Building block maker seeks to save environment

Building block makers, Eco-Bricks and Blocks Factory Limited, say with growing pressure on the environment and the rising use of burnt bricks, the company is set to change the trend with recycled cement blocks.

In an interview, Eco-Bricks sales and marketing executive Kwatha Chitanda said the use of fuelwood in burning bricks has adverse effects on the environment.

“It is our dream that one day all construction projects in Malawi shall be done using cement sand bricks and not burnt bricks. We hope for proper laws to make this possible as it is in other countries like Botswana and Zambia,” he said.

While eyeing exhibition of their products at the international trade fair which opened Friday, June 20, Chitanda hailed the Peter Mutharika administration promise to subsidise cement prices, saying that will help realise the dream.

He said the company uses broken quarry stone, which they mix with cement to make fly ash bricks, concrete paver bricks, interlocking paver bricks and soil cement stabilized bricks, wmong other products.

“We expect the business to grow when the price of cement is reduced. We will be able to produce more at a lesser cost and definitely our prices will be lower which means more people will be able to build durable structures at low cost,” said Chitanda.

Currently operating from Chitawira, Blantyre, Eco-Bricks plans to open factory plants in each district and extend distribution points and sales agents to reach out to more customers.