Here and there, urban furniture made from recycled plastic appears in public spaces at the initiative of customers convinced by the durability of the material. To develop its use, BA Eco, subsidiary of the Deleflie group and sole importer of recycled plastic beams and boards, entered into a partnership with Empreinte Réunion, young company specializing in the manufacturing and installation of urban and outdoor furniture.
Urban outdoor furniture made from recycled plastic has been developing for a good twenty years in Europe. France is not left out with SMEs which have launched into the recycling of plastic to provide a raw material that can be carpentered.. In the meeting, since its creation two and a half years ago, the company Empreinte Réunion gives dynamism to this product thanks to its partnership with BA Eco. The company BA Eco defines itself as a platform for purchasing and reselling this type of material to artisan carpenters and construction professionals.. It is the only one to offer this type of product locally. “By creating BA Eco in 2018, we first studied the feasibility of local manufacturing of this material. It was technically possible, but the cost price was much too high. We also import our raw materials from mainland France and Europe”, explains Marijke Payet, BA Eco manager.
A sustainable product
Empreinte Réunion designs, made in his carpentry workshop, then install the furniture. Roughly speaking, the uses are the same as those of wood. “Recycled plastic is worked with the same tools as wood. Its great advantage is its durability. It is a very stable material that does not degrade over time. The sun, rain and termites have no effect on it. The screws are made of stainless steel, the furniture requires no maintenance apart from cleaning”, specifies Quentin Blanc, founder of Empreinte Réunion. The rise of recycled plastic benefits from the sharp increase in the price of wood. The AGEC law, which aims to promote a transition towards a more sustainable economy, also encourages communities and businesses to take an interest in it.
Multiple possible uses
Communities use this solution to create kiosks, guétalis, banks, picnic tables, barriers,pedestrian paths, garden borders, grass car park paving, etc. In Saint-Denis, the two chess tables on the seafront are made of recycled plastic and signed Empreinte Réunion. Likewise, the large tables in the vegetable garden of the Flamboyants clinic in Bras-Panon. Also in the company's assets, terraces for individuals and restaurants, the arrangement of benches and picnic tables on the Saline les Bains fitness trail, pergolas, etc. An equestrian center equipped its paddock with this material. A marina pontoon will soon be manufactured by Empreinte Réunion in Mayotte. For agriculture, the company provides vanilla tutors, pitaya and other climbing fruits. Empreinte Réunion also works with Solygom, which locally recycles car tires, to design slabs, benches and walls of children's play areas.
Recognized suppliers
The plastics are of LDPE origin (low density polyethylene) or PEHD/DD (high density polyethylene), or even come from the recycling of liquid food packaging (SHE, elastic plastic). Each manufacturer has its own recycling process. Some products incorporate metal rods to provide more rigidity. BA Eco suppliers are among the most recognized : German Hahn, number one and European pioneer ; le belge Govaplast ; French SMEs Traidib (historical partner of BA Eco) et MP Industries.
