Isn’t Plastic Bad? What Makes Composite Prime Decking Eco Friendly?

Looking after our environment is everyone’s job, and increasingly we are being encouraged as consumers to consider the environmental impact of the decisions we make and the products we buy. It’s absolutely right that people are becoming more conscious of the materials they’re using in their gardens, and we are all for the increased interest in the environmental credentials of our product. Mainly because we are proud that we can genuinely profess to be one of the most eco-friendly of all the garden flooring options. 

How is Composite Prime decking environmentally friendly when it’s partially plastic?

It’s interesting that many people believe that timber, as a natural product, is the most likely to be environmentally friendly. On the surface, it seems like it should be. But, when you think about tree-felling and the stains and sealants required to maintain natural wood decking, timber starts to look a little less wholesome.

On the other hand, PVC decking is even worse for the environment. So, if composite decking is made from a mix of wood and plastic, how can we claim to be an eco-conscious product?

Here’s why our composite decking outshines timber or PVC with its eco-friendly qualities.

We use sustainable wood products

Composite Prime decking is manufactured using FSC 100% certified end-of-life hardwood flour. This means the flour is made from hardwood that is at the end of its life, not hardwood that is sourced from deliberately felled trees. We’ll get into FSC certification a little later.

We use recycled plastics

As well as using sustainable wood flour, our plastic comes from responsible sources too. Our decking is always made from recycled plastic. In fact, per square metre, our composite decking contains the equivalent of 3,000 recycled bottle caps.

Composite Prime decking lasts longer

Our composite decking is designed to withstand the elements and last for decades. You can reasonably expect to still have a composite deck 30 years into the future. Timber decking may survive for 10-15 years, but only if it’s maintained and cared for appropriately.

Composite Prime decking helps prevent deforestation

Hardwood from illegal logging has made its way into the UK Market. Without ensuring that all timber products are made with Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)-certified timber, you can’t be sure your timber-containing product hasn’t originated from sustainable sources. The FSC is an international organisation dedicated to responsible management of the world’s forests. Over 420 million hectares of forest have been lost since 1990 – Composite Prime will not be contributing to this as we only use FSC-certified hardwood. As explained above, the hardwood is also at the end of its life cycle and isn’t intentionally felled.

Composite Prime decking doesn’t require harsh chemicals for maintenance

Maintaining your deck simply means washing with a bit of soapy water occasionally. There’s no need for any toxic detergents, sealants or stains that may leach into the environment. And no packaging or transportation is required for any of these unneeded products. This all adds up to your deck having a great-looking, low-maintenance, barefoot safe carbon footprint. 

Find out more about our environmentally friendly credentials by reading about our products here.