FiberTech Polymers: Recycling the Recycled

The “Company Profile” is an Earth911.com series highlighting consumer goods and services making a difference through product stewardship and recycling. Products and services featured do not pay for placement and are not endorsed by Earth911.com.

Plastic milk jugs can be recycled into many different things, but it’s hard to picture them in everyday structures such as fences.

FiberTech Polymers not only uses post-consumer recycled plastics and wood fiber to make its privacy fencing and landscape edging, but it also incorporates the “waste” generated by recycling plants into its products. In other words, FiberTech recycles what’s already been recycled.

To learn more about FiberTech’s green approach to backyard beauty, we talked with president and CEO James Chilcoff.

TimberWolf fencing is manufactured from 100 percent post-consumer recycled wood fiber and plastic. Photo: Latimes.com

The Goods

“Anytime a person throws a cardboard container or plastic milk jug into a recycling bin, it may end up at our plant,” says Chilcoff. “In 2007, we converted 4 percent of California’s recycled HDPE plastic (22,0000,000 plastic containers) and diverted 20 percent of its cardboard waste, turning it into beautiful, durable landscape edging and privacy fencing products.”

FiberTech’s TIMBERWOLF composite fencing looks and feels like real wood, but is more durable, virtually maintenance free and 100 percent recyclable. The same goes for its SMARTEDGE edging, which is resistant to rotting, warping and mold growth. Both products are made from more than 90 percent post-consumer recycled material.

The products are available through fencing contractors across the U.S. and Canada, as well as in DIY home improvement stores Lowe’s and The Home Depot.

What Has Happened

Based in Ontario, California, FiberTech has been using its “ThreeCycle” technology since 1998. ThreeCycle can be translated as “taking recycling one step further,” and FiberTech does that by rescuing waste from recycling plants that would otherwise be headed for landfills.

“Our fiber material is reclaimed from a recycled cardboard box manufacturer’s waste stream,” explains Chilcoff. “Our HDPE plastic comes from a milk jug recycling plant.”

FiberTech Facts:

• Sixteen feet of SmartEdge edging equals 54 half-gallon milk containers
• An average residential backyard TimberWolf fence installation recycles 28,218 half-gallon milk containers
• If a family of four consumes four half-gallon milk containers a week, it would take 136 years to consume 28,218
  

  SmartEdge landscape edging is a complete landscape edging system that has the look and feel of real wood but that outperforms plastic, wood, metal and fiberglass alternatives. Photo: Fibertechpolymers.com

“Additionally, our plant is a ‘closed-loop’ operation, meaning no harmful manufacturing byproducts are released from our facility,” adds Chilcoff.

Chilcoff sees consumers becoming more educated about the environmental impact of the building materials they choose. FiberTech has been eco-conscious since its inception, promoting conservation, sustainable living and the three R’s, and Chilcoff is happy that homeowners are starting to more actively seek out green products.

According to Chilcoff, his favorite “R” is reuse. “We are very proud of our ThreeCycle technology,” he says. “Taking landfill-bound fiber waste materials and forming them into durable and aesthetically pleasing products is very gratifying.”

What’s Next

For Chilcoff, the best part of his job is knowing that he’s making a product that helps the environment. “For example, when we complete a typical backyard privacy fence, the homeowner is responsible for recycling upwards of 30,000 half-gallon cardboard and plastic containers.”

The ultimate goal is to be the leading global producer of green building materials. Chilcoff says that the company has a few innovative products lined up, but that “the growth of our board material as an alternative to wood for all types of outdoor products is an area we are actively pursuing.” Perhaps a deck made from milk cartons isn’t that far off.