Name: Israel, Princess Anna V.

Section: BSAR-2F
Subject: Science, Technology and Society (STS103)

Community Problem: Increased fire incidents in the Philippines as of 2023 and unrecycled paper
waste.
Proposed Project: Waste Paper as a Fireproof Sustainable Concrete Blocks with Styrene Acrylic
Paint for Waterproofing

Introduction of the Problem:

Fires in residential buildings are most often the consequence of human activity and are
characterized as occurrences that cause considerable property damage and jeopardize human
health and life. According to data issued by the BFP, there were 1,332 documented fires nationally
in April 2023, which is about 40% more than the same period last year. A fire ripped through
hundreds of residences near the Philippine city of Manila in May 2023, killing people and
destroying over 80 homes.
As an architecture student who generates a lot of paper trash, I did various research on how
used paper might benefit our desired profession and, more specifically, our country's concerns,
such as fire incidents, which are becoming more regular.
A waste paper concrete blocks is a high-strength paper made from waste papers, sand, and
Portland cement. Due to its incredibly useful features such as thermal insulation, light weight,
mold resistance, fire resistance, and fungal resistance, waste paper concrete is progressively
gaining pace to take over the low-cost construction market. The use of waste paper on concrete
blocks increases the freshness, structural, durability, and fire resistance features of the concrete by
5% to 10%. In general, it has been decided that the use of WP in concrete production is justified
and technically feasible (Solahuddin, 2022).

The advantages of water paper concrete blocks are very evident, but as for a tropical
country that experiences different types of typhoons, the high-water absorption of waste paper
concrete is a risk, and it cannot be used for external walls because it’s not waterproof. (Solahuddin,
2022). So, this study came up to improve the waste paper concrete by applying a waterproofing
product. Styrene acrylic is a type of paint formulation that has good resistance to water absorption,
has been used for exterior walls, especially firewalls, and is less expensive compared to pure
acrylic (Bisley Company, 2023)
Benefit of the Proposed Project in the Community:
Waste paper concrete is good for the environment since it minimizes the amount of paper
that ends up in the trash and landfills. When compared to traditional concrete used for hollowed
blocks, which is expensive, waste paper concrete blocks shown certain outstanding attributes,
including better density, water absorption, compressive strength, and fire resistance. Building
blocks, interior partition walls, slabs, columns, and beams might all be made from waste paper
concrete. This can be a solution to avoid fire hazards and to provide at least a habitable single-
story house for a person.

Methodology:
Procedure:

Gather all the waste paper or used paper used in making plates for architecture students, or
any waste paper, and all the materials needed to make normal concrete, like Portland cement, sand,
and water. Shred all the paper, gather it, and put it all in a drum or a big container. Put a lot of hot
water in it so that all the shredded paper will soak, and soak it for 24–48 hours. Then, drain the
water and mix the soaked waste paper manually or with an electric mixer. After that, dry the paper
until it hardens. The mixture to build blocks must be 0.8 kg of waste paper, 1.4 kg of cement, and
8kg of sand. Mix then before pouring water. Pour the ½ bucket of water step by step until the
mixture is set and okay for molding. Then put the mixture on the molder and wait until it dries.
Before trying the waterproofing, the blocks must undergo a concrete fire resistance test. And for
the waterproofing, we used a brush and sander first to smoothen the surface of the blocks. After
that, mix the desired color paint and the sapal rtu (styrene acrylic waterproofing) until they are
properly combined, then apply it using a brush or paint roller. Then wait until it dries for 2-4 hours,
then apply the second coat.

Testing:
Waste paper concrete blocks must pass the fire resistance test or be exposed or burned for
four hours and be able to withstand temperatures ranging from 400 to 500 degrees Celsius.
(Zarea,2021). Then, perform a water-tightness test to evaluate the waterproofing. A water-tightness
test is critical for determining the efficiency of exterior wall waterproofing systems. Water should
be sprayed on the wall surface for a couple of hours for this test, with the nozzle set at a 30-degree
angle. Only if a moisture meter confirms that there is no dampness in the blocks it will it pass the
test.