How Animals are Benefiting from Recycled Plastic Wood.

When thinking about animal welfare, one doesn’t automatically think of plastic products. However recycled plastic has a large role to play in animal management in many surprising ways. On the farm, anywhere that wood or metal may have been used, it is usually possible to replace this with plastic.

Animal housing in plastic is superior in many ways to metal or wood. It is sturdy and easy to build with. It is resistant to chewing which makes it safer than wood which can often be gnawed. It does not rot and so will last a lot longer than wood. It requires very little ongoing maintenance so does not need regular painting. It is more weather resistant and will not grow a coat of mildew with all the attendant health problems. It is chemically inert so it will not react to urine and other soiling. It is also easy to clean and to wash down with disinfectant, making it supremely hygienic. Pig and poultry housing of all types lends itself to being made with plastic planks.

As well as housing, plastic feeders have all the same benefits of plastic housing. Durability and water resistance, and being easier to keep clean, are the major benefits. Because they last a long time with little or no maintenance recycled plastic wood is the material of choice for pig and cattle feeders.

As well as in agriculture, the equestrian industry also benefits from plastic planks and other recycled plastic products. Stable doors can be made which look exactly like wood, with the added benefit of being more resistant to chewing, and containing no preservatives which could harm a valuable horse. Plastic planks are extremely versatile and can be used to make horse exercisers which are used in the lucrative racehorse industry. Existing stables can also be lined with plastic planks to give the added benefits mentioned before. More indirectly, at racing events , horse shows and gymkhanas, ground protection mats made from recycled plastic are an absolute necessity to protect the ground. Some stables use ground mats on walkways as they are much less slippery than muddy ground.

It is not just our domestic animals which can benefit from recycled plastics. A surprising number of nature reserves have used it for many years, and in many cases leisure users have been unaware. Viewing platforms and bird hides have been made of recyclable plastic because of its easy maintenance and durability in the wet. It does not produce chemicals which could pollute the waterways and so is ideal for lakes and rivers, as well as resisting the damp British climate. Also for nearly 20 years visitors to some RSPB nature reserves have been walking on plastic walkways, unaware of what was beneath their feet.

So recycled plastic is good for animals as well as man.

Centriforce have a huge range of ground reinforcement and recycled plastic wood products that will save your bank balance as well as the environment, you’d be surprised at the products on offer for your next project.