Compounding Impact
The Samsara GUP system and its flagship product, EcoBrik, deliver environmental benefits through a multilayered approach. Rather than solving a single issue, the system creates a "compounding impact" by addressing waste management, resource preservation, and carbon reduction simultaneously.
A typical North American city with a population of three million generates at least 70,000 tonnes of plastic waste per year from households alone, excluding commercial, agricultural, and industrial sources. Around 50% of this household plastic waste is collected and sent to existing recycling programs. Samsara's solution does not displace these programs; instead, it complements municipal recycling systems by providing a pathway for non-recyclable plastic waste.
A dual-compounding processing line can process nearly 2,100 tonnes of plastic waste annually, supporting the decarbonization of plastic waste treatment through its GUP technology.
Low Carbon Industrialization
Global cement production reached approximately 4 billion tonnes in 2024, generating billions of tonnes of CO₂ emissions annually. Replacing conventional concrete bricks with EcoBrik reduces CO₂ emissions through multiple pathways, compounding EcoBrik climate impact.
The following individual annual impacts are based on a dual compounding line producing 3M units of EcoBrik.
CO₂ Emission Reduction From Replacement of concrete bricks
EcoBrik does not contain any cement. Each concrete brick replaced reduces CO₂ emissions by 0.54 kg CO₂e (540 gCO₂e).
CO₂ Emission Reduction From avoiding incineration
Only 19% of plastic waste is currently recycled annually, as much of the collected material is contaminated, difficult, or uneconomic to recycle. As a result, approximately 50% of all plastic waste generated is landfilled. In North America, Plastic waste incineration is expected to increase as landfills rapidly approach end-of-life and plastic occupies a growing share of available capacity.
For our carbon impact calculations, we operate on the baseline assumption that our specific feedstock—industrial mixed-plastic waste—would otherwise be sent to incineration, which is the predominant disposal route for non-recyclable streams in North America. By diverting this plastic waste from combustion to produce EcoBriks, we deliver a significant climate benefit, avoiding approximately 2.00 tonnes of CO₂e for every tonne of plastic diverted.
CO₂ Emission Reduction During Transportation
EcoBrik is 50% lighter than a concrete brick of the same size. Considering height and load limitations of a 40' container, twice as many EcoBriks can be transported in one shipment, significantly reducing CO₂ emission reduction during transportation.
Conservative Assessment
To prevent double-counting, our carbon assessment strictly excludes "Virgin Plastic Avoidance" credits. We claim displacement credits only for avoided concrete production and avoided waste incineration. This conservative approach ensures our Carbon Negative claims remain rigorous, verifiable, and aligned with ISO standards.
*Note: The net reduction of 1.907 kg CO₂e per unit is based on our Vancouver facility utilizing a low-carbon hydroelectric grid (0.011 kg CO₂e/kWh). Deployment in regions with different grid emission factors will alter the manufacturing baseline.
Advanced Waste Diversion
Global plastic production reached 413 million tonnes in 2023, growing at an average annual rate of 4–5%, despite widespread efforts to reduce single-use plastics. Of this volume, only 37 million tonnes are recycled each year, while approximately 226 million tonnes are landfilled, 91 million tonnes are mismanaged, and 78.5 million tonnes are incinerated. Even at a moderated growth rate of 2.5% CAGR, global plastic production is projected to double by 2050.
Samsara directly removes non-recyclable plastic waste from the environment, effectively sequestering plastic waste into a high-density construction material.
Enhancing Landfill Longevity
By transforming plastic and non-ferrous waste into functional resources, Samsara significantly extends the operational lifespan of existing landfills. This intervention is critical given the current landfill landscape:
- Waste Composition: Plastic waste currently accounts for 20% of landfill volume, a figure projected to rise without proactive reduction strategies.
- The Capacity Crisis: Regions like the Northeast U.S. and Ontario are facing a dire shortage of disposal space.
- Economic Relief: Every year of extended landfill life delays the need for hundreds of millions of dollars in capital investment required to manage landfill sites and construct new facilities.
City Scale Impact
By keeping non-recyclable materials in a continuous lifecycle, the system drastically reduces localized emissions footprints.
Manufacturing Environmental Impact
GUP manufacturing leverages modular facilities to drive environmental sustainability. In addition to mitigating CO₂ emissions and preserving landfill capacity, these units optimize resource efficiency and minimize process waste.
Comparative Environmental Impact
- Low Leachate: While traditional recycling plants in the UK have been found to leach up to 6% of processed plastic, Samsara's GUP offers a significantly cleaner alternative.
- Dry Manufacturing Process: Unlike traditional methods, Samsara's GUP is a dry process that requires no water, eliminating water-based plastic discharge.
- Minimal Emissions: The manufacturing process releases insignificant gases, maintaining high air quality standards.
- Superior Leachate Resistance: Independent testing following EPA 1315 standards confirms that EcoBriks exhibit extremely low leachate levels of only 0.0017% over the prescribed testing period.
Natural Resources
*Note: Based on Edirisinghe & Pathirana (2021), the blue water footprint of a standard precast concrete masonry unit is 2.96 litres per brick (Water Footprint Network framework, ISO 14046 aligned, cradle-to-gate). This is the conservative lower bound; other peer-reviewed studies report 4.2–12.6 L per 3 kg CMU, implying potential annual savings of up to ~37,800 m³.
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