| The decking industry has grown exponentially over | | | | neurological damage, birth defects, impaired child |
| the last two decades. There are many companies | | | | development, endocrine disruption, endometriosis, |
| that have come and gone over that time. Many | | | | immune system damage, reproductive damage and |
| people are familiar with the terms composite decking | | | | cancer. This is the material used in PVC decking. In |
| and PVC decking. The idea of such a product has | | | | 1998 there were attempts to recycle this product |
| merit. No maintenance, durable, consistent, warranted | | | | that were considered a failure by the Association of |
| and several colors to choose from, sounds too good | | | | Post Consumer Plastics Recyclers. The dioxin in PVC |
| to be true. The green movement has prompted | | | | is a persistent toxin that does not break down |
| many people to look for an eco-friendly deck to help | | | | rapidly and migrates in the air via wind and in the |
| the environment. What's not to like? Let's take a look | | | | water transporting itself in the fatty tissues of sea |
| at the facts. | | | | life. It has been discovered in dangerous |
| Composite decking is made of wood particles mainly | | | | concentrations in the tissues of whales, polar bears, |
| sawdust and resin (some recycled). The idea is simple | | | | fish and Inuit mother's breast milk. The lethal additives |
| enough but what happens when you take plastic | | | | such as lead, cadmium and organotins used in PVC |
| (which by the way comes from petroleum) and mix | | | | used to keep it from breaking down is known to |
| it with saw dust? The lawsuits and complaints found | | | | cause cancer, lead poisoning and asthma. Does this |
| all say the same things. Warping, discoloration, | | | | sound like the type of product you want your |
| de-lamination, injuries, molding, fungus, blistering, | | | | children, pets, environment and yourself exposed to? |
| rotting and splintering are just a few of the problems | | | | Now let's take a look at natural wood decking. Yes |
| that have been reported. Warranties have not been | | | | the original materials used to make homes and |
| honored, businesses have gone bankrupt trying to | | | | structures from the beginning of time. A hardwood |
| resolve issues and lawsuits and customers have been | | | | such as ipe will have a lifetime of 40 years without |
| left to figure it out on their own. What I don't get is | | | | any treatment and over 100 years with one |
| how any company that makes composite decking | | | | application of UV inhibitor. Ipe is a tropical wood that |
| can state it is a green product. The resin even when | | | | has grown in popularity for its beauty, density, |
| recycled is made of plastic, a petroleum product and | | | | resistance to mold and insects and longevity. This |
| one of the two top carbon emitting products | | | | hardwood is used in commercial projects such as the |
| produced. Recycled resin has been tested and is not | | | | Miami Beach Boardwalk for good reason. The Lacey |
| as resilient and durable as the original plastic | | | | Act, GFTN (Global Forest & Trade Network), IBAMA |
| composition. The lifetime of the deck must be | | | | and other organizations have helped to keep illegal |
| considered and also where does the deck go at the | | | | logs from coming into the country. You can now get |
| end of its lifetime? | | | | FSC certified decking for LEED projects or for your |
| Polyvinyl chloride commonly referred to as PVC is a | | | | own peace of mind. Rest assured this product will |
| manufactured plastic with toxic byproducts. Dioxin | | | | break completely down without harming the |
| (potent carcinogen), ethylene dichloride and vinyl | | | | environment, is completely recyclable and sustainable. |
| chloride are made in the production of PVC and | | | | What we have been looking for has been around all |
| causes health problems. Some of the problems are | | | | along. What's not to like? |