Recycled Plastic Fencing Posts

ECOPOST: Recycled Plastic Fencing Posts

EcoPost Recycled Plastic Fencing Posts are manufactured in Nairobi from post-consumer plastic waste collected through a network of over 2,000 waste pickers and sorting cooperatives in marginalised communities. The posts serve as a direct timber replacement for fencing, signage and outdoor construction; eliminating rot, termite damage and the need for chemical treatment while diverting plastic from landfills, waterways and open dumping sites. The material can be cut, drilled and nailed using standard woodworking tools, requires no painting or preservative treatment, and will not splinter or be stolen for firewood.
EcoPost operates from its Ruaraka production facility in Nairobi and has recycled over 600 tonnes of plastic waste, replaced an estimated 60,000 wooden posts (saving approximately 2,400 trees), and provided income to over 2,000 people; 80% under the age of 25 and 56% women. The enterprise is a 2010 SEED Award winner and is working with the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) and the International Labour Organization (ILO) to develop industry standards for recycled plastic lumber products in Kenya.

Key Technical Information

• Material: recycled post-consumer plastic waste (mixed plastics), reinforced with sawdust waste from timber companies for added strength
• Product range: fencing posts (for barbed wire, chain link, electric and picket fencing), sign posts, plastic lumber profiles (solid and hollow), WPC raised garden beds, planters, outdoor benches, tables, pergolas and gate boards
• Workability: can be cut, drilled and nailed with standard woodworking tools — no specialist equipment required
• Durability: rot-proof, termite-proof, mould-resistant, splinter-free; outlasts timber in outdoor applications
• Maintenance: requires no painting, staining or chemical preservative treatment
• Theft deterrent: posts have no value as firewood, reducing theft risk in rural and peri-urban installations
• Finish: smooth and/or timber-like appearance with regular shape
• Castor chair suitability for outdoor furniture applications: continuous use
• Additional services: collection and delivery, painting, installation and drilling available from EcoPost

Efficiency Features

1. Material Efficiency: 100% recycled content, posts are manufactured entirely from post-consumer plastic waste diverted from Nairobi’s waste stream, where only 45–58% of the city’s 2,000+ daily tonnes of solid waste is collected
2. Deforestation prevention: every 25 posts produced saves approximately one tree; EcoPost has replaced an estimated 60,000 wooden posts, saving roughly 2,400 trees and preserving forest land that sequesters CO₂
3. Zero-waste production process: discarded post material is recycled back into the manufacturing process; cooling water is also reused, making the production cycle waste-free
4. Plastic pollution reduction: over 600 tonnes of plastic recycled since 2009, removing material that would otherwise take 10–500 years to decompose in the environment
5. Standards development: EcoPost is collaborating with the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) and the ILO to establish national industry standards for recycled plastic lumber — no formal standards currently exist for this product category in Kenya
6. Awards and recognition: 2010 SEED Award winner (UNEP/UNDP/IUCN programme recognising entrepreneurial solutions for sustainable development)