Green Recycling Products Blog

Playground Equipment Made From Recycled Milk Jugs Gives Fort Polk Louisiana A Boost

Joseph Coupal - Thursday, April 28, 2011
Playmart Playgrounds at Picerne HousingAt many military installations around the United States there has been an initiative to improve the quality of life as well as moral. Therefore, not only have new homes been built, but true communities have been established on these installations. One such example exists at Fort Polk, Louisiana. A company called Picerne was awarded a privatization contract for Fort Polk . They set out to create a community that would greatly enhance the quality of life for soldiers and their families. This emphasis started with a focus on building and refurbishing quality homes but went beyond a home, a street, or just one neighborhood. The company sought to bring about a sense of community at Playmart Playgrounds at Picerne Housing Fort PolkFort Polk with play.

Upon reviewing the military installation, site managers discovered more than 150 play structures scattered throughout the neighborhoods there.  The items ranged from tetherball posts to swing sets. Most of the items were outdated and in disrepair, which presented a safety concern. The company knew it could make an immediate impact on the quality of life for families by creating recreation  destinations that offered something for everyone in the family, Fibrex Group benches are used by Picerne Military housingswings, age-appropriate play structures, basketball and tennis courts, picnic areas, and benches.

With a green outlook in mind for the improvements, they began to search for an environmentally conscious playground company to help carry out their plan. The company decided to enlist Play Mart, a playground manufacturer that extrudes its own proprietary Recycled Structural Plastic (RSP). This sustainable product is made primarily from recycled milk jugs. The company's average play set contains nearly 25,000 milk jugs, and it diverts over I million pounds of plastic from landfills annually.

Now, Play Mart has designed and installed environmentally friendly playgrounds at over a dozen neighborhoods in Fort Polk. The recreation area is a gathering spot for many residents, not just children. They bring a sense of community to the neighborhoods as families come together to watch their children play. Several parents meet for regular play dates at the parks, and family child care providers take the children on outings to the recreation areas.

Early projects at Fort Polk included the placement of 240 recycled plastic lumber benches at newly refurbished bus stops. These benches contain more than 300 post-consumer milk jugs. In addition to complete playground structures, high-quality, low maintenance recycled plastic lumber products have been used to create picnic tables and waste receptacles. All items consist of up to 100 percent recycled plastic lumber.

Ruben Leenders is the national account manager for Play Mart. The Fibrex Group is the exclusive Mid-Atlantic distributor for Play Mart Inc. We offer full service design & installation of sustainable play equipment, surfacing and borders.  We also manufacture and distribute recycled plastic lumber benches, picnic tables, recycling containers and trash receptacles.

Picerne has revitalized other Military Housing installations using Play Mart playgrounds as well, such as Fort Riley, Fort Meade, Fort Rucker, Fort Bragg and Aberdeen Proving Grounds.

Please click “From milk jugs to swing sets” to read the full article.

Fantastic Savings On Fibrex Group's RecyclePro Recycling Containers (Now Through May!)

Darren Kincaid - Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Since 1990, The Fibrex Group has designed, manufactured and installed an innovative product line of recycling containers, waste receptacles, site furnishings & playground equipment. Providing attractive green design recycling receptacles and site furnishings in public spaces promotes good environmental stewardship while reducing waste and increasing recycling awareness. We offer very competitive factory direct pricing on our extensive selection of sustainable design recycling containers, waste receptacles, benches, picnic tables, playgrounds & solar bollards. All our products are made with the maximum amount of recycled content, are built to last and covered by the best warranties in the industry.

Our May Spring Special

Save an additional 25% through the month of May

The RecyclePro Recycling receptacles are designed for indoor/outdoor use and have an all weather finish. The outer bodies are protected from weather conditions by special high temperature baked on powder coat finishes which are applied to galvanized steel and/or solid aluminum bodies. All receptacles also have a rust and corrosion resistant aluminum base and are supplied with heavy gauge, seamless, hand-spun aluminum covers.

RecyclePro Recycling Receptacles have covers and bodies that are silk screened with clear messages and logos that look professional and last indefinitely. We allow you to choose the message/logo you want for each opening of our recycling receptacles. Custom messages and corporate/government logos are easily prepared to customize your RecyclePro Recycling Receptacles for a minimal set-up fee.

Available in single, multiple and connected unit options, in multiple sizes, these smartly designed recycling receptacles are already a favorite of commercial facility managers and recycling coordinators across the country. Make RecyclePro Recycling Receptacles your preferred collection choice!

