Eco-Friendly, Recycled Plastic Decking

Always Green - Trex Recycling

We make Trex® eco-friendly composite decks from an innovative blend of up to 95% recycled plastic film and reclaimed sawdust—that’s almost the whole thing. On top of that, our company uses some of the most earth-friendly manufacturing processes in the country, reclaiming factory waste and eliminating the use of harmful chemicals. Trex offers consumers a truly environmentally responsible choice with our recycled components. Being green is in our DNA. We've been this way nearly 30 years, well before green was a buzzword. Because in the end, all of us want to look out on our decks and know that we’ve done our part.

Green Videos Recycling Programs

Why A Trex® Composite Deck Is A Green Deck

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Reclaimed Wood

Locally sourced reclaimed wood that would otherwise end up in a landfill finds its way into Trex high-performance composite decks. By using reclaimed sawdust, we never have to cut down a tree to make our products. Ever.

 

Recycled Plastic Film

The reclaimed wood in our decks is combined with Trex-recycled plastic film and other recycled components ranging from the overwrap on paper towels to dry cleaner bags, sandwich bags, newspaper sleeves, and grocery and shopping bags. Here’s an interesting fact: the average 500-square foot composite Trex deck contains 140,000 recycled plastic bags! That makes us one of the largest plastic bag recyclers in the U.S.

A Sustainable Supply Chain

Trex takes an active role to ensure our supply vendors operate with ethical and responsible business practices. Approximately 95% of our supply vendors are based in the U.S. We conduct supply chain assessments, including in-person reviews, operating facility tours, and work with our suppliers to reduce environmental impact across the supply chain. As a result, we make it a practice to use post-consumer and post-industrial content wherever possible.

The Big Picture

Trex works along with other U.S. Green Building Council members to transform the way building and communities are designed, built and operated with the goal of creating environmentally and socially responsible spaces that improve the quality of life.

Learn More About our Commitment To Sustainability

Go Ahead, Try Us

Explore Trex's eco-friendly recycled decking boards and other decking products.

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Recycling Is A Beautiful Thing

As one of the largest plastic film recyclers in the U.S., Trex recycling saves 1 billion+ pounds of plastic film and reclaimed wood from landfills each year.

  • A standard 16-foot Trex board contains recycled material from approximately 2,250 plastic bags.
  • The average 500 square-foot composite Trex deck contains more than 140,000 recycled plastic bags, films, and wraps.
  • The entire high-performance Trex decking portfolio is manufactured using up to 95% recycled content.

In addition to contributing to a healthier environment, our earth friendly recycled decking also contributes to your LEED points—not to mention your good karma. Trex products contribute up to five LEED points to any structure. Learn about Trex and the LEED Green Building Rating System™.

Created in part by the U.S. Green Building Council, LEED is a point-based system designed to honor building projects that incorporate efficient, cost-effective and safe eco-friendly products. Trex products can add up to five points to your project—four points in the Materials and Resources category for being composed of up to 95% recycled materials, and one point in the Innovation and Design category.

Recycling Programs

Care to help us keep things green? Join one of our Trex recycling programs and win fabulous prizes.

In Comparison With Pressure-Treated Lumber Over a 25-Year Period, The Environmental Impacts of Trex Decking Are:

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    42% Fewer

    Greenhouse Gas Emissions

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    48% Fewer

    Criteria Air Pollutants

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    43% More

    Energy Use and Feedstocks

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    86% Less

    Acidification

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    90% Less

    Eutrophication

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    54% Less

    Smog

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    27% More

    Public Supply Process Water Use

Product Process

Trex’s manufacturing process is as green as its final product -- with a proprietary processing method that eliminates the use of smoke stacks. Additionally, nearly 100% of factory runoff and refuse is recycled back into the manufacturing line. Trex transforms these materials into eco-friendly decking that has a smaller carbon footprint than wood. Learn more about the process:

1.

Sawdust And Plastic Film Are Purchased

2.

Plastic Film Is Cleaned And Ground Into Granules

3.

