Photo Credit: Courtesy of Tammy York
As wooden benches and picnic tables age, their splinters and cracks are usually fixed with paint and waterproofing. Also, most parks-and-recreation maintenance crews are familiar with the seasonal rotation of moving furniture to storage during the winter.
Looking for an alternative? High-density polyethylene (HDPE) is made from post-consumer recycled products, such as milk jugs or plastic containers. Labeled with the number “2” recycling symbol, the post-consumer content HDPE is finely milled and melted; higher-quality HDPE lumber has no fillers, and is created from a single type of recycled plastic stream. In fact, more than 1,600 milk jugs are diverted from the waste stream to manufacture just one 250-pound recycled-plastic picnic table.
Finishing Touches
Since HDPE from milk containers is colorless, pigments are added to achieve a desired color. These light-stabilized pigments are added before the plastic lumber is formed into standard lumber sizes to give the non-porous boards a uniform color. Ultraviolet stabilizers also are added to help protect the finished product from chalking and the colors from fading. It is recommended that earth tones, such as browns, tans and greens, be used for longevity, while bright colors--reds and oranges--are to be avoided. Blue end caps also can be added to tables to signify they are compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act.