Marmax Products Ltd supplied recycled plastic for a total of 1.6km of boardwalk around Sedge Fen. Visitors now have improved access to this fascinating site. Everyone, including those with limited mobility, pushchair and wheelchair users can travel continuously for 1.6km, over bridges spanning the dykes and up to two hides, on a safe, slip resistant surface. These walkways allow access with minimum impact on the surroundings. Visitors are guided along pathways to prevent erosion of the fen and reduce the disturbance to wildlife. The recycled plastic keeps its attractive appearance without the need for chemicals and withstands the marshy conditions without rotting.

The recycled plastic is particularly important to Wicken Fen as a sustainable product. The recycled plastic does not rot or splinter and the roughened surface provides grip in these exceptionally damp conditions. Black recycled plastic has been chosen to complement the black peat and Bog Oaks found in the Fens, creating an unobtrusive backdrop to this important area of wetland. The material is available in other colours, including brown and green.

Steve McCarthy, Managing Director, Groupbridge, installation contractors said
"Installation costs are similar to those of wooden alternatives, but on going costs are kept to a minimum because the recycled plastic does not deteriorate."

Wicken Fen is one of The National Trust’s oldest properties. In fact, the National Trust was only four years old when it was purchased in 1899. Since then it has been gradually enlarged to its current 665 hectares (1645 acres). It is now one of the most important wetland areas in Europe, visited by more than 38,000 people every year.

Jake Williams, Property Manager for Wicken Fen, said
"The boardwalk provides safe year round access and allows our visitors to enjoy the site in all conditions with minimum impact on the landscape. We’re looking forward to years of low maintenance use and enjoyment from the boardwalk."

Form more information, please visit the following sites: www.wicken.org.uk and www.nationaltrust.org.uk

Marmax Products recycled plastic has been used to make outdoor classroom seating and raised beds, including a design for wheelchair users.

Marmax Products raised beds provide a flexible growing area. They can be used on hard and soft surfaces and are ideal where space is restricted. The recycled plastic is not affected by the moist conditions neccessary for plant growth, so needs no maintenance.

Enviro Schools has been very creative in the way it has used Marmax Products. Square foot gardens show how plants can grow in close proximity. Raised beds have been planted with vegetables so that the children can see and taste gardening in action. An outdoor classroom has been made from a circle of Marmax sturdy benches and nicknamed "Plastichenge".

Marmax Products recycled plastic was chosen because not only does it fit the sustainability theme of the project, but it is maintenance free. It is an example of recycling in action, taking waste plastic and turning it into a useful product, mirroring the change from garden waste to useful compost.

An area of Friarton Recycling Centre has been transformed into an outdoor classroom. A raised boardwalk skirts the collection area enabling a view of how the public sort waste into collecting points for paper, glass, metal etc. It also looks over the waste transfer situation dealing with industrial and kerb side collection. The boardwalks will be used to display teaching aids and to guide groups of children along a pathway of learning. They will discover the history of Perth and its waste, what was produced and how it was dealt with; culminating in how it is collected and recycled now.

Collecting and sorting waste is only part of the journey to recycling. It then has to be processed into something useful before it can be considered truly recycled. Friarton is showing the final products in use. Marmax recycled plastic boardwalking was the ideal choice. It needs no maintenance and is itself a recycled product. Over twenty five tons of recycled plastic was used. This is equivalent to over 500,000 drinks bottles, or 70cm cubed crushed bottles. The whole area has been created out of recycled products. Marmax path edging has been used to retain recycled glass, rubber, wood chippings and slag path surfaces. The compost is made from recycled garden waste and has been seeded as a meadow. Even the components of some of the interpretation element originally can from this site.

When worn out seating needed to be replaced, Fylindales Parish Council chose Marmax Products to supply recycled plastic benches. The Parish Council has to consider the needs of large numbers of tourists as well as the local population.

Lanchester Seats have been placed at the top of the bank at Robin Hood's Bay, overlooking the spectacular coastal scenery. Traditional Seats and a Picnic Bench have been used in the playground in Fylingthorpe village. Other benches have been sited next to bus stops and at viewpoints throughout the Parish, providing a welcome resting place to enjoy the wonderful country and coastal views.

Recycled Plastic is the ideal material for these situations. It needs no maintenance because it will not rot or splinter, so saving on the costs of painting, staining and replacement. It is very hard wearing and can withstand the vigours of both the playground and the weather without losing its attractive appearance.

"After two years in a busy playground the seven Traditional Seats and Picnic Table look as good as new. They, along with all the other seating we have distributed throughout the Paris, have kept their appearance without any need for maintenance, which is of great benefit to the Council in both time and cost"

Quote by Graham Archer, Chief Executive:

"The Recycled plastic products we now have are an ideal choice for a facilities manager because of the durability and low maintenance benefits. Previous furniture required storing over the winter months and regular varnishing to prevent rot. With the recycled plastic I have not had to do any of this and it has saved me a great deal of time.

"Last year we purchased 20 recycled plastic picnic tables from Marmax, a UK based supplier of recycled plastic products. Each table is made from 2000 plastic drinks bottles, all of which come from UK sources. They are fully recyclable and the countrywide environmental benefit is that the bottles are not being disposed of into landfill sites. However, at BUtlins we see very definite benefits of our own.

The tables are highly durable which, when you consider Bognor Regis has nearly half a million residential and day visitor guests every year, coupled with our seaside location, is of huge value. They are also very low maintenance and fire and graffiti resistant, which means we see long-term advantages in the operating costs on the resort.

At Archbishop Runcie School we were shown a Gold Award winning garden. Although it was February and the garden was in its dormant winter period and covered in crisp white snow, we were able to see clearly how the different areas had been created. Head Teacher, Mrs Julie Robson, showed how recycled material and environmental issues had been incorporated into the scheme. The children were making their own compost and using water collected on site to grow vegetables. They had eaten their own potatoes and sold surplus vegetables to parents.

Marmax Products helped Mrs Julie Robson to plan the seating and our furniture is now both somewhere to sit and an example of recycling in action. The children can see how the waste plastic can be used to make attractive and useful products. Here Junior Reston Seats, Junior Sturdy Benches and a Beamish Tree Seat were chosen and designed to fit the children who use them. A quick wipe down when the weather improves and they will be ready to use again. Usually low maintenance is our most important feature, but in this case, the fact that the plastic was recycled won the day.