guide to plastic lumber

8/6/2019 Guide to Plastic Lumber

1/31

Guide toPlastic Lumber

hbnhealthy building network

The Healthy Building NetworksThe Healthy Building Networks

A report by The Healthy Building Network . A project of the Institute for Local Self-Reliance927 15 th Street, NW, 4th Fl. Washington, DC 20005 www.healthybuilding.net

Brenda Platt, Tom Lent and Bill Walsh

OCTOBER 2005(2nd edition)


2/31

About the Institute for Local Self-RelianceSince 1974, the Institute or Local Sel -Reliance (ILSR) has advised citizens, activists, policymakers, andentrepreneurs on how to design and implement state-o -the-art recycling technologies, policies, and programswith a view to strengthening local economies. ILSRs mission is to provide the conceptual ramework, strategies,and in ormation to aid the creation o ecologically sound and economically equitable communities.

About the Healthy Building Network A project o ILSR since 2000, the Healthy Building Network (HBN) is a network o national and grassrootsorganizations dedicated to achieving environmental health and justice goals by trans orming the buildingmaterials market in order to decrease health impacts to occupants in the built environment home, school andworkplace while achieving global environmental preservation. HBNs mission is to shi t strategic markets inthe building and construction industry away rom what we call worst in classbuilding materials, and towardshealthier, commercially available alternatives that are competitively priced and equal or superior in per ormance.

H al h B il in N r Ins i r L al S l -R lian

927 15th Street, NW, 4 th Floor

Washington, DC 20005phone (202) 898-1610ax (202) 898-1612

general inquiries, e-mail: in [email protected] plastic lumber inquiries, e-mail: [email protected]

www.healthybuilding.net

Copyright October 2005 by the Healthy Building Network. All rights reserved.
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]://www.healthybuilding.net/http://www.healthybuilding.net/mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]


3/31

Table of ContentsAckNowLedgmeNtS

PRe Ac e

executIve SummARy ....................................................................................................... ............................. 1M aterials U sed ....................................................................................................................................................1

r ecycled c ontent ...............................................................................................................................................1

r ecyclability ........................................................................................................................................................1

F indings ................................................................................................................................................................2

RecommeNdAtIoNS ...................................................................................................................................... 3

INtRoductIoN ................................................................................................ ............................................... 4

guIde to tHe RAtINgS ........................................................................................................................ ......... 6M ost e nvironMentally P reFerable .....................................................................................................................6

e nvironMentally P reFerable ...............................................................................................................................6

l ess e nvironMentally P reFerable ........................................................................................................................6

n ot e nvironMentally P reFerable e xcePt For s trUctUral a PPlications ............................................................6

n ot e nvironMentally P reFerable : a void ............................................................................................................7

RAtINgS ............................................................................................. ................................................................. 7

RAtINg cRIteRIA ANd INdINgS .................................................................................... ......................... 10i. M aterials U sed ..............................................................................................................................................10

Polyethylene (HDPE and LDPE) ..................................................................................................................10 Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) .............................................................................................................................12Polystyrene (PS) ............................................................................................................................................12Fiberglass .......................................................................................................................................................13Findings .........................................................................................................................................................1 4

ii. r ecycled c ontent ........................................................................................................................................14

Post-consumer vs. Post-industrial Recycled Plastic Content .........................................................................14Findings .........................................................................................................................................................14

iii. e nd - oF -l iFe r ecyclability : a F acet oF s Ustainable d esign ......................................................................15

Single Resins ..................................................................................................................................................16 Synthetic Composites ....................................................................................................................................16 Wood-Plastic Composites ..............................................................................................................................16 Findings .........................................................................................................................................................17

iv. s trUctUral l UMber : t he e xcePtion to the r Ule .......................................................................................17

RecommeNdAtIoNS .................................................................................................................................... 18

How to cHooSe .............................................................................................. ............................................. 19

coNcLuSIoNS .................................................................................................... ............................................. 20

ReSouRceS ........................................................................................................ ............................................. 21

APPeNdIx 1: PLAStIc LumBeR comPANIeS tHAt dId Not ReSPoNdto ouR INquIRIeS oR SuRvey .................................................................................................................. 22

APPeNdIx 2: coNtActS oR PLAStIc LumBeR comPANIeS ............................................................. 23

eNd NoteS .......................................................................................................... ............................................. 24

IguRe 1: PLAStIc LumBeR PRoduct RAtINgS ..................................................................................... 8

IguRe 2: PLAStIcS uSed IN PLAStIc LumBeR ..................................................................................... 11


4/31

AcknowledgmentsWe grate ully acknowledge all those who provided in ormation or this report. Doug Rowe contributed tothe initial research. He developed our plastic lumber survey tool, gathered data via the Internet and phonediscussions, and compiled survey results. Twenty-three plastic lumber manu acturers and distributors took the

time to answer our questions and provide data on their products. Thanks or participating. We thank MarkGorrell, Ecology Center and Plastics Recycling Task Force, Berkeley, CA and Peter Anderson o RecycleWorldsConsulting or their insight ul review o the report. Thanks to Mark Rossi at Clean Production Action and JamieHarvie o the Institute or a Sustainable Future, or oundational research on chemical hazards and associatedhealth impacts o plastics production, use and disposal. Healthy Building Network sta members Paul Bogart,Matthew Cacho, and Margie Kelly reviewed and improved the nal version o this report. In addition, weacknowledge our assistants Mark Wilger, Danielle Emmet, and Kira Gaza, who helped in many ways. Finally,thanks to Kate Wharmby or editing the report and Oliver Seldman or its layout.

This report was made possible with the nancial support o the Cedar Tree Foundation, Mitchell KaporFoundation, John Merck Fund, New York Community Trust, and the Kendeda Sustainability Fund o theTides Foundation.

All responsibility or the views expressed in this report or or any errors in it rests with the authors.

(Cover photo courtesy o the U.S. Army Corps o Engineers.)


5/31

PrefaceThe Healthy Building Network (HBN) published this report or two reasons. First, we want to assist consumersinterested in purchasing environmentally responsible plastic lumber products. Many who choose plastic lumberare motivated by a desire to save orests or recycle plastic waste. Manu acturers o ten market their products to

appeal to these concerns. This study is the rst to compare and evaluate plastic lumber products strictly rom anenvironmental and public health perspective.

We also want to positively infuence the uture directiono the plastic lumber industry. The market or plasticlumber is growing rapidly and the industry is very muchin fux. Manu acturers continue to experiment withvarious materials and ormulations in order to improveper ormance, reduce costs, and build new markets. As aresult, plastic lumbers composition varies widely, rom100% post-consumer recycled content to 100% virginplastic resin. Some products are made with a single plastic resin, others use combinations o resins, and stillothers combine other materials with plastic to make a composite. This report seeks to steer both manu acturersand purchasers towards product ormulations that are ecologically superior, and to reverse sales trends or themost ecologically harm ul products such as virgin polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastic.

We know this can be done. In 2002 HBN initiated a consumer campaign that resulted in a negotiated agreementto eliminate the use o the chromated copper arsenate (CCA) wood treatment ormula rom approximately 80%o the annual $4 billion dollar pressure-treated wood market. This ended, as o January 2004, the nations largestuse o arsenic and the largest source o arsenic exposure to Americans. In another area, our close collaborationwith leading healthcare institutions to develop green building and procurement guidelines has already resulted inthe introduction o more than a dozen PVC- ree alternative products.

Happily our research concludes that more than one quarter o the plastic lumber products or which we havein ormation currently use material ormulations that we rate Most Environmentally Pre erable in this report.This nding holds with it the prospect that the plastic lumber industry on the whole can be an important part o a more sustainable economy.

More than one-third of the plastic lumber products considered are rated Most Environmentally Preferable.


6/31

Executive SummaryThis Healthy Building Network report compares and evaluates di erent plastic lumber types rom anenvironmental and public health perspective, and o ers advice on how to choose a plastic lumber product basedupon its health hazards and recycling impacts. We rate the environmental pre erability o 55 plastic lumber

products manu actured by 44 companies based on three criteria:1) Materials used2) Recycled content3) Potential recyclability

No determination is made as to whether plastic lumber is on the whole either more or less pre erable to othermaterials with which it competes such as naturally rot-resistant wood, pressure-treated wood, steel, aluminum, orconcrete. Rather, this in ormation is intended to in orm those who are interested in understanding the range o environmental and public health impacts associated with di erent plastic lumber products.

Materials UsedMost plastic lumber products on the market are made rom polyethylene (commonly available in high and lowdensities, HDPE and LDPE). Some manu acturers are also using polystyrene (PS) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC).Still others rely on a commingled mix o di erent types o plastics (largely collected rom municipal recyclingprograms). All plastic types (also called plastic resins) currently used or lumber share a common origin in

ossil uels and thus a common set o initial environmental and public health impacts. Plastics di er, however,according to their manu acturing procedures and the additional materials used in ormulating various products.These di erences distinguish some plastics as possessing greater chemical hazards than others throughout theirli ecycle o production, use, and disposal. While no plastic is environmentally benign, our analysis concludes thatthe polyethylenes possess lesser chemical hazards and associated environmental health impacts, making themenvironmentally pre erable to those that have greater hazards and impacts such as PS and PVC.

