Recycled Plastic Sleepers

[griffen]

Hi,

Planning on building a retaining wall which is approximately 14m long and 1m high. Was looking at softwood sleepers but wanted to explore other options.

Interested in using Recycled plastic beams/sleepers. Couple of questions:
- Has anyone had any experience of using them?
- How do they compare on price?
- Are they eco friendly for the soil?

 

[flameport]

Are they eco friendly for the soil?

No.
They degrade into microplastics, just like any other plastic waste left in the environment.

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

No.
They degrade into microplastics, just like any other plastic waste left in the environment.

Really? How long does it take to degrade?

 

[Why Not Indeed]

They're probably friendlier for the soil than timber treated with biocides.

 

[stevewilliams]

I’ve seen them used by environmental organisations like the Broads Authority for benches, boardwalks etc. Incredibly expensive though compared to timber. There’s a bloke on YouTube who extrudes his own plastic beams using waste plastic.

 

[MisterBoy]

- How do they compare on price?

Now surely you can answer that. You probably need a local supplier for something this heavy so get Google out... wood are going to be easier to find.

Note softwood are not rated to last decades, plastic presumably will be around in a century though a bit tatty by then.

 

[griffen]

@MisterBoy I'm going to go with more expensive based on the research I've done so far. However I was hoping someone had found an option perhaps I hadn't discovered yet that would bring the price down. Wishful thinking

 

[MisterBoy]

@MisterBoy I'm going to go with more expensive based on the research I've done so far. However I was hoping someone had found an option perhaps I hadn't discovered yet that would bring the price down. Wishful thinking

For wood your local builder's merchant might be best. There are a couple of national companies specialising in railway sleepers of various types but I don't think there's any magic cheap option unless you luck out on Facebook Marketplace.
I'm a fan of reclaimed oak but they are harder to find and can be a bit smelly with the tar