How Green are Your Green Areas?
Looking to create stunning gardens and landscaped areas whilst doing something beneficial for the environment at the same time? Then maybe recycled plastic ‘wood’ is the answer.
Forget what you might think. This material now offers all of the
aesthetics and rustic appeal of wood, but with the added advantage of being made from recycled plastic waste that might otherwise have been sent to landfill. Just imagine: that street sign; that bollard; those fences;
that decking. They could all be made from what was once old silage balewrap, industrial packaging, even unwanted wheelie bins. Like the recycling ads say; the possibilities are endless.
Picture the Perfect Product The recycled plastic wood products now available cater for practically
any landscaping need, and the impressive versatility of plastic means that even if the right product for your particular project doesn’t exist yet, some manufacturers may still able to create it for you. For those who want the greenest of green, there’s also the option of
products made from UK waste recycled at UK facilities. This ensures the environmental benefits of using a recycled plastic wood product aren’t offset by the high product miles and large carbon footprint of it being made from UK waste that’s exported overseas and reprocessed before the recycled item is shipped back to the UK again. The green credentials of these UK made recycled plastic wood
products are such that they’re increasingly being used by showcase examples of sustainable living. Just recently Groundwork Leicester & Leicestershire employed recycled plastic wood decking to extend the café area of its EcoHouse.
Leading by Example Located off Leicester’s Hinckley Road, this EcoHouse plays an
important role in Groundwork Leicester & Leicestershire’s (formerly known as Environ and a member of the national Groundwork Federation) drive to promote sustainable communities. It is designed to be a showhome of eco-conscious living and incorporates literally hundreds of environmentally friendly features in the hope of inspiring visitors to make green improvements to their own homes. Since opening its doors, in 1989, it has welcomed over 100,000 people including members of the Royal family and government ministers. One thing’s for sure.
If recycled plastic wood is good enough for such
high profile eco-projects, it’s definitely good enough for the rest of us with our more conventional environmental aims.
Good for the Environment. Good to Work With. Green products are all well and good but all too often they can mean making sacrifices in terms of product performance or in ease of installation. Recycled plastic wood products are an exception to the rule. They’re actually a godsend to work with. They do not crack or chip and will flex without breaking meaning installation can be both quick and easy. Plus, once in place, you’ll find they’re low maintenance too. Recycled plastic wood may be able to offer all the aesthetics of
conventional wood, but it entails none of wood’s laborious maintenance requirements. Not only are they durable, fade resistant and corrosion proof, but there’s also no need to paint them or treat them with preservatives. Ever. There’s no chance of splinters either and this child friendly nature has
made recycled plastic wood products a popular choice for schools and for play areas. Local authorities too have been quick to embrace recycled plastic
wood products. With their green credentials and low maintenance costs perfectly aligned to the desire of most councils to lead by eco-example and to maximise taxpayers’ money, recycled plastic wood products have been used for projects across the length and breadth of the UK. Lancashire City Council for instance has just used recycled plastic
wood products for a major project on the Langridge Estate in Westgate, Morecambe. Specifically it employed recycled plastic wood to replace and overcome the increasingly expensive maintenance costs of softwood timber boundary fencing, utilising both recycled plastic wood fencing panels and PVCu composite fence posts and gravel boards. It also used recycled plastic wood for low level protective fencing around the Estate’s planted areas.
The popularity of recycled plastic wood continues to grow. As well as schools and local authorities an increasing number of house builders, selfbuilders and property developers are now using this versatile material. Considering its ability to reduce landfill, to cut costs and to minimise
maintenance requirements, the use of recycled plastic wood, for many of us, has become something of a no brainer.
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