To improve per ormance qualities such as rigidity or strength, some plastic lumber producers rein orce the

primary plastic resin with other materials. Fiberglass is one material o ten used to increase the load-bearingcapacity o plastic lumber. As berglass production and use raise signi cant health concerns, we rate berglass-rein orced lumber products lower than berglass- ree products. At least one company combines polystyrenewith HDPE or added strength. Because polystyrenes li ecycle o production, use and disposal is associated withgreater chemical hazards, we give a lower rating to products containing this resin.

Recycled ContentRecycled content varies widely among plastic lumber products. One hal o the products we review containpost-consumer plastic content. We give the most credit to products that have a minimum 50% post-consumercontent. We give a lower rating to products that have less than 50% minimum post-consumer content.

RecyclabilityIn general, products that can be recycled a ter their intended use are environmentally pre erable over thosethat cannot. Recycling contributes to an overall reduction in resource consumption and pollution over time.More than a dozen companies o er lumber made rom a single resin, polyethylene, one o the most recyclableand recycled plastics, while other plastic lumber products also contain other plastics, berglass, and/or wood

ber or wood four. Based upon the record o plastics recycling to date, these composite products will be moredi cult to recycle e ectively than single resins. There ore, we avor single-polyethylene-resin products as moreenvironmentally pre erable over plastic composites or lumber made rom commingled plastics.

1


7/31

Findings m s en ir n n all Pr rabl : More

than one-third o the products (15 o 55)we survey earn this designation. They useonly high- or low-density polyethylene and

contain high volumes (50% and greater) o post-consumer recycled content.

en ir n n all Pr rabl : Only three products we survey combine highpercentages o post-consumer recycledcontent with other plastics or wood bers.This designation acknowledges the highpost-consumer content but downgrades theblending o di erent materials.

L ss en ir n n all Pr rabl : One

third o the products we survey (18 o 55) earn this designation . These includemixtures o plastics and wood having low(less than 50%) post-consumer recycledcontent, and the HDPE-only productswith low, zero, or unknown post-consumerrecycled content.

N en ir n n all Pr rabl e pr S r ral Appli a i ns:Four o the

products we survey are unique or their usein demanding structural applications suchas bridge supports or railroad ties. Theseproducts contain berglass or polystyrene,materials associated with greater healthhazards during their li ecycle. Their usemay be justi ed or these applications;otherwise avoid.

N en ir n n all Pr rabl :Morethan one quarter o the products we survey (15 o 55) earn this designation. Theseinclude PVC and polystyrene productsthat contain no post-consumer recycledplastic content. None o the products inthis category contain more than 30% post-consumer plastic content.

Plastic Lumber Product RatingsMost Environmentally Preferable

Ameriwood (American Plastic Lumber)Bear Board (Engineered Plastic Systems)BreezeWood (Aeolian Enterprises)Eco-Tech (Eco-Tech)

Eco-Tuff (Eco-Tech)Enviro-Curb (Enviro-Curb Manufacturing)Everlast (Everlast Plastic Lumber)HDPE lumber (U.S. Plastic Lumber)Leisure Deck (The Plastic Lumber Company)MAXITUF (Resco Plastics)Millennium Lumber (BJM Industries)Orcaboard (Durable Plastic Design)Perma-Deck Advantage+ (Cascades)PlasTEAK (PlasTEAK)Select (Bedford Technology)

Environmentally PreferablePerma-Deck Elegance (Cascades)Plasboard (Northern Plastic Lumber)Rhino Deck (Master Mark Plastics)

Less Environmentally PreferableDream Composite Deck (Thermal Industries)ChoiceDek (A.E.R.T., Inc.)CorrectDeck (Correct Building Products)CrossTimbers (Elk Composite Building Products)Evergrain (Epoch Composite Products)Evolve & Perma-Poly (Renew Plastics Division)

beron (Fiber Composites)Four Seasons (Delmarva Industries)Geodeck (Kadant Composites)Latitudes Decking (Universal Forest Products)Monarch (Green Tree Composites)Oasis Composite (Alcoa Home Exteriors)Polywood nonstructural (Polywood)TimberTech (TimberTech)

Trex Origins (Trex)Veranda (Universal Forest Products)WeatherBest Select (Louisiana-Paci c)WindRiver Fence (Aeolian Enterprises)

Not Environmentally Preferable Except for Structural ApplicationsAmeriwood-Plus (American Plastic Lumber)FiberForce (Bedford Technology)Polywood (Polywood)Trimax (U.S. Plastic Lumber)

Not Environmentally Preferable AvoidBoardwalk (CertainTeed)Country Estate (Nebraska Plastics)Deck Lok (Royal Crown)Deck/Dock (Wastech Fencing)Dream Deck (Thermal Industries)eon (CPI Plastic Group)EverNew, Bufftech (CertainTeed)Forever-Wood (Forever Wood)Oasis PVC Deck (Alcoa Home Exteriors)Procell (Procell Decking Systems)Sheerline (L.B. Plastics)Synboard (Synboard America)VEKAdeck (VEKA)vinyl decking (Poly Vinyl Creations)Xpotential (XPotential Products)

Source: Healthy Building Network, 2005.Note: Full chart is on page 8.

2


8/31

RecommendationsThe Healthy Building Network endorses the ollowing guidelines or plastic lumber purchases. These guidelinesare based on environmental, public health, and recycling considerations.

a r pr s:

i h hi h r l n n ,speci cally high post-consumer recycled content.

a r hi h- nsi an l - nsi p l h l n (HdPe an LdPe), recyclable resinsassociated with ewer chemical hazards and impacts than other petroleum-based polymers.

b pr rs s r in r sins r l al ni ipal r lin pr ra s, there ore cuttingtransportation costs and supporting the local economy.

Li i s :

-plas i p si sbecause o concerns about mixing biological and synthetic materials,including limited end-o -li e recyclability.

fb r lass-r in r r p l s r n -bl n s r ral plas i l b r an in s r ralappli a i ns such as railroad ties and bridge supports, as a less toxic alternative to chemically treatedwood.

pr s i h l ipl in l r l ns r plas i sas they will have more contaminantsand inconsistent properties. They also support token markets or plastics that otherwise are largely unrecyclable, and many o which are highly toxic. This perpetuates the use o plastics that should bephased out.

A i pr s a i h:

Pvc an p l s r n because these are associated with more chemical hazards and impactsthroughout their li ecycle than other plastics.

fb r lass r n ns r ral appli a i nsthat do not require rein orced plastic lumber (such asdecking boards, benches, and tables).

pr inan l n n-r l plas i s.Alternatives with high recycled content are readily available.

3


9/31

IntroductionPlastic lumber is gaining market share in applications ranging rom decking, retaining walls, and encing topark benches, tables, playground equipment, and landscaping products. 1 Plastic lumber is generally perceivedas an environmentally riendly substitute to hardwoods rom endangered orests, and a non-toxic alternative

to widely used pressure-treated wood, which contains copper and other chemicals. 2 Plastic lumber is alsoan important market or discarded consumer plastics, helping to divert valuable materials rom land ll andincinerator disposal. Product advertising o ten emphasizes these advantages. Product names such as Enviro-Curb, Green Tree Composites, CorrectDeck, and Eco-Tech help brand the product as green.

All plastic lumber is not equal, however. The term plastic lumber encompasses a wide range o materials andproducts. The type o plastics used, the amount o recycled content, recyclability o the end products, additivesand intended applications di er rom product to product. Several authorities currently o er consumers adviceconcerning the price and per ormance o plastic lumber products. 3 This Healthy Building Networks Guide toPlastic Lumber is the rst to compare and evaluate plastic lumber types and brands rom an environmental andpublic health perspective, and to o er buyers advice on how to choose a plastic lumber product based upon itsenvironmental, public health and recycling impacts.

This Guide evaluates plastic lumberproducts based upon three criteria:

ma rials us : Most plastic lumberproducts on the market are made rom asingle resin, polyethylene, which is availablein high and low densities (HDPE andLDPE). Some manu acturers are also usingpolystyrene (PS) and polyvinyl chloride(PVC). Still others rely on a commingledmix o di erent types o plastics (largely collected rom municipal recyclingprograms). All plastic types (also calledplastic resins) currently used or lumbershare a common origin in ossil uels andthus a common set o initial environmentaland public health impacts. Plastics di er,however, according to their manu acturingprocedures and the additional materialsused in ormulating various products.These di erences distinguish some plasticsas possessing greater chemical hazards

than others throughout their li ecycle o production, use, and disposal. While noplastic is environmentally benign, ourevaluation concludes that the polyethylenespossess lesser chemical hazards andassociated environmental health impacts,making them environmentally pre erable tothose that have greater hazards and impactssuch as PS and PVC.

Plastic Lumber and Its Applications

Plastic lumber is a manufactured product generally rectangular in cross-section and typically supplied in sizes corresponding totraditional lumber. It may be solid or hollow and composed of single or commingled resins or may be blended with wood or other plant bers. It is typically at least 50 percent by weight resin.

Plastic lumber appeared in the marketplace in the late1980s. Since then, plastic lumber products have undergonea series of developmental advancements that haveimproved performance, reduced the price, and increasedavailability. Early offerings had signi cant problems withsagging and heat-induced warping. Engineering has greatlyincreased the mechanical properties of current products.

