Why Marine Professionals Should Use Recycled Plastic Products Instead of Hardwood Or Composites

If you still think hardwood timber is a perfectly sustainable resource, then stop what you are doing and consider the following facts:

1. The deforestation of hardwood timber forests is taking place faster than any regeneration efforts underway.

2. The knock on effect on natural cycles that help forest growth, such as the dispersal of hardwood tree nuts by native animals which then grow into new trees, is negative.

Now, if you are a marine professional, this is why the facts above are relevant to you.

1. You can't afford to rely on increasingly unsustainable hardwood timber. New legislation (e.g. The UK Marine Coastal and Access Act 2009, with its focus on sustainable marine infrastructure development), rising timber costs and excellent alternatives all provide you with a great opportunity to look at other products on the market.

2. Hardwood timber can need replacing after 10 years in extreme marine environments. This does not have to happen...and should not!

3. The whole life costs of hardwood timber marine facilities are higher because of the additional maintenance costs incurred with its use, or the need to replace it from increasingly depleted sources.

4. Hardwood timber will rot due to constant immersion and drying out, and will need constant maintenance to remain fit for purpose. Why? You should not have to select a product that needs regular treatment in the first place?

5. Environmentally sustainable marine facilities, using alternative materials to hardwood timber, can be developed at comparable costs. You probably just don't know enough about the alternatives.

Now that you know why this is relevant to you, what can you do about it?

Invest In Zero Or Very Low Maintenance, Sustainable Products That Save You Money

Impossible? Not at all...

You can now get fully industrial recycled plastic decking that requires very little or zero maintenance.

Composite decking is another alternative to hardwood, but it requires some maintenance. It also has environmental issues to address such as the use of oil-based polyesters to bind its components together, and which need setting agents that give off greenhouse gases

When it comes to sustainability, recycled plastic decking has a virtuous cycle that other products simply don't match. This is because:

1. Its feedstock is 100% recycled.

2. The recycled plastic decking is manufactured with the production of limited greenhouse gases.

3. It has a long life in use.

4. At the end of its life, recycled plastic decking can be taken back by the manufacturer and re-manufactured into new products.

So, with recycled plastic, you are not going to destroy the habitat which the monkey referred to early on relies on.

What is the impact on your bottom line though?

That is what is crucial here, and talking about destruction half way around the world might not move you at all.

This is the impact...

You will reduce the whole life costs of your marine facilities if you use recycled plastic instead of hardwood or composites.

Here is why?

1. You will save money because fully recycled industrial plastic requires very low or zero maintenance.

2. You will save money during installation because the tongue and groove configuration enables lower installation costs than square-edged boarding with patent fixing systems.

3. Fully recycled industrial plastic has a potential value at the end of its life.

4. Fully recycled industrial plastic does not need to be replaced for up to 70 years.

Sustainability seems a whole lot better when it doesn't cost you more. And that is the point, you can invest in a sustainable product that is fit for purpose, looks good and reduces your bills.

David Croucher is the Managing Director of Plasti Limited, providers of fully recycled industrial plastic products in the marine, building and civil engineering sectors. Plasti products are manufactured using feedstock from approved sources. They are also extremely safe, have very long lives, are environmentally friendly and require zero or low maintenance. This means they have excellent whole life costs when compared to hardwood and composite alternatives.

David's expertise in the specification and design of marine, building and civil infrastructures is recognised within the marine and construction industry. His technical advice and input into projects is highly valued, which is a result of his great experience as a senior procurement leader in complex, global organisations.

For more information about Plasti Limited, please visit http://www.plasti.co.uk.

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