WPC Decking Plastic Composite Decking

For outdoor structures and fittings, wood is good, as it always blends into a garden setting, enhances outdoor living areas and is a sustainable WPC Decking material if sourced properly. Plastic composite decking is touted as a green alternative to wood for decks, and is ideal for people looking to do green remodeling.

Wood Plastic Composite (WPC) decks came on the market in the 1990s. They are a mixture of wood particles and thermoplastic resins. PVC is perhaps the best known of the thermoplastic materials used. Various claims have been made for the Eco-friendliness of WPC Decking and its suitability for green building projects. The bigger issue is whether they are under scrutiny or just 'green-washing'.

WPC Decking:

Can an artificial wood, the production of which depends on the use of toxic chemicals and high-tech manufacturing processes, really be green? The main claim for green status is that WPC can make extensive use of recycled plastics – as much as 80%. Wood components use the waste of the lumber industry. Supporting claims include the fair point that, unlike wood, WPC Decking does not need to be painted or treated with toxic preservatives or insect repellent. Plus, because it's more durable, the WPC deck won't need to be replaced as quickly.

In fact WPC decks and their green status have a checkered history. Some have not lived up to durability claims, and the use of cellulose in composites has resulted in discolored, weak, and developed problems with mildew. Cellulose itself can be treated with chemical preservatives. Here are the problems. Some WPC Manufacturers are use recycled plastics primarily and no cellulose or little. Their decks can live up to the claims. Others don't.

Another issue that has come to the fore is the environmental friendliness of plastics. Weathered PVC and other plastics can emit POPs (persistent organic pollutants) and phthalates - banned for use in children's bottles in most countries because they pose a health hazard. The increased fire risk with WPC Decking has also been raised as a concern, as plastic is more flammable than wood. Another problem is the possibility of recycling WPC decks. They can be recycled, but not very easily. Critics say this probably means that much of it will end up in landfill sites, where it could actually last much longer.