A wide variety of products can be made with plastic lumber; mostrepresent outdoor applications:

Dimensional lumber

Decking

Boardwalks & walkways

Marine docks

Fencing & posts

Picnic tables

Benches

Bridges

Retaining walls

Railroad ties

Pallets

Planters & landscaping timbers

Trash can receptacles

Playground equipment

Compost bins

Animal stalls

Sound barriers

Parking stops

Sign posts and signs

Bicycle racks

Truck sideboards

Source: Healthy Building Network, 2005; and ASTMSpeci es Plastic Lumber for Exterior Decking, ASTMStandardization News, Sept. 2001, available online athttp://www.astm.org/SNEWS/SEPTEMBER_2001/pllum_sept01.html .

4
http://www.astm.org/SNEWS/SEPTEMBER_2001/pllum_sept01.htmlhttp://www.astm.org/SNEWS/SEPTEMBER_2001/pllum_sept01.html


10/31

To improve per ormance qualities such as rigidity orstrength, some plastic lumber producers rein orce theprimary plastic resin with other materials. Fiberglass is onematerial o ten used to increase the load-bearing capacity o plastic lumber. As berglass production and use have beenlinked to pulmonary lung disease, a ecting the lungs in amanner similar to asbestos, we rate berglass-rein orcedlumber products lower than berglass- ree products. Atleast one company combines polystyrene with HDPE

or added strength. Because polystyrenes li ecycle o production, use and disposal is associated with greaterchemical hazards, we give a lower rating to products containing this resin.

P s - ns r R l c n n: Recycled content varies widely among plastic lumber products. More thanone hal o the products we review contain post-consumer recycled plastic content. We give the most credit toproducts that have a minimum 50% post-consumer content and a composition with high potential or end-o -li e recyclability.

P n ial R labili : Products that can be recycled a ter their intended use are environmentally pre erable tothose that cannot. More than a dozen companies o er lumber made rom a single resin, polyethylene, one o themost recyclable and recycled plastics. However, many other plastic lumber products also contain other plastics,

berglass, or plant ber. Based upon the record o plastics recycling to date, these composite products will bemore di cult to recycle than single resins. There ore, we avor single-resin products as more environmentally pre erable over plastic composites or lumber made rom commingled plastics.

HBNs Guide to Plastic Lumber is the first to compare and evaluate plastic lumber types and brands

from an environmental and public health perspective.

5


11/31

Guide to the Ratings

Most Environmentally PreferableMore than one quarter o the products (15 o 55) we survey earn the designation Most Environmentally Pre erable because they use only polyethylene and contain high volumes (50% and greater) o post-consumercontent.

Environmentally PreferableOnly three products we survey combine high percentages o post-consumer recycled content with other plasticsor wood bers. This designation acknowledges the high post-consumer content but downgrades the blending o di erent materials.

Less Environmentally PreferableAlmost one third o the products we survey (18 o 55) earn this designation . These include mixtures o plastics

and wood having low (less than 50%) post-consumer recycled content; the HDPE-only products with low, zero,or unknown post-consumer recycled content; and one product that combines post-consumer polyethylene withpre-consumer polystyrene.

Not Environmentally Preferable Except for Structural ApplicationsFour o the products we survey are unique or their use in demanding structural applications such as bridgesupports or railroad ties. These products contain berglass or polystyrene, materials associated with greaterhealth hazards during their li ecycle. Their use may be justi ed or these applications; otherwise avoid them.

Most EnvironmentallyPreferable

Favor products with highpost-consumer recycled

content and made fromrecyclable resins that avoidthe environmental healthconcerns of the worst resins

Post-consumer recycled plasticcontent 50% and greater

Made from high-density and low-densitypolyethylene, considered to have aless toxic lifecycle than other resins

More readily recyclable

EnvironmentallyPreferable

Limit the use ofcomposite products

Mostly plastic resins mixed with biologicalmaterials, primarily wood ber

Questionable end-of-life recyclability

Less EnvironmentallyPreferable

Limit the use of productswith low post-consumerrecycled content

Post-consumer recycled plastic contentless than 50% or do not providedata on post-consumer content

Comparable products with higher post-consumer content are readily available

Not EnvironmentallyPreferable Except forStructural Applications

Limit to demandingstructural applications

Contain materials with high health impacts:

berglass recycled polystyrene (PS)

Not EnvironmentallyPreferable

Avoid Environmentaland public healthhazard concern

Contain materials withhighest health impact:

virgin PVC virgin polystyrene (PS), or shredded mixed automobile parts

(auto-shredder uff), which containsheavy metals and toxic re retardants

6


12/31

Not Environmentally Preferable: AvoidMore than one quarter o the products we survey (15 o 55) earn this designation. These include products made

rom PVC, polystyrene, and plastics recovered rom shredding automobiles. This auto-shredder fu is o tencontaminated with toxic fame retardants and heavy metals. None o the products contain more than 30% post-consumer plastic content, and the PVC and polystyrene products contain no post-consumer recycled plastic

content. Competitive products made rom less harm ul plastics and higher recycled content are readily availableon the market. PVC-based and polystyrene-based products made o predominantly virgin resin are completely unsustainable products and can be easily avoided.

RatingsFigure 1 lists 44 plastic lumber companies and 55 o their products. Also included are data on these productsrecycled content and main material eedstocks (recycled or not). Appendix 1 lists those companies that didnot provide in ormation upon request. Avoid products rom these companies until they in orm consumers o

product composition.

MethodologyWe initially identi ed 67 plastic lumber manu acturers by searching the Internet, especially recycling market andrecycled-content databases, 4 and by using our existing knowledge o some companies. In February 2005, all 67companies were invited to participate in our online survey soliciting data on the companies and their products.Fi teen companies responded to our survey. We rate these and 29 other companies or which we were able toobtain data, including the more widely known brands such as Trex and ChoiceDek. [Additional or correctedin ormation provided to us will be periodically added to the online version o this report. We invite submissionso company and product data or our database. Contact [email protected] .]

A Note on AdditivesPlastic lumber contains various additives such as color pigments, UV stabilizers, and sometimes fame retardants.Analysis o these compounds was beyond the scope o this report.

Rating DisclaimerData on material eedstocks and recycled content were provided directly by companies through the survey, by

ollow-up calls and emails to manu acturers, and rom their Web sites. Material assessments are made solely based on data provided by companies. Neither the Healthy Building Network nor the Institute or Local Sel -Reliance has directly tested any o these products or material content, nor have we independently veri ed any manu acturers claims. No recommendation on per ormance o these products is made or implied.

7


13/31

Figure 1: Plastic Lumber Product Ratings

Brand (Company) Composition Plastics / Other

Recycled Content (%)Post-consumer Total

Notes

Most Environmentally PreferableBear Board (Engineered Plastic Systems) HDPE 100 100 AMillennium Lumber (BJM Industries) HDPE, LDPE 100 100 AOrcaboard (Durable Plastic Design) HDPE 100 100 APlasTEAK (PlasTEAK) HDPE 100 100 ASelect (Bedford Technology) HDPE, LDPE 100 100 AHDPE lumber (U.S. Plastic Lumber) HDPE 90 90 ALeisure Deck (The Plastic Lumber Company) HDPE 80 to 95 100 AEverlast (Everlast Plastic Lumber) HDPE 80 100 AEco-Tech (Eco-Tech) HDPE 75 to 100 95 to 100 AAmeriwood (American Plastic Lumber) HDPE, LDPE 75 to 95 85 to 95 AEnviro-Curb (Enviro-Curb Manufacturing) HDPE 75 100 AMAXITUF (Resco Plastics) HDPE 60 100 APerma-Deck Advantage+ (Cascades) HDPE 50 100 AEco-Tuff (Eco-Tech) HDPE 50 90 ABreezeWood (Aeolian Enterprises) HDPE 50 50 A

Environmentally PreferablePerma-Deck Elegance (Cascades) HDPE / wood 50 100 BRhino Deck (Master Mark Plastics) HDPE / wood 50 100 BPlasboard (Northern Plastic Lumber) HDPE, LDPE, PP / R 75 100 C

Less Environmentally PreferableEvolve, Perma-Poly (Renew Plastics Division) HDPE NA 90 DFour Seasons (Delmarva Industries) HDPE 0 100 DWindRiver Fence (Aeolian Enterprises) HDPE 0 0 to 30 DDream Composite Deck (Thermal Industries) HDPE, LDPE / rice hulls, paper pulp 33 100 EChoiceDek (A.E.R.T., Inc.) HDPE, LDPE / wood 30 100 ECorrectDeck (Correct Building Products) PP / wood 1 to 20 70 ETrex Origins (Trex) HDPE, LDPE / wood some 100 EGeodeck (Kadant Composites) HDPE / cellulosic ber, minerals 0 to 35 40 to 85 E

beron (Fiber Composites) HDPE, LDPE / wood NA 50 to 100 FLatitudes Decking (Universal Forest Products) HDPE / wood NA 75 to 88 FVeranda (Universal Forest Products) HDPE / wood NA 75 to 88 FMonarch (Green Tree Composites) HDPE / wood 0 75 to 80 FWeatherBest Select (Louisiana-Paci c) HDPE / wood 0 60 to 95 FCrossTimbers (Elk Composite Building Products) PP / wood 0 66 FEvergrain (Epoch Composite Products) HDPE, LDPE / wood NA NA FOasis Composite (Alcoa Home Exteriors) HDPE / wood NA NA FTimberTech (TimberTech) HDPE / wood NA NA FPolywood nonstructural (Polywood) HDPE, PS 50 100 G

Not Environmentally Preferable Except for Structural ApplicationsAmeriwood-Plus (American Plastic Lumber) HDPE, LDPE / FG 75 to 95 85 to 95 HTrimax (U.S. Plastic Lumber) HDPE / FG 65 65 HFiberForce (Bedford Technology) HDPE, LDPE / FG 50 95 HPolywood (Polywood) HDPE, PS 30 100 H

Not Environmentally Preferable AvoidBoardwalk (CertainTeed) PVC / wood 0 45 to 50 ICountry Estate (Nebraska Plastics) PVC 0 0 IDeck Lok (Royal Crown) PVC 0 0 IDeck/Dock (Wastech Fencing) PVC 0 0 IDream Deck (Thermal Industries) PVC 0 0 I

EverNew, Bufftech (CertainTeed) PVC 0 0 IForever-Wood (Forever Wood) PVC NA 94 IOasis PVC Deck (Alcoa Home Exteriors) PVC 0 0 IProcell (Procell Decking Systems) PVC / ax 0


14/31

Notes to Figure 1

Total recycled content may include scrap generated from manufacturing. For wood-plastic composites, the totalrecycled content includes wood and plastic. These composites are typically 50 to 75 percent wood.

