market demand needed to scale these operations. The aggregate manufacturer is integrating this recycled aggregate into their large-scale construction projects, reducing its environmental footprint and also providing the financial engine for a widespread community clean-up. This “waste-to-opportunity” model empowers local residents, particularly women from vulnerable backgrounds, who are paid to gather plastic from national parks and urban dump sites. This incentivized collection model ensures that plastic is drained from the ecosystem before it can harm wildlife or mar the beauty of the UNESCO World Heritage site.
Beyond the immediate environmental benefits, the partnership is set to change the face of Zimbabwean construction. Concrete products made with Plazrok are known to be lighter and more flexible than conventional forms, offering enhanced durability for roads, bricks, and paving slabs.
As Duracrete begins to incorporate this material at scale, the ripple effects will be felt across the Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area. This collaboration serves as a powerful testament to how private sector synergy can solve complex ecological crises, proving that when conservation and industry align, the results can be truly transformative for both nature and the economy.
