Recycled plastic can pass for steel, cement or wood

A West Yorkshire company said it has perfected the blend to make the ultimate recycled building material.

The Halifax-based i-plas claims its material, also called i-plas, is a direct replacement for concrete, steel and wood.

But that鈥檚 not all. The firm also says its product, which is made from recycled plastic, will not chip or splinter, is vandal resistant, requires no varnish and does not easily burn.

Howard Waghorn, MD of i-plas, said: 鈥淚t鈥檚 an incredible material. We are already using to to replace timber in bridges, footpaths and park benches, but we believe the construction industry could use i-plas as a direct replacement for concrete in new projects. It performs better and has no environmental impact.鈥�

we believe the construction industry could use i-plas as a direct replacement for concrete in new projects

i-plas MD, Howard Waghorn

i-plas is also 100% recyclable and a tonne of the material saves 1.66 tonnes of CO2, the firm says, saving more energy than fully insulating a house. It is cheaper than steel and similar in price to a middle-to-high-end wood.

i-plas is the only British company making the material although a company spokesman said similar products had become popular in the United States.

The firm is currently working on a test rig for roofing made out of the material.

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