Avoid products from companies not listed on this chart until they provide product information. See Appendix of

report for a list of companies who did not respond to our information requests.

A High post-consumer recycled content, high potential recyclability, AND made from resins associated withfewer environmental health hazards throughout their lifecycle.

B Good recycled content but end-of-life recyclability hampered by wood-plastic mixture.

C High recycled content but made with a mixture of recycled resins which could limit applications as well asend-of-life recyclability.

D Low or unknown post-consumer recycled content; similar products with higher post-consumer recycledcontent available.

E Some post-consumer recycled content but end-of-life recyclability still hampered by wood-plastic mixture.

F Zero or unknown post-consumer recycled content AND combines wood or other cellulosic material withplastic hampering end-of-life recyclability.

G Made with recycled pre-consumer polystyrene. Virgin polystyrene is a material associated with ahazardous production process.

H Made with polystyrene or berglass, materials associated with greater health hazards during their lifecycle. These products have added strength for demanding structural applications and their use maybe justi ed for these situations; otherwise avoid.

I Made with virgin PVC, a material associated with greater environmental health hazards throughout itslifecycle and that has few recycling options.

J Made with virgin polystyrene, a material made with known and suspected human carcinogenic materials.

K Contains auto-shredder uff, which can contain brominated ame retardants and heavy metals.

Disclaimer: Neither the Healthy Building Network nor the Institute for Local Self-Reliance has tested or assessedany of these products for material content or performance. In addition, we could not fully assess the nature of additives and did not rate these products based on toxicity of additives such as color pigments.

Source: Healthy Building Network (HBN), 2005. Data for 15 companies was collected via HBNs February 2005Web-based survey. For the other 29 companies, data is based on visiting the manufacturers Web site and/or bycontacting the company.

9


15/31

Rating Criteria and FindingsI. Materials UsedMost plastic lumber products on the market are made rom high- and low-density polyethylenes (HDPE andLDPE). Some manu acturers are also using polystyrene (PS) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC). Some combinepolystyrene or berglass with HDPE. Still others rely on a commingled mix o di erent types o plastic resins(largely collected rom municipal recycling programs).

Presently all the plastics used in plastic lumber are derived rom petroleum and natural gas. As such they sharethe signi cant environmental health burdens associated with ossil uel extraction, re ning, and use. They vary signi cantly, however, in their environmental and public health implications because o di erences in thechemicals and additives used to achieve the desired properties o the plastic.

In this report, the plastic resins used in plastic lumber areevaluated and compared or chemical hazards applying amethodology developed by the Healthy Building Network.This hazard assessment method emphasizes pollutionprevention at the source by avoiding materials andprocesses that use or generate priority hazardous chemicalsthat have been targeted or reduction or elimination ona select set o U.S. and international governmental lists. 5 By using this methodology, we link the signi cance whichwe place on the environmental and public health impactso these materials to established public policy goals. When

applied against these criteria, some plastic resins are clearly better than others rom an environmental and publichealth perspective. Polyethylene has ewer chemical hazards and associated impacts than PVC or PS. A similarconclusion has been reached by other independent authorities including Environmental Building News, 6 TheGrassRoots Recycling Network, 7 and Greenpeace. 8

Figure 2 lists the various plastic resins used to make plastic lumber, and identi es associated health issues andrecyclability potential. In addition, berglass is a major component o some plastic lumber, and its human healthimpacts also deserve consideration.

P l h l n (HdPe an LdPe)High-density polyethylene plastic (HDPE), requently used to make milk and water jugs and shampoo containers,is one o the most highly recycled plastics. In 2001, the recycling level or high-density polyethylene (HDPE)milk and water bottles was 28.4%. 9 An average 300-pound picnic table made rom recycled HDPE utilizesbetween 1,890 and 2,700 milk jugs. 10 Low-density polyethylene (LDPE) is used to package cream cheese, butter,spreads, and other dairy products. In addition, many plastic bags are made rom LDPE.

Like all ossil- uel-based plastics, polyethylene manu acturing is an energy-intensive process that utilizesnumerous toxic and hazardous materials. Emissions o polyethylene manu acturing acilities include a widerange o persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic outputs. However, both HDPE and LDPE lack additional toxicinputs associated with the two other plastics used in plastic lumber, polystyrene, and PVC. This in turn resultsin ewer toxic hazards throughout the ull production cycle, as well as during routine use and at the end o theproducts service li e.11 Fewer additives and a more uni orm composition also help account or the relatively highrecycling rate o HDPE. These properties also suggest that recycled polyethylene products intrinsically have highrecycling potential.

The toxic hazards of the PVC lifecycle from its manufacture,

use, and disposal lead many to consider it the worst plastic from an environmental health

perspective.

10


16/31

Figure 2: Plastics Used in Plastic Lumber

Other Common Applications Health Issues Recyclability

P

R

E

F

E

R

High-DensityPolyethylene (HDPE)

milk and water jugs, detergentcontainers, trash bags

HDPE does not requiretoxic plasticizers suchas phthalates. Someapplications use ameretardant additives, whichif brominated are toxic.

High potential for mechanical recycling.HDPE bottles arecollected in mostcurbside recyclingprograms. In 2001,28% of HDPE milkand water bottleswere recycled.

5

5

5

5

5

5

5

5

Low-DensityPolyethylene (LDPE)

dry-cleaning, trash, produce,and bread bags; shrink wrap;containers for dairy products

LDPE does not requiretoxic plasticizers suchas phthalates. Someapplications use ame

retardant additives, whichif brominated are toxic.

Technically can berecycled; actualrecycling levelsare under 3%.

Infrastructure for collection of LDPEwrap and bags isnot well developed.

Polystyrene (PS) foam insulation, packagingpeanuts, plastic utensils,meat trays, egg cartons,take-out containers, single-use disposable cups

PS production usesbenzene (a known humancarcinogen), and styrene and1,3-butadiene (suspectedhuman carcinogenicsubstances). Styrene is aneurotoxin and is known tobe toxic to the reproductivesystem. PS releases toxicchemicals when burned.

Recycling levelis negligible,less than 1%.

A

V

O

I

D

Polyvinyl Chloride(PVC or vinyl)

Most PVC is used in buildingmaterials such as pipes,siding, membrane roo ng,

ooring, and windowframes as well as in other consumer products suchas shower curtains, beachballs, and credit cards

PVC is made from the vinylchloride monomer, a knownhuman carcinogen. PVC hasa high chlorine and additivecontent. Toxic additives suchas phthalate softeners arenot bound to the plastic andleach out. PVC releasesdioxin and other persistentorganic pollutants during itsmanufacture and disposal.

Recycling level isnegligible. At tracequantities, PVC caninterfere with therecycling of other resins such as HDPEand polyethyleneterephthalate (PET)used in soda andwater bottles.

Source: Healthy Building Network, 2005.

11


17/31

P l in l chl ri (Pvc)PVC plastic, commonly known as vinyl, isunique in that its composition is at least 50%chlorine content by weight. PVC uses abouta third o the worlds chlorine production.The toxic hazards o the PVC li ecycle romits manu acture, use, and disposal lead many to consider it the worst plastic rom anenvironmental health perspective. Productionand disposal o PVC releases into the air,water and land persistent pollutants thatpresent both acute and chronic health hazards.They are known to cause cancer, disrupt theendocrine system, impair reproduction, causebirth de ects, impair child development,damage the brain, disrupt the immune system,and cause endometriosis and neurologicaldamage. Many o these pollutants, especially dioxins, are dispersed throughout the worldand exist in the bodies o most Americans atdetectable levels.12 13

Finally, PVC is useless without the additiono a plethora o toxic chemical stabilizers such as lead, cadmium and organotins andphthalate plasticizers. These are required tokeep PVC rom breaking down and to make itfexible or rigid as needed. They are, however,not permanently bound to the PVC but ratherslowly released rom the PVC. The resultingpollution presents risks that include asthma,lead poisoning, birth de ects, and cancer.The multitude o additives required to makePVC use ul make large scale post-consumerrecycling nearly impossible or most productsand inter ere with the recycling o other plastics. The Association o Post Consumer Plastics Recyclers declaredPVC a contaminant in 1998. 14 PVC also poses a great risk in building res. Long be ore it ignites, PVC releasesdeadly gases such as hydrogen chloride, which turns to hydrochloric acid in contact with moisture, such as in thelungs when inhaled. As PVC burns, whether intentionally in waste incinerators or burn barrels, or accidentally inbuilding or land ll res, it releases yet more toxic dioxins. 15

P l s r n (PS)The process o manu acturing polystyrene includes benzene, ethyl benzene, and the monomer styrene. Benzeneis a known carcinogen. Ethyl benzene is a possible carcinogen. Styrene is a suspected human carcinogen and aknown neurotoxin which can attack the central and peripheral nervous systems. 16 Styrene also adversely a ectsthe digestive, respiratory, and endocrine systems. 17 Styrene is considered a hormone-disrupting chemical. 18 Burning polystyrene poses urther health impacts. One study indicates that when burned at temperatures o 800-900 degrees Celsius (the typical range o a modern incinerator), the products o polystyrene combustionconsisted o a complex mixture o polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) rom alkyl benzenes to

The Chlorine Factor: The Problem with PVC

PVC is made from the monomer vinyl chloride, classi ed bythe U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as a known humancarcinogen. Vinyl chloride is made from substantial amounts of chlorine. It is the chlorine in PVC that contributes to the formation

of dioxin, another human carcinogen, during production, andwhen it burns in res or waste incinerators. Because of its highchlorine content and large production volumes, PVC is likelythe largest material source of dioxin to the environment.