Plastic Film And Sawdust Are Combined And Heated

4.

Mixture Is Mixed To A Soft, Pliable Consistency

5.

Mixture Is Formed Into Boards Using Profile Dies

6.

Boards Are Cooled And Cut To Length

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Boards Are Inspected By Quality Control For Defects, Strength And Color Accuracy

8.

Finished Boards Are Wrapped And Shipped

We Haven't Felled One Tree In The Making Of Trex High-Performance Composite Decking. Ever.

Green Projects & Affiliations

Trex regularly seeks third-party audits to ensure it is continually improving its green practices while meeting all environmental, health and safety guidelines and industry regulations. Here are a few organizations we’ve joined forces with to help build a greener outlook for our planet:

The BASF Near Zero Energy Home In Paterson, NJ

The Solar Decathalon, A Collegiate Green Building Competition

The National Building Museum's "The Green House" Exhibit In Washington, D.C.

Maui Wildlife Refuge Complex, Kealia Pond NWR in Hawaii

Point Defiance Zoo, Theater And Kids Zone In Tacoma, WA

Industry Recognition

Widely recognized as the leading eco-friendly choice for decks and deck railings, Trex has always been at the forefront of the green building industry. As a proud member of the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), Trex collaborates with leaders from every sector of the building industry to transform the way buildings and communities are designed, built and operated with the goal of creating environmentally- and socially-responsible spaces that improve the quality of life for everyone.

Trex also works to educate the nation’s youth about the importance of recycling and a sustainable world. Through its annual Trex School Recycling Challenge, Trex engages thousands of students across the country in a friendly competition to see who can collect and recycle the most plastic bags, wrap and film packaging for a chance to win Trex products for their schools. The challenge begins each year on America Recycles Day (November 15) and ends just in time for Earth Day (April 22).

Trex has received numerous environmental awards, including:

  • 2023 Award of Excellence, Chicago Public Relations Society of America Skyline Award for Best Influencer Marketing: Trex’s Lowe’s and The Home Depot influencer efforts
  • Green Builder magazine's Readers' Choice award for "Greenest" decking (11 consecutive years) - a testament to our commitment to responsible construction, from the people who know it better than anyone.
  • The Home Depot's "Environmental Vendor of the Year" (2016)
  • Norfolk Environmental Action Award (2016)
  • The GAIA Award in the fall of 2014 for our eco-friendly decking. The Middle East's premiere awards program honors sustainable and eco-friendly building products and manufacturers.
  • The E-3 Green Company Executive Award from Pennsylvania-based Emerald Asset Management for CEO Ron Kaplan’s leadership and commitment to excellence.
  • 2013 Green Award from Washingtonian magazine, which recognizes citizens, companies and organizations in the DC metro area that are working to improve the environment and encourage eco-friendly living.
  • The Governor of Virginia's Environmental Award for "impressive tonnage of recycled grocery bags and pallet wrap kept out landfill"
  • Connecticut College's Inherit the Earth Gold Medal for "demonstrating that business can be profitable, while meeting the needs of environmental sustainability"
  • The Governor of Virginia's Environmental Excellence First-Place Award for "Outstanding Environmental Projects" (twice received)
  • Winslow Management Company's Green Award for companies that positively contribute to both the environment and their shareholders
  • The "Excellence in Plastics Recycling" award from the Society of Plastic Engineers Recycling Division
  • Trex is the first company in the wood-alternative decking industry to receive an International Code Council Evaluation Service® (ICC-ES)* SAVE Verification for Recycled Content. This independent third party verification confirms that, with a minimum of 95.4% recycled content, Trex composite products really are as green as it gets
  • In 2015, 66 benches were awarded to winning schools that collected 170,135 lbs of plastic film. That’s approximately 12,760,146 grocery bags put to better use in making Trex decking.
  • In conjunction with Trees for the Future, one tree is planted for every piece of Trex Outdoor Furniture sold. More than 22,000 trees have been planted through this partnership.

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(NOT ALL PRODUCTS ARE AVAILABLE IN EVERY COUNTRY.)