When Plastic Becomes Public Infrastructure: How African Cities Are Turning Waste into Shade and Shelter AI-generated conceptual illustration. It does not depict an actual project or location. Could discarded plastic become part of the infrastructure people use every day? Projects in Ghana and Sierra Leone offer two different ways to explore that question: one turns plastic waste into public structures and seating; the other uses purpose-built market canopies to help people cope with extreme heat. The examples are related, but they should not be confused. Ghana’s Mckingtorch Africa has used recycled plastic in public infrastructure. Freetown’s market shade covers, by contrast, use steel frames and Danpalon panels, not recycled plastic. Together, the projects show how material reuse and climate adaptation can contribute to more sustainable cities. The idea was highlighted in a LinkedIn post shared with eLanka. The details below draw on project information from Mckingtorch Africa and the Climate ...