Dioxin is a persistent bioaccumulative toxic chemical (PBT). It doesnot degrade rapidly, accumulating in fatty tissue and concentratingas it goes up the food chain. For example, dioxins from Louisianamanufacturing plants migrate on the wind and concentrate in GreatLakes sh. Dioxins are even found in hazardous concentrationsin the Arctic Circle in the tissues of whales and polar bears andin Inuit mothers breast milk. The dioxin exposure of the averageAmerican already poses a calculated risk of cancer of greater than 1 in 1,000. Even worse, dioxins concentrate in breastmilk to the point that human infants now receive high doses,orders of magnitude greater than those of the average adult.

Dioxins are among a class of synthetic chemicals known asendocrine disruptors, chemicals that mimic the role of hormonesin human biology and that are believed to interfere with eachstage of human development damaging the male sperm,the female egg prior to fertilization, and the fetus in utero.

In the US, PVC is manufactured predominantly near low-incomecommunities in Texas and Louisiana. The toxic impact of pollutionfrom these factories on these communities has made them afocus in the environmental justice movement. Chlorine is also ahighly toxic chemical and makes the PVC manufacturing plantsand the trains that supply them highly vulnerable. A simple

terrorist attack could release a toxic cloud or clouds that wouldspread for miles, potentially endangering millions of lives.

Source: Thornton, Joe. Pandoras Poison: Chlorine, Health and a New Environmental Strategy (March 2000, MIT Press); and Thornton, Joe. Environmental Impacts of Polyvinyl Chloride Building Materials . Washington: Healthy Building Network, 2002.

12


18/31

benzo[ghi]perylene. Over 90 di erentcompounds were identi ed in combustione fuents rom polystyrene.19 In addition,like PVC, polystyrene is recycled at negligiblelevels due in part to technical di culty andin part to di culty and impracticality o establishing an in rastructure or collectingpolystyrene discards.

ib r lassSome companies add berglass to rein orceplastic lumber and enable it to bear loadscomparable to wood lumber. Fiberglassis a mechanical irritant and any sur ace berglass should be removed orapplications where human or animal skinwill come into contact with the material. 20

More importantly berglass has beenlinked to pulmonary disease, a ectingthe lungs in a manner similar to asbestos,though not as virulent. In 1994, the U.S.National Toxicology Program in its SeventhAnnual Report on Carcinogens noted that

berglass is reasonably anticipated to bea carcinogen. Although currently listedby the International Agency or Researchon Cancer (IARC) as unclassi able withregards to carcinogenicity, this status

is controversial, and some researchersbelieve berglass (like the similar naturally occurring ber asbestos) causes cancer inanimals and humans. 21 Workers machining

berglass-rein orced plastic lumber areadvised to wear a properly tting NIOSH 22 approved dust mask or respiratory protection and to wear protective gloveswhen handling it. 23

Although manu acturers using berglassclaim that respirable glass bers are present

at de minimus levels during manu acturingand use, 24 we know o no independentstudies that support this claim with datagathered during the manu acturing process,or during the sawing and grinding typically associated with product usage and recyclingoperations respectively.

Arent all plastics bad?

A 1996 Report of the Berkeley Plastics Task Force found thata link exists between the promotion of plastics recycling andan increase in production of virgin resin. 1 The most recycledplastics are HDPE, LDPE, and polyethylene terephthalate (PET,

commonly used for soda bottles). Their combined recyclingrate is 8%. 2 The recycling level for all other types of plasticscombined is less than 3%. Plastics recycling can also be usedto justify the production of disposable and single-use packagingand thus thwart any efforts to switch to biodegradable or reusablematerials. 3 Plastic is the fastest growing part of the waste streamand by far the most expensive for cities to manage. Plastic wastealso threatens the very life of the ocean. Recent research, for example, reveals that the ocean surface has six times moremass of plastic pieces than zooplankton, the source of life. 4

The manufacture of virgin plastics from fossil fuels is causing seriousdamage to our environment. Re ning petroleum and making virginplastics consumes energy and releases pollution, some of whichis highly toxic. (Plastics production accounts for 4 percent of allU.S. energy consumption. 5) All fossil-fuel-based plastics contain or release some carcinogens at some point in their lifecycle. Some

like PVC and polystyrene rely upon additional toxic chemicals,which make their environmental health impact even greater.

On the other hand, plastic lumber reduces demand for other materials having serious environmental impacts. Many peopledo not realize that pressure-treated wood widely used for decks and fences is infused with chemicals. Even though theworst of these (arsenic and chromium) have been drasticallycurtailed, they have not been totally eliminated. All pressure-treated wood still contains copper, which alone renders thewood unacceptable for chipping and mulching. The wood itself,as well as naturally rot-resistant species like redwood, usuallycomes from unsustainable timber operations. Plastic lumber also competes with other materials such as concrete, steeland aluminum, which have high environmental impacts.

Clearly some plastics, such as PVC and polystyrene, are not onlybad, but also easily replaced by other materials, including other plastics. These plastics must be phased out of production anduse. Phasing out the worst plastics, halting the indiscriminateuse of plastics especially in non-durable goods increasingthe societal commitment to mandatory plastics recycling, andincreasing investment in bio-based plastics hold out the prospectthat some plastics may have a role in a sustainable economy. Inthat context, recycled plastic could play a role in reducing thedemand for virgin plastic resin and the volume of plastic waste.

1 Report of the Berkeley Plastics Task Force, April 8, 1996,available online at http://www.ecologycenter.org/ptf .

2 U.S. EPA Of ce of Solid Waste and Emergency Response,Municipal Solid Waste in The United States: 2001 Facts and Figures ,EPA530-R-03-011 (Washington, DC: October 2003).

3 Woolley, Tom and Sam Kimmins. Green Building Handbook: A Guide to Building Products and Their Impact on the Environment, Vol. II . London: E & FN Spon, 2000.

4 Plastic Debris: Rivers to Sea, Algalita Marine ResearchFoundation Web site at http://www.plasticdebris.org .

5 Plastics, Municipal Solid Waste Web site of the U.S. Environmental ProtectionAgency, http://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/non-hw/muncpl/plastic.htm .

13
http://www.ecologycenter.org/ptfhttp://www.plasticdebris.org/http://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/non-hw/muncpl/plastic.htmhttp://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/non-hw/muncpl/plastic.htmhttp://www.plasticdebris.org/http://www.ecologycenter.org/ptf


19/31

in in sPolyethylene plastic lumber products are clearly pre erable to those manu actured with PVC, polystyrene,or berglass. While still burdened with the signi cant environmental problems associated with all ossil-

uel-based plastics, polyethylene lacks many o the unique environmental and health impacts associated withPVC, polystyrene, and berglass. For these reasons, we rate polyethylene eedstocks as most environmentally pre erable, downgrade any product whose composition combines other materials that contaminate thepolyethylene, and recommend avoiding the use o PVC, polystyrene, and berglass especially products made

rom virgin PVC or polystyrene such as Synboard, CertainTeeds Boardwalk and CPIs eon.

II. Recycled ContentPlastic lumber products range rom 100% recycled content to those made entirely rom newly manu actured orvirgin PVC.

Our ratings value recycled content and recyclability o the product strongly not only because o the reductionin raw materials consumption and solid waste, but because o the reduction in the environmental and healthimpacts o production and disposal. Recycling can save energy, reduce air and water pollutants, and cutgreenhouse gases that contribute to global warming. 25

Furthermore, buying recycled products supports local recycling initiatives by increasing demand or materialcollected. This in turn creates jobs and can help strengthen local economies, especially i materials are made into

nished products within local economies. This is o ten the case with many plastic lumber companies who obtainrecycled eedstocks rom local or regional sources.

