Sargassum has become a huge problem along the coast in Quintana Roo. What do we do with all this seaweed? A man who owns a nursery in Puerto Morelos has built the first house out of sargassum bricks using the same technique used to create adobe bricks. Omar plans to trademark his method. His next project is going to be a hotel in Tulum. This will require thousands upon thousands of bricks.
According to Omar Vázquez Sánchez, the bricks can withstand the conditions that occur in Quintana Roo. Since we do not commonly have earthquakes, houses can be made of the bricks. The bricks are also resistant to hurricanes.
Could this be an answer to all our unwanted seaweed?
The bricks are 60% sargassum and 40% polymers. Polymers are needed to help the bricks stay together. They are dried in the sun, just like adobe, taking up to 3 weeks to be completely dry. And the smell is gone! Don’t know how toxic the bricks remain after the drying process. Currently there are three houses in Puerto Morelos that have been made of the bricks, which are naturally a reddish brown color.
Check out an article Magazine by Maya Luxe https://magazinemayaluxe.com/articles/making-houses-out-of-seaweed for photos and more info. The two photos seen here are from the article.
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