| dc.description.abstract | More attention is being paid to sustainable, eco-friendly materials and contemporary alternatives to oil-based products. It is often assumed that materials like wood are preferable to oil-based products, but if the source is not sustainable then this potential advantage is illusory. Deck board materials were used and collected from a number of industrial suppliers in the sector as an example of a potentially sustainable material. The deck boards were deliberately sourced from suppliers of wood, wood-plastic composite (WPC) and fully plastic products to capture a range of materials. In life cycle assessment (LCA) study, the impact indicator values were totaled at the three life cycle stages which cover the production process, utilization process and disposal for all decking samples. Suppliers were surveyed to reveal industry perceptions of the important characteristics for deck boards. The results of this survey are then linked to the mechanical performance of deck boards made using these materials, to understand if properties could be altered in order to meet environmental credentials, thereby influencing industrial manufacturing and marketing processes. Tensile, three-point bending, and fatigue mechanical tests were conducted to determine the ultimate tensile strength, bending strength, modulus of elasticity and fatigue strength of the boards. The mechanical properties of wood deck boards were found to be superior to that of the plastic and WPC deck boards. The comparison of damage assessment for three different materials showed that composites decking life cycle remained in between wood and plastic decking on all impact of human health, ecosystem, and resources depletion. The most crucial attributes of deck board production, as indicated by the respondents to the survey, were the product’s performance, design and finish, the durability and also legal and environmental certification. It was found that the respondent industries paid less concern to high technology production methods followed by complementary accessories of the deck board. Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) are ecolabels that reveal the environmental performance of products and services based on an environmental LCA data. EPDs are a recent development and are being promoted to improve the quality, credibility, and transparency of environmental impact information available to consumers and businesses. Finally, the use of composites is suggested as the right choice to protect the planet and to reduce environmental destruction. However, it should be from green, recycled and environmentally friendly sources. Industries could also customize the composite to meet the required performance by controlling the combination and the ratio of the raw materials used during production. So that, environmental and mechanical performance can be integrated into industrial preferences for materials use, through traditional utilitarian business and marketing planning for sustainable materials. | en_GB |