Recycled plastic lumber can potentially utilize a high proportion o polyethylene plastics in the waste stream. Inthe late 1990s, total recycled plastic lumber production was about 16 million board eet (about 40 million poundso discarded plastics). By 2001, total production had climbed to more than 120 million board eet (about 300million pounds o discarded plastics). The current annual growth rate or this industry is about 40 percent.However, the consumption rate o plastic lumber is still a raction o what it is or so twood lumber (about 34billion board eet per year).26

P s - ns r s. P s -in s rial R l Plas i c n nRecycling experts generally value post-consumer recycled materials higher than post-industrial . Post-consumer 27 recycled materials come rom products that have already been used and discarded by a business or consumer, asopposed to post-industrial (also called pre-consumer) recycled materials that are rom manu acturing waste. It isimportant to distinguish the two.

Obviously recycling industrial plastic scraps is pre erable to disposing them, but or most manu acturingoperations this has long been a standard business practice. There ore, the use o post-industrial, pre-consumerrecycled materials in plastic lumber does not represent an improvement over current practice. Because the use o pre-consumer or post-industrial content does not meaning ully reduce the overall consumption o raw materialsand disposal o products, we do not reward the use o post-industrial recycled content plastic.

in in sRecycled content varies among plastic lumber products that claim post-consumer content. More than one hal o the products we review contain post-consumer plastic content. We give the most credit to products that havea minimum o 50% post-consumer recycled content and a composition with a high potential or end-o -li erecyclability. We give lower ratings to products that have less than 50% minimum post-consumer content, orwhose mixtures limit the products own potential recyclability. We also rank lower products that contain plasticsrecovered rom shredded automobiles, known as auto-shredder fu , because these are known to contain heavy metals and other toxic chemicals.

14


20/31

III. End-of-Life Recyclability: A Facet of Sustainable DesignIn order to make a signi cant long-term impact on reducing resource use and disposal, it is not only importantthat plastic lumber include recycled content, but also that the lumber product itsel be recyclable at the endo its li e. Otherwise the material will still eventually end up in an incinerator or land ll. Plastics use overall isincreasing, while plastics recycling ails to keep pace with that growth. 28 Plastic lumber could help close that gap

or it could just provide greenwash incentive or more plastic manu acturing and use.Plastic lumber is currently largely made rom rst-use applications that are not environmentally sound, likepackaging made rom virgin plastic. 29 Unless plastic lumber is itsel truly, e ciently recyclable and thus canbecome part o a closed-loop system o plastic products being inde nitely recycled, a growing plastic lumbermarket could actually increase plastics production and waste volumes.

Some manu acturers claim that their plastic lumber products (including wood-plastic composite lumber) arerecyclable.30 These claims cannot be easily tested at this time. Although most manu acturers claim that thereare ew technical barriers to recycling their product, the same could be said or most plastics in use today, orbottles or cans or paper, most o which goes unrecycled in the United States or the lack o in rastructure andthe public policy to support it. Even i original manu acturers are able to recycle their products once they come out o service, experience shows that in the absence o legislation or a well-developed in rastructure,this is unlikely to happen.

While plastic lumber has been in use or thelast 15 years, it is a durable product and littleo it has yet to come out o service. 31 There ore, there is not enough experiencewith plastic lumber to determine whetheror not it will be easible to recycle a ter itsservice li e. A number o plastic lumbermanu acturers take back scraps romconstruction or installation and recycle this

material back into their product lines. Somecompanies producing all-HDPE plasticlumber are even selling scraps to third-party recyclers.32 However, this is ar di erent thanrecycling the product once it has reached theend o its service li e.

Municipal recycling programs generally do not accept and recycle plastic lumber.However, private sector recycling atconstruction demolition and building sitesis a growing trend. Success ul construction

material recovery e orts involve segregatingmaterials by type such as wood, metal,bricks, and gypsum board. Few i any building products are sent back to originalmanu acturers. Thus it is likely that i plasticlumber is to be recycled e ciently a ter itsservice li e, it will have to be marketable tomultiple end users. Because o this, product

Will recycled-contentproducts perform as well as their

virgin-materials-based counterparts?

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issuesrecommended guidelines for buying a variety of recycled-content products, including plastic lumber products such aslandscaping timber, park benches and tables, and fencing. TheseComprehensive Procurement Guidelines, which are updatedevery two years, recommend post-consumer recycled content

as well as total recovered content for speci c products. U.S.EPA research indicates that items designated in its guidelines canperform as well as products made with virgin materials. Manyfederal, state, and local agencies have purchased recycled-content plastic lumber for a wide range of end uses and havebeen pleased with product performance and cost effectiveness.

The American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) hascoordinated the development of performance-based industrystandards for plastic lumber products. It has developed ninestandard speci cations for plastic lumber and more are on theway. These standards include test methods, speci cations,recommended practices, and de nitions for dimensional pro lesmade from recycled plastics. ASTMs latest standard on polyole n-

based plastic lumber decking boards, for instance, addresses theproper use of recycled plastic lumber and resolves issues suchas dimensional tolerances, creep, allowable material propertiesfor structural design, outdoor weathering, and UV exposure.

For more information on EPAs ComprehensiveProcurement Guidelines, visit http://www.epa.gov/cpg

For more information on ASTMs plastic lumber standards, visit http://www.astm.org

15
http://www.epa.gov/cpghttp://www.astm.org/http://www.astm.org/http://www.epa.gov/cpg


21/31

composition assumes greater importance. One major actor that will likely impact the recovery o plasticlumber is its composition.

Sin l R sinsMore than two dozen companies o er lumber made rom a single resin, polyethylene, most commonly HDPE,one o the most recyclable and recycled plastics. (Some products also use LDPE, a low-density version o thesame resin.) Plastic lumber made rom a single recyclable resin has more recycling possibilities than lumbermade rom mixtures.

To be economically easible, plastics recycling must havesu cient volumes to support the necessary in rastructureto handle the materials separately rom solid waste,and provide a reliable resource stream to end users.Although setting up dedicated recovery systems oreach plastic lumber blend is theoretically possible, thereis no evidence to suggest that such a system would beeconomically easible.

The most success ul plastics recycling ventures municipal beverage container recycling programs teach thatavoiding contamination o desirable commodities such as polyethylene increases their value. 33 Indeed, becauseHDPE has one o the highest plastics recycling levels, there is ample reason to believe that HDPE lumber is themost likely plastic lumber product to be routinely recycled by ar. Some companies making all-HDPE lumbercurrently sell returned cut-o s to third party recyclers, providing urther con rmation that pure resin lumberwill have more recycling options than composites. 34

S n h i c p si sSome plastic lumber manu acturers combine di erent plastics or add berglass to their product. With theexception o high load-bearing or demanding structural applications (see below), there appears to be noclear environmental advantage and numerous environmental disadvantages to these mixtures, because o the

chemical hazards and associated impacts o the additional materials such as PVC, polystyrene, berglass, andthe mixed plastics in automobile fu . Another disadvantage is the lack o a viable recycling option a ter theservice li e o the product.

Composite products are usually more di cult to recycle than single-resin products, have ewer end markets,and are there ore inherently less valuable to secondary markets than a pure product. There is no evidenceto suggest that there will be an end market or synthetic composite lumber products, other than the originalmanu acturer. It is not likely to be economically easible to systematically return all plastic lumber to themanu acturer at the end o its service li e.

w -Plas i c p si sMany lumber manu acturers blend wood ber with plastics. While this may reduce the use o non-renewableplastics, there are several environmental disadvantages to this ormula. As with other composites, the recordo plastics recycling to date shows that contaminating the polyethylene with another material is likely to limitlong-term recycling options. 35 The decision to inextricably combine a biodegradable material with a syntheticmaterial also appears to violate a undamental principle o sustainable design, which is to segregate synthetic

rom biological materials.36

Furthermore, it is unknown whether or not a plastic lumber product containing biodegradable materials can betechnically recycled a ter 10 or more years o exposure to the elements.

A growing plastic lumber market could actually increase plastics production and waste volumes.

16


22/31

in in sPlastic lumber has not been on the market long enough to evaluate recycling rates or products at the end o theirservice li e. The record o plastics recycling to date suggests that polyethylene is one o only two plastic resinsto be recycled systematically. (The other is polyethylene terephthalate PET, commonly used or soda bottles which is not a main eedstock material or plastic lumber.) For all low load-bearing plastic lumber applications,there are all-polyethylene lumber products with high recycled content. There ore we give a lower rating toproducts that combine other materials with HDPE or LDPE.

IV. Structural Lumber: The Exception to the RuleIn general we downgrade plastic lumber products that combine berglass or polystyrene eedstocks withpolyethylene. At the present time, however, all plastic lumber products suitable or demanding structural or highload-bearing applications rely upon one o these combinations or added strength. These applications includebridge supports and railroad ties. Because structural plastic lumber products compete directly with wood thatis treated with toxins such as arsenic, copper, chromium and creosote, which also present environmental andhealth hazards throughout their li ecycle, composite plastic lumber has advantages in these applications that may outweigh the disadvantages o these composites, such as leaching while in service.

17


23/31

RecommendationsThe Healthy Building Network endorses the ollowing guidelines or plastic lumber purchases. These guidelinesare based on environmental, public health, and recycling considerations.

a r pr s: i h hi h r l n n ,speci cally high post-consumer recycled content.

a r hi h- nsi an l - nsi p l h l n (HdPe an LdPe), recyclable resinsassociated with ewer chemical hazards and impacts than other petroleum-based polymers.

b pr rs s r in r sins r l al ni ipal r lin pr ra s, there ore cuttingtransportation costs and supporting the local economy.

