Once encased in cement, glass bottles become a strong building material and effective way to cut down on construction costs. Compared to coral block construction, the use of glass bottles reduces building costs by up to 10 per cent.

Using glass as building blocks has been especially practical in Watamu where resorts and restaurants dispose of thousands of bottles a year. In fact, the idea is catching on and several homes in the community have used glass bottles as a way to reuse waste and cut down on construction costs.