Structural Recycled Plastic

Plastic Fantastic, Metropolis May 2003, reports on a bridge made entirely of recycled plastic. The fifty-six foot long, single-lane bridge provides access over the Mullica River in the New Jersey Pine Barrens for hikers, forest rangers, and fire fighting vehicles. The recycled plastic, a mix of polystyrene and polyethylene, was developed by Rutgers University School of Engineering professors Tom Nosker and Richard Refree. Reported benefits include:

• Natural resistance to decay, without the need to treat with potentitally toxic chemicals
• 50-year lifespan
• Recyclability at the end of its useful lifespan

More information about this project and its development partners can be found at Rutgers Focus, March 10, 2003. The patented material is manufactured for commercial applications by Polywood Inc.