Material Lifecycle
Material Lifecycle
Sustainability has always been an important part of Landscape Structures’ culture, even before there
was a word for it. Today, our mission of enhancing the lives of children through play while honoring the
environment is more critical than ever as we address issues of environmental protection.
In 1998, Landscape Structures became the first commercial playground equipment manufacturer in
North America to be ISO 14001 certified for environmental stewardship. We continue to seek new ways
of improving our sustainable design practices, and one way we do this is by sourcing materials with
recycled content when possible and encouraging our customers to recycle playground materials at the
end of its life.
Learn more about the lifecycle of Landscape Structures playground materials, and get the full
sustainability story by visiting playlsi.com
STEEL
Uses: Posts, climbers, decks, etc.
According to the Steel Recycling Institute,
steel is North America’s most recycled material.
More steel is recycled annually than paper,
plastic, aluminum, glass and copper combined.
North American steel production:
• 40.7% Basic Oxygen Furnace process.
u 36.9% total recycled content
u
19.8% post-consumer material and
14.4% pre-consumer material.
to select one steel producer over another on
the basis of a simplistic comparison of relative
scrap usage or recycled content. After its
useful product life, steel is recycled back into
another steel product. Steel with 30% recycled
content and with 90% recycled content are
both necessary parts of the holistic cradle-tocradle infrastructure of steelmaking, product
manufacture, scrap generation and recycling.”
End of life
Steel recycling saves energy and natural
resources.
• In a year, the North American steel industry
saves enough energy to power about
18 million households for a year.
• 59.3% Electric Arc Furnace process.
u 89.9% total recycled content
u
69% post-consumer and
19.5% pre-consumer material.
Landscape Structures uses steel from
both processes in the manufacturing of
playground equipment.
According to the Steel Recycling Institute, via
recycle-steel.org, “One should not attempt
888.438.6574 • 763.972.5200 • playlsi.com
• One ton of steel recycled conserves:
u 2500 pounds (1134 kg) of iron ore
u 1400 pounds (635 kg) of coal
u 120 pounds (55 kg) of limestone
Playground equipment that has reached the end
of its useful life can be separated by material
type and the steel components can be recycled
at your local metal recycling facility.
ALUMINUM
PLASTIC
Uses: Posts (PlayBooster , PlayShaper , and
PlaySense®), Mobius® Climber, Track Ride
beams, post clamps, post caps, Evos® clamps.
®
®
Landscape Structure uses high-strength
aluminum extrusion and casting alloys with lead
levels that meet the CPSIA (Consumer Product
Safety Improvement Act) lead requirements
for children’s products. As a result, the amount
of post-consumer recycled content in some
alloys is limited. Aluminum’s benefit comes
from its durability and corrosion resistance
for playground equipment. The casting and
extrusion process allow our aluminum parts to
be produced in the desired end form, which
results in less material used.
Uses: Recycled poly boards, recycledcore Permalene®
Recycled HDPE plastic made from uncolored
consumer packaging is used to make recycled
lumber and recycled-core Permalene. Using
post-consumer waste keeps this material
out of landfills and creates a durable and
attractive product.
Extrusion alloys
• 87% total recycled content
• 14% post-consumer content
Die cast alloys
• 0% recycled content to ensure compliance
with CPSIA lead requirements.
Sand cast alloys
• 50% total recycled content
• 50% post-consumer content
End of Life
Aluminum can be recycled at local metal
recycling centers. Components should be
separated (clamps removed from posts and
fasteners removed, post caps removed from
steel posts, etc.). The aluminum is then melted
down and reprocessed into the secondary
aluminum market to be used for a variety
of purposes. Recycling aluminum requires only
about 5 percent of the energy required to
produce aluminum from raw ore.
Each sheet of recycled Permalene uses the
equivalent of 449 one gallon HDPE plastic milk
bottles. HDPE is the second most recycled
plastic in the United States behind PET.
In 2011, Landscape Structures also used the
equivalent of 5.9 million one gallon plastic milk
bottles in the production of recycled plastic
lumber for our play equipment. Rotationally molded LLDPE/Shade fabric.
These products do not contain recycled
materials, but they are recyclable.
End of Life:
Plastic playground components, while
recyclable, may not be able to be collected by
residential recycling programs due to the size of
the parts. Check your local business listings for
industrial plastic recyclers or contact Landscape
Structures for ideas on recycling options.
playlsi.com • 763.972.5200 • 888.438.6574
Better playgrounds.
Better world.®
Since 1971, Landscape Structures
has been committed to enhancing
children’s lives by fostering and
creating inspiring play experiences
while honoring the environment.
We create innovative playground
equipment and surfacing to
inspire children to grow strong
bodies and minds so their futures
remain bright. And to further
ensure a better tomorrow, we
are sensitive to the environment
through manufacturing practices
that minimize our impact on the
earth. Our goal from day one has
been to foster healthy children
playing in healthy communities
year after year, generation
after generation.
Contact your local playground
consultant today at 888.438.6574
or 763.972.5200 to learn more.
Or visit playlsi.com.
Insta
©2014 Landscape Structures Inc.
Printed in the U.S.A. 755-2404