Features and Benefits

  • Made with between 30% and 70% recycled content
  • All metal fire safe construction
  • Unique design maximizes efficient use of space
  • Indoor/Outdoor all weather construction
  • Engineered for durability
  • Optional designer decorative bands available
  • Styles and finishes for every facility
  • 20 designer finishes and 2 metal finishes
  • Manufactured in the USA
  • Custom finish combinations available
  • Custom silk screened messages and logos
  • Optional outdoor canopy tops available
RecyclePro without Post
RecyclePro w/o Post RecyclePro with Post RecyclePro Open Top

Fibrex Recycled Site Furnishings Beautify the Virginia Institute of Marine Science

Darren Kincaid - Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Envirodesign Site Furnishings
Envirodesign Site Furnishings
Envirodesign Site Furnishings

Did you know that in addition to our popular recycling containers, the Fibrex Group has an extensive collection of recycled plastic lumber site furnishings at competitive prices? Recently, the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS) decided to replace their old, weathered wood benches and trash cans.

Ms. Debbie Galvez, business manager at VIMS, discovered The Fibrex Group on the eVA purchasing portal/directory and decided to give us a call. She realized that due to their scenic, waterfront location that is subject to harsh elements, VIMS required a product that wouldn’t rot, crack, split, shrink, chip or require maintenance like similar wooden or metal products. VIMS decided on our stylish 6’ Envirodesign Victorian Bench which has the look of cast iron with the durability of recycled plastic. They also purchased various picnic tables including the Hexagon and ADA models to accommodate all of their employees and students, and the Envirodesign dome top waste receptacles. All of which never need painting or treating – and are immune to termites and insects, which is so important in a waterfront landscape!

VIMS’ order was promptly delivered by our staff (since we are in the same neck of the woods). All of their site furnishings fit in beautifully with the fresh Spring blooms and their breathtaking location on the river.

By purchasing products manufactured from recycled plastic content, VIMS saved 45,137 milk jugs from being disposed of in a landfill, thus solidifying their commitment to saving the environment and surrounding wetlands. They had indeed “closed the loop”.

The School of Marine Science (SMS) at VIMS is the graduate school in marine science for the College of William & Mary. Chartered in 1940, VIMS is currently among the largest marine research and education centers in the United States focusing on coastal and estuarine science. The VIMS 40-acre main campus is located in Gloucester Point, Virginia, near the mouth of the York River, a major tributary and passageway to Chesapeake Bay and the Atlantic Ocean. The VIMS Gloucester Point campus lies about 13 miles east of the College of William and Mary along the Colonial Parkway. The close proximity to the river and ocean takes a heavy toll on outdoor benches, tables and trash receptacles.

In today’s environment, buying “GREEN” is more important than ever. The Fibrex Group fabricates 100% recycled plastic lumber made from post-consumer recycled plastic milk jugs. Our products are safe for both children and adults, as they do not splinter, absorb bacteria, or contain chemicals that may leach into the skin or soil like pressured treated wood.

Fibrex benches, picnic tables & site furnishings can be found in school play areas, commons areas, parks, sport & recreation facilities both indoors and outdoors. The uses of these products are limited by imagination only. They are perfect for use trail-side, dock-side, at nature centers, stadiums, and shopping/downtown areas– the potentials are endless!

Recycling Containers in Coppell Texas Parks

Joseph Coupal - Wednesday, April 06, 2011

Funding for recycling containers was recently awarded for the “Play Green” project.

The grant funding allows the city to furnish additional permanent recycling containers for the parks, as well as purchase more portable recycling containers for the city’s special events as well as educational and promotional materials.

“The containers are primarily for water bottles, cans and that sort of thing,” said Cristal Rollins, community programs coordinator for Coppell. “Those are the things found most often out on the parks and trails. Park goers can now recycle more while they are using the parks, fields, facilities and trails with the new recycling containers in place.

The containers were provided by a Solid Waste Implementation Project grant from the North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG) and Texas Commission on Environmental Equality (TCEQ).

Rollins wrote the grant for just under $15,000 and that money provided 17 new recycling containers in the parks and on the trails located in Coppell.

The recycling containers have been placed at Andy Brown East and West parks, the Kid Country playground and the trail system. Each recycling container is marked with “Coppell Recycles Bottles and Cans” signage and has a special opening at the top to minimize contamination. The recycling receptacles are placed next to trash cans in all locations, Rollins said.

“The recycling containers are in the parks and we are using some of the portable containers we purchased at some of the recent city events,” she said. “We also purchased some promotional items to give out to encourage people to recycle.”

Recycling in the parks was first initiated in 2006. The first recycling containers were placed at the soccer and baseball fields at Wagon Wheel and MacArthur parks through “Run, Refresh, Recycle.”

The “Run, Refresh, Recycle” project was also funded through a Solid Waste Implementation Project grant.

The “Play Green” project funds have given the city the opportunity to enhance the park recycling program, increase the diversion rate and create less waste that ends up in a landfill, and gives park users more chances to play green, Rollins said.

Original article written by Jim Kilpatrick – Coppell Gazette