Li i s :

-plas i p si sbecause o concerns about mixing biological and synthetic materials,including limited end-o -li e recyclability.

fb r lass-r in r r p l s r n -bl n s r ral plas i l b r an in s r ralappli a i ns such as railroad ties and bridge supports, as a less toxic alternative to chemically treatedwood.

pr s i h l ipl in l r l ns r plas i sas they will have morecontaminants and inconsistent properties. They also support token markets or plastics thatotherwise are largely unrecyclable, and many o which are highly toxic. This perpetuates the use o plastics that should be phased out.

A i pr s a i h:

Pvc an p l s r n because these are associated with more chemical hazards and impactsthroughout their li ecycle than other plastics.

fb r lass r n ns r ral appli a i nsthat do not require rein orced plastic lumber (such asdecking boards, benches, and tables).

pr inan l n nr l plas i s.Alternatives with high recycled content are readily available.

18


24/31

How to Choosech H al h B il in N r s ra in s:HBNs ratings will help identi y which brands to avoid and which onesare more environmentally pre erable.

kn r appli a i n: Di erent products have di erent per ormance qualities. Take the time to understand theproperties o the particular plastic lumber you buy, particularly whether it will be used in demanding structural orhigh-load-bearing applications. The most environmentally pre erable HDPE-only plastic lumber can be used ormany plastic lumber applications: benches, tables, decking, playground equipment, and more. HDPE-only plasticlumber does not have the same load-bearing capacity as wood, so it wont work or bridge supports and other higher-load-bearing applications. No high-load-bearing plastic lumber products such as berglass-rein orced plasticor polystyrene-polyethylene blends earn our most environmentally pre erable rating. For certain applications,however, they may actually be pre erable to the products they replace. A good example may be railroad ties, whichhave traditionally been made rom creosote-soaked wood, or chemically treated wooden bridge supports. Whenchoosing a more engineered plastic or demanding structural situations, at minimum look or high post-consumercontent.

B ar n n i lai s an r n ashin :Despite claims o being green, not all plastic lumber products arecreated equal. I the product is made rom PVC or polystyrene, be assured it is not environmentally pre erable.Lumber made rom high-density and low-density polyethylene (HDPE and LDPE) and 100% post-consumerrecycled content is the most environmentally pre erable currently available on the market. Most manu acturers addadditives such as color pigments and UV stabilizers to prevent polymer breakdown in the sun. Some companiesacknowledge the possible risk o exposure to hazardous ingredients but tend to emphasize that the risk is reducedto encapsulation in plastic. 37 These claims have not been veri ed.

tal s ppli rs: Insist that suppliers o er the most environmentally pre erable products. (Most lumber yards o era limited selection and this tends to eature the wood-plastic composites. Lowes o ers ChoiceDek, Home Depoto ers Veranda, and many o er Trex, all o which all in our Less Environmentally Pre erable category.) Also requestthat suppliers recycle installation scraps and cut-o s and let them know that recycling is important to you.

c nsi r h r li :Many o the companies making recycled-content lumber products are small-scaleenterprises that obtain their recycled eedstocks rom local and regional municipal recycling programs and largely market their lumber within the same region. I you live near one o these enterprises, your purchase can help divertplastic waste rom disposal and contribute to local economic development and job creation. More than 1,800 U.S.businesses handle or reclaim post-consumer plastics. 38 In contrast, only a hand ul o corporations make virgin resins.

I you live in an area where sustainably harvested lumber products are locally grown, produced, and sold, these may be your greenest choice. Look or lumber certi ed by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), which ensures that thewood was grown and harvested in a manner that balances economic, environmental, and social justice concerns. Seehttp://www. scus.org or more in ormation.

d llars & S ns : Plastic lumber is generally more expensive than wood, but it may be more durable and does not

need sealants, preservatives or paint, so the savings in maintenance expenses can outweigh the initial costs. Whenmaterials and installation, maintenance, replacement, and disposal costs are included in a cost analysis, recycledplastic lumber can cost less than wood. 39

Hi h- l p r has rs: Government agencies and other high-volume purchasers can speci y environmentally pre erable products in their purchasing policies. In addition, procurement contracts with plastic lumber vendorscan encourage collection and recycling o plastic lumber products once they have served their intended use. (TheCommonwealth o Massachusetts, Operational Services Division, speci es in its procurement language or recycledplastic equipment that it is desirable that bidders o er recycling options or such products. 40)

19
http://www.fscus.org/http://www.fscus.org/


25/31


26/31

Resources

R lin mar s.NR lin mar s

P.O. Box 577Ogdensburg, NY 13669 in [email protected]://www.recyclingmarkets.net

A searchable database o more than 17,000 U.S. and Canadian companies involved in the recycling process. Itincludes manu acturers and distributors o plastic lumber and decking and o products constructed rom thesematerials. Companies in the database must meet the Recycled Products Guide (RPG) certi cation o recycledcontent in their products.

R l -c n n Pr dir r cali rnia In ra was mana n B ar1001 I Street, Sacramento, CA 95812 http://www.ciwmb.ca.gov/RCP

A searchable database o vendors who sell or distribute products with recycled content. Its database lists post-consumer as well as total recycled content and has links to company Web sites.

c pr h nsi Pr r n g i lin s (cPg)1200 Pennsylvania AvenueWashington, DC 20460

[email protected]://www2.ergweb.com/cpg

A searchable database o vendors who sell or distribute CPG-designated products with recycled content. Thispower ul tool allows users to search or vendors o a speci c CPG product, product category, or type o material.

B il in gr n, In .122 Birge Street, Suite 30Brattleboro, VT 05301

in [email protected]://www.buildinggreen.com

An independent company that provides in ormation or building-industry pro essionals and policy makerswho want to reduce the environmental impacts and natural-resource demands o buildings. Publisher o Environmental Building News, The GreenSpec Directory , and Green Building Advisor .

gr n R s r c n r (gRc)PO Box 11944Berkeley, CA 94712

in [email protected]://www.greenresourcecenter.org

The GRCs Web site provides an extensive source o in ormation about green building and includes links to many other organizations and sources. It also has a act sheet on Recycled Plastic Lumber.

21
mailto:[email protected]://www.recyclingmarkets.net/http://www.ciwmb.ca.gov/RCPmailto:[email protected]://www2.ergweb.com/cpgmailto:[email protected]://www.buildinggreen.com/mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]://www.buildinggreen.com/mailto:[email protected]://www2.ergweb.com/cpgmailto:[email protected]://www.ciwmb.ca.gov/RCPhttp://www.recyclingmarkets.net/mailto:[email protected]


27/31

Appendix 1:Plastic Lumber Companies That Did Not Respond toOur Inquiries or Survey

The ollowing companies did not respond to our survey or requests or data on their products. Avoid theirproducts until they in orm consumers about product composition. We will periodically add products and updatecontent in ormation on our Web listing and the Web version o this report. Please submit company/productupdates to [email protected] .

Company Brand Name

Amazing Recycled Products Aztec Plastic Lumber

Black Rhino Recycling

Center Industries Ltd.

Cooley Forest Products Geodeck, cactus pine, Pyro-Guard

Duraplex Inc.

Earth Technology Corporation

Envirosafe Products Corp. Permawood, Duraplast, Permapost, Perma oor

Fibrex Group Inc. The FiberX Group envirodesign

Inteq Corporation

J L Sims Company, Inc.J-Mac Lumber Inc. MacLumber II

Outwater Plastics Industries Inc.

P&M Plastics Inc. Altree

Phoenix Recycled Plastics Foreverdeck, Foreverdock

Plastic Lumber Depot

Plastic Recycling of Iowa Falls

Play Mart, Inc. RSP

22
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]


28/31

Appendix 2:Contacts for Plastic Lumber CompaniesA.E.R.T., Inc. (ChoiceDek) http://www.aertinc.com

Aeolian Enterprises (BreezeWood) http://www.aeo1.comAlcoa Home Exteriors (Oasis Composite, Oasis PVC Deck) http://www.alcoa.com/alcoahomes/Content/OasisDecking.aspxAmerican Plastic Lumber (Ameriwood3) http://www.american-plasticlumber.comBedford Technology (Select) http://www.plasticboards.comBJM Industries http://www.bjmindustries.comCascades (Perma-Deck Advantage +) http://www.cascadesreplast.com/english/fs_replast.htmlCertainTeed (Boardwalk) http://www.certainteed.com/certainteed/index.htmCorrect Building Products (CorrectDeck) http://www.correctdeck.comCPI Plastic Group (eon) http://www.cpiplastics.comDelmarva Industries (Four Seasons) http://www.delmarvaindustries.com/index.htmlDurable Plastic Design (Orcaboard) http://www.orcaboard.comEco-Tech (Eco-Tech) [email protected] Composite Building Products (CrossTimbers) http://www.elkcorp.comEngineered Plastic Systems (Bear Board) http://www.epsplasticlumber.comEnviro-Curb Manufacturing (Enviro-Curb) http://www.envirocurb.comEpoch Composite Products (Evergrain) http://www.evergrain.comEverlast Plastic Lumber (Everlast) http://www.everlastlumber.comFiber Composites ( beron) http://www.fiberondecking.com/sitemap.aspForever Wood (Forever-Wood) http://www.forever-wood.comGreen Tree Composites (Monarch) http://www.biewerlumber.com/greentree.htmKadant Composites (Geodeck) http://www.geodeck.comL.B. Plastics (Sheerline) http://www.lbplastics.com/products/sheerline.aspLouisiana-Paci c (WeatherBest Select) http://www.lpcorp.com

