Now more than ever, homeowners are placing an increased priority on choosing home products that are environmentally responsible and sustainable. Homeowners are seeking products that can be manufactured with minimal impact on the environment and can be recycled and re-purposed over time.

Aluminum-based materials are the answer. The metallic properties of aluminum allow it to be recycled efficiently and incorporated into decking, fencing and railing products with minimal environmental effects. Its metallic properties also facilitate powder coatings, another environmentally sound choice for home products.

Did you know…31% of all aluminum produced in the United States is generated from recycled scrap.

The Facts about Building Materials and Recycling:

Nearly all homeowners agree that recycling is an essential component of responsible manufacturing and production. However, few are aware of the actual energy required to effectively recycle and reuse home products. Here’s what you need to know:

Nexan Building Products uses aluminum-based materials in all of our decking, fencing and railing products in order to provide homeowners with a superior combination of maintenance-free products and environmentally-sustainable building practices.

The Facts about Powder Coatings:

Powder coatings are one of the most technologically-advanced methods for coating, coloring and sealing building materials. Powder coatings are environmentally friendly; their popularity grew with the passage of the United States Clean Air Act of 1970 which called for the elimination of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that polluted the air. The passage of this law marked a transition point within the building materials industry – and many others – from solvent-based processes to powder coatings.

• While the production of plastic products requires less energy than metals, recycling plastic is a difficult process. Recycling plastic requires a great deal of energy, and over time, plastic materials are subject to substantial degradation each time they are recycled. In other words, at some point, recycled plastic materials lose their essential qualities and must be thrown away as scrap or waste. Plastic waste materials are very difficult to decompose in landfills and are a significant source of waste.
• Although metals make take more energy than plastic to produce, they have a significantly longer usable life and are more easily recycled. In fact, recycling aluminum takes only 5% of the energy that is used to produce new aluminum.   Aluminum, like most metals, is recycled through a process that involves reheating and melting the material in order to shape it into a new form. It does not suffer from degradation between recycling phases and the recycling process can be repeated nearly indefinitely.
• Powder coatings are comprised of powder that is electrostatically charged and then sprayed onto a surface with the opposite charge. Rather than relying upon chemical-based solvents, powder coatings are made up from pigment and dust particles.
• Since they contain no harsh chemicals, powder coatings are non-toxic and are even suitable for the food industry.
• The curing process is performed with the application of heat rather than caustic bonding chemicals; powder coatings are durable, water resistant, impact resistant and UV resistant. They provide an ideal coating for vehicles and engines as well as outdoor furniture and structures.