overview
Plastic temporary fencing goes by manynames, usually according to usage -snow fencing, safetyfencing, beach fencing, and so on. Typically orange, this product is a woven plasticmesh that is usually purchased in 50- to 100-footrolls. It is erected for temporary purposes, such as containing snowdrifts or keeping people away from construction, sensitive, ordangerous areas. Plastic fencing is now available with recycledcontent.
laws & guidelines
Federal procurement guidelinesresulting from an Executive Order set twoacceptable standards for plastic temporary fencing: 60% to 100%post-consumer waste plastic, or a minimum 90% to 100% totalrecovered plastic content (any combination of post-consumer and/orpre-consumer material). State and local governments are encouragedto use these guidelines when purchasing plastic fencing.
performance
Research supporting the U.S.Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA)
Comprehensive ProcurementGuidelines indicates that users of recycled-content plastic fencingreport no performance problems.
availability
Plastic fencing with recycled contentis more readily available than it was in the 1990s. Nationwide thereare a number of manufacturers and distributors.
cost
According to EPA research,recycled-content plastic fencing is cost-competitive with fencingfeaturing no recycled content. Depending on the source used,there may or may not be shipping costs to consider when evaluating cost-competitiveness withproducts lacking recycled content.
specifications
State and local governments shouldconsider using the federal procurement guidelines described abovewhen writing specifications for bid solicitations or whenchoosing products directly from a distributor. For criticalapplications, New York and NewJersey have developed detailed contract specifications -includingstrength, contraction, and performance -that can provide guidance onperformance characteristics for recycled-content fencing. These specifications are noted in the EPA'sComprehensive Procurement Guidelines II Background Document, sectionX. A.7, page 75, which can be viewed on the
EPAweb site.
vendors
Check to see if your distributor carries or can obtain recycled-content plastic fencing.Listed below areknown North American manufacturers and distributors ofrecycled-content plastic fencing that meet the federal procurementguidelines.
Manufacturers
DuPont Canada, Inc.
Whitby, ONT
800/263-2742
Products:Construction Fence (L69 and L70) and Drift Control Fence (L250 andL300), both with 97% total recycled plastic (HDPE), minimum 60%post-consumer plastic.
Inteq Corporation
Eastlake, OH
440/953-0550
fax: 440/953-0564
Call to request a CD of Inteq's products meeting EPA's recycled-content requirements.
Products: Variety of post-consumer recycled-content plastic products,including safety and snow fencing made with 15% post-consumer content.
Yemm & Hart
Marquand, MO
573/783-5434
fax: 573/783-7544
Products: Can custom-make orders of 100% post-consumer HDPE fencingon request, depending upon quantity required.
Distributors
UnitedRental Highway Technology
Depew, NY
800/451-9636
fax: 716/681-1188
Products: Distributes DuPont fencing products.
Guardian Fence Suppliers of SouthCarolina
Columbia, SC
800/845-2526
fax: 803-256-1047
Products: Distributes DuPont fencing products.