Master Mark Plastics (Rhino Deck) http://www.rhinodeck.comNebraska Plastics (Country Estate) http://www.countryestate.comNorthern Plastic Lumber http://www.northernplasticlumber.comPlasTEAK (PlasTEAK) http://www.plasteak.comPolyvinyl Creations (vinyl decking) http://www.polyvinylc.com/decking.htmPolywood (Polywood nonstructural) http://www.polywood.comProcell Decking Systems (Procell) http://www.procelldeck.comRenew Plastics Division (Evolve, Perma-Poly) http://www.RENEWPlastics.comResco Plastics (MAXITUF) http://www.rescoplastics.comRoyal Crown (Deck Lok) http://www.royalcrownltd.comSynboard America (Synboard) http://www.synboard.comThe Plastic Lumber Company (Leisure Deck) http://www.leisuredeck.com

Thermal Industries (Dream Composite Deck, Dream Deck) http://www.thermalindustries.comTimberTech (TimberTech) http://www.timbertech.comTrex (Trex Origins) http://www.trex.comU.S. Plastic Lumber (HDPE) http://www.usplasticlumber.comUniversal Forest Products (Latitudes Decking) http://www.latitudesdeck.comVEKA (VEKAdeck) http://www.vekadeck.comWastech Fencing (Deck/Dock) http://www.westechfence.comXPotential Products (XPotential) http://www.xpotentialproducts.com

23
http://www.aertinc.com/http://www.aeo1.com/http://www.alcoa.com/alcoahomes/Content/OasisDecking.aspxhttp://www.american-plasticlumber.com/http://www.plasticboards.com/http://www.bjmindustries.com/http://www.cascadesreplast.com/english/fs_replast.htmlhttp://www.certainteed.com/certainteed/index.htmhttp://www.correctdeck.com/http://www.cpiplastics.com/http://www.delmarvaindustries.com/index.htmlhttp://www.orcaboard.com/mailto:[email protected]://www.elkcorp.com/http://www.epsplasticlumber.com/http://www.envirocurb.com/http://www.evergrain.com/http://www.everlastlumber.com/http://www.fiberondecking.com/sitemap.asphttp://www.forever-wood.com/http://www.biewerlumber.com/greentree.htmhttp://www.geodeck.com/http://www.lbplastics.com/products/sheerline.asphttp://www.lpcorp.com/http://www.rhinodeck.com/http://www.countryestate.com/http://www.northernplasticlumber.com/http://www.plasteak.com/http://www.polyvinylc.com/decking.htmhttp://www.polywood.com/http://www.procelldeck.com/http://www.renewplastics.com/http://www.rescoplastics.com/http://www.royalcrownltd.com/http://www.synboard.com/http://www.leisuredeck.com/http://www.thermalindustries.com/http://www.timbertech.com/http://www.trex.com/http://www.usplasticlumber.com/http://www.latitudesdeck.com/http://www.vekadeck.com/http://www.westechfence.com/http://www.xpotentialproducts.com/http://www.xpotentialproducts.com/http://www.westechfence.com/http://www.vekadeck.com/http://www.latitudesdeck.com/http://www.usplasticlumber.com/http://www.trex.com/http://www.timbertech.com/http://www.thermalindustries.com/http://www.leisuredeck.com/http://www.synboard.com/http://www.royalcrownltd.com/http://www.rescoplastics.com/http://www.renewplastics.com/http://www.procelldeck.com/http://www.polywood.com/http://www.polyvinylc.com/decking.htmhttp://www.plasteak.com/http://www.northernplasticlumber.com/http://www.countryestate.com/http://www.rhinodeck.com/http://www.lpcorp.com/http://www.lbplastics.com/products/sheerline.asphttp://www.geodeck.com/http://www.biewerlumber.com/greentree.htmhttp://www.forever-wood.com/http://www.fiberondecking.com/sitemap.asphttp://www.everlastlumber.com/http://www.evergrain.com/http://www.envirocurb.com/http://www.epsplasticlumber.com/http://www.elkcorp.com/mailto:[email protected]://www.orcaboard.com/http://www.delmarvaindustries.com/index.htmlhttp://www.cpiplastics.com/http://www.correctdeck.com/http://www.certainteed.com/certainteed/index.htmhttp://www.cascadesreplast.com/english/fs_replast.htmlhttp://www.bjmindustries.com/http://www.plasticboards.com/http://www.american-plasticlumber.com/http://www.alcoa.com/alcoahomes/Content/OasisDecking.aspxhttp://www.aeo1.com/http://www.aertinc.com/


29/31

End Notes1 Alan E. Robbins, The Plastic Lumber Industry in Competitive Markets, 2001-2002 State o the Recycled Plastic LumberIndustry, presented at The Annual Meeting o the Plastic Lumber Trade Association, March 11, 2002, Pittsburgh,Pennsylvania. Available online at http://www.plasticlumber.org .2

See or example the Minnesota O ce o Environmental Assistance plastic lumber Web page at http://www.moea.state.mn.us/lc/purchasing/plasticlumber.c m ; Why Use Recycled Plastic Lumber? Publication #431-97-009, Cali ornia Integrated WasteManagement Board, Sacramento, Cali ornia, March 1997, available online at http://www.ciwmb.ca.gov/plastic/recycled/Lumber ; and the Markets Initiatives Alternative Suppliers Database at http://www.oldgrowth ree.com/suppliers.php3 , whichlists companies o ering alternatives to old growth wood-derived products.3 See or instance Decking: Serious Alternatives, Consumer Reports (July 2004), pp. 22-25; Jenni er Lucich, Party on thePatio, Alternative Materials Help Make the Most o Outdoor Spaces, E Magazine (May 2005); and Environmental Building Newsarticles such as Recycled Plastic Lumber, (July/August 1993) and its GreenSpec Directory eaturing dozens o plasticlumber products, available at http://www.buildinggreen.com .4 See www.recyclingmarkets.net (a searchable database o more than 17,000 U.S. and Canadian companies involved in therecycling process) and the Cali ornia Integrated Waste Management Boards Recycled-Content Product Directory available athttp://www.ciwmb.ca.gov/RCP .

5 For more in ormation on HBNs hazard assessment methodology, re er tohttp://www.healthybuilding.net/target_materials.html6 Williams and Yost, Plastics in Construction: Per ormance and A ordability at What Cost? Environmental Building News (July/August 2001).7 Peter Anderson, RecycleWorlds Consulting, Message In A Bottle(GrassRoots Recycling Network, 2004), available online athttp://www.healthybuilding.net/pvc/PVCBottleRecyclingReport.pd 8 PVC Alternatives Database, Greenpeace Web site at http://archive.greenpeace.org/toxics/pvcdatabase/bad.html .9 U.S. EPA O ce o Solid Waste and Emergency Response, Municipal Solid Waste in The United States: 2001 Facts and Figures ,EPA530-R-03-011 (Washington, DC: October 2003).10 Background Document or the Final Comprehensive Procurement Guideline (CPG) III and Final Recovered Materials Advisory Notice (RMAN) III , EPA530-R-00-002, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (Washington, DC: Sept. 1999), p. 80, availableonline at http://www.epa.gov/cpg/pd /backgr1.pd .11 For applicable comparative analyses o polyethylene, PVC and styrene bearing plastics see Williams and Yost, Plastics inConstruction: Per ormance and A ordability at What Cost? Environmental Building News (July/August 2001); see also Rossi,Harvie and Lent. Plastic Pipe Alternatives Assessment . San Francisco Department o Environment. February 2005.http://www.healthybuilding.net/pvc/SFE_Plastic_Pipe_Alts_Assess.pd , p. 2.12 Thornton, Joe. Environmental Impacts o Polyvinyl Chloride Building Materials. Washington: Healthy Building Network, 2002.13 Woolley, Tom and Sam Kimmins. Green Building Handbook: A Guide to Building Products and Their Impact on theEnvironment, Vol. II . London: E & FN Spon, 2000.14 Peter Anderson, RecycleWorlds Consulting, Message In A Bottle(GrassRoots Recycling Network, 2004), available online athttp://www.healthybuilding.net/pvc/PVCBottleRecyclingReport.pd 15

Thornton, Joe. Pandoras Poison: Chlorine, Health and a New Environmental Strategy (March 2000, MIT Press); andThornton, Joe. Environmental Impacts o Polyvinyl Chloride Building Materials. Washington: Healthy Building Network, 2002.16 National Institute o Health, U.S. National Library o Medicine, Specialized In ormation Services Web site athttp://hazmap.nlm.nih.gov/cgi-bin/hazmap_generic?tbl=TblDiseases&id=32617 Environmental De ense Scorecard: Chemical Pro les. http://www.scorecard.org/chemical-pro iles .18 See or instance, Fact Sheet on Hormone-Disrupting Chemicals, available on the Web page o Rachels Environment &Health News at http://www.rachel.org/library/get ile.c m?ID=6.

24
http://www.plasticlumber.org/http://www.moea.state.mn.us/lc/purchasing/plasticlumber.cfmhttp://www.moea.state.mn.us/lc/purchasing/plasticlumber.cfmhttp://www.ciwmb.ca.gov/plastic/recycled/Lumberhttp://www.ciwmb.ca.gov/plastic/recycled/Lumberhttp://www.oldgrowthfree.com/suppliers.php3http://www.buildinggreen.com/http

guide to plastic lumber

Documents