Building your fence with PP (polypropylene) plastic lumber instead of conventional hardwood or treated lumber makes environmental and economic sense. Poly Pickets last a lifetime, and that’s a very good thing for our environment.

The use of Poly Picket conserves timber because the ability to recycle plastic lumber reduces the demand for timber. Also, plastic wastes do not break down over time; if not reused, the sit permanently in landfills or are incinerated. This reduces the waste stream, which reduces the pressure to build more landfills.

Using The Ultimate Alternative for Cedar also helps fight climate change, because using recyclable plastic or recycled wood instead of virgin wood reduces demand for timber and deforestation pressures, and forests filter carbon dioxide, a key greenhouse gas responsible for global climate change (this process is known as carbon sequestration). The EPA has developed several tools for calculating the greenhouse gas impacts of purchasing, waste management and manufacturing activities, which you can view here.

Additionally, using Poly Picket fences:

Conserves fossil fuels because using recyclable plastic for plastic lumber ultimately reduces petroleum demand.

Improves soil quality because using recycled plastic lumber reduces use of pressure treated wood. Pressure treated wood can break down and leach preserving chemicals into surrounding soils.

Reduces runoff and/or non-point source pollution because using recycled plastic lumber reduces use of pressure treated wood. Pressure treated wood can break down and leach harmful preserving chemicals into surrounding land and water bodies.

Reduces human exposure to hazardous materials or substances because manufacturing pressure treated wood can expose workers to potentially hazardous pressure treating chemicals, and pressure treated wood that breaks down can expose users to these chemicals.

Protects worker or user safety because wood can break down over time and splinter, potentially causing injuries.