Pressure treated lumber products are produced from plentiful, fast-growing trees from managed forests, not old-growth or rain forests. The process used to treat one popular brand, ProWood Micro CA, is the first to gain Environmentally Preferable Product (EPP) status as certified by Scientific Certification Systems (SCS). SCS is a third-party certification services and standards development company. EPA guidelines require that such products have reduced impacts on human health and the environment when compared to other products that serve the same purpose.

When you compare the total energy costs of different kinds of building materials – including the costs to acquire the raw material, transport it, process it into useful product and then actually use it – wood far outshines its competition.

Because it can stay in service for decades, using pressure treated lumber extends the wood resource. In North America, the use of pressure treated wood saves millions of trees from harvest each year. Plus, the process of making steel and plastic involves extraction of non-renewable resources, while trees are renewable, sustainable and abundant.

Composite decking – recycled or not – takes a tremendous amount of energy to produce. It’s very heavy so the transportation costs are big too.

Composites are fine products, and many use up a lot of post-consumer waste. I’m not trying to sway anyone to go one way or another but when analyzing a product’s sustainability credentials you have to look at the whole picture.

http://www.gqti.com/theaters.aspx?theaterid=1486

Thanks for your comment.

Deb Castino.