A sustainable solution for posts

With rising dumping costs and limited recycling options, growers are increasingly considering alternatives like steel, concrete, or plastic for their posts. But whilst these materials may offer immediate solutions, they often come with significant environmental drawbacks.

Fortunately, a new product on the market is providing a more sustainable solution, by addressing the challenges associated with traditional wood. This innovative option not only offers environmental benefits but also holds the potential to support farmers and various industries, paving the way for a greener future.

Vineyard posts are traditionally treated with Chromated Copper Arsenate (CCA) as a wood preservative against insects and fungal attack. However, this is also the reason the posts become problematic at the end of service.

In New Zealand’s largest wine region, Marlborough, there are an estimate 14 million posts with some 300,000 posts broken annually due to mechanical harvesting. Disposing of them is not easy. Burning is not an option due to the presence of arsenic, so landfill is the only disposal option. Yet, the preserving agent means the posts may never break down. 

PermaPine, one of New Zealand’s leading manufacturer and supplier of roundwood and CCA-treated posts, have a ‘game-changing’ solution to this problem – Micronised Copper Azole (MCA).

PermaPine is the first, and only, roundwood manufacturer offering MCA treatment to the rural sector in New Zealand.

Like their traditional counterparts, PermaPine’s MCA treated products are long-lasting and come with a 50-year warranty against insect and fungal attack when used and installed according to industry guidelines.

“MCA is a more sustainable preservative to the traditional CCA. It features two active ingredients: micronized copper (finely ground copper carbonate) and an azole. Not only are they as effective at warding off insects and fungus, but the end-of-life options make disposal much easier than sitting in landfill,” says PermaPine Sales Manager Glyn Eason.

Unlike CCA-treated posts, broken or unwanted MCA posts can be dropped off at a collection point, chipped, and used as a fuel source in industrial boilers. 

Broken MCA treated posts can be repurposed to generate energy at two locations in New Zealand, with more planned in the future,

"This approach not only reduces waste sent to landfill but also mitigates impacts on groundwater,” says David Nutsford, Fencing Category Manager for PGG Wrightson.

PermaPine delivered their first load of MCA-treated posts to Marlborough wineries last month, with more expected to follow. Currently, PermaPine is offering MCA-treated posts, strainers, stays, and stay blocks to the vineyard market. Vineyards are not the only industry set to benefit.

“MCA offers advantages for other markets: it is safer for horses, lowering the risks associated with ingestion compared to CCA treatment, and its lower toxicity makes it an eco-friendlier solution for fencing off waterways,” says David. 

Solving end-of-life issues, is only one sustainable solution MCA offers.

“As trees grow, they sequester carbon from the atmosphere. When wood is preserved, this stored carbon is locked into the wood. Meanwhile, the production of alternatives creates emissions. Each wooden post sequesters approximately 30 kg of CO2, while the production of a steel post emits approximately 7.1 kg of CO2. Now, these posts can be recycled. While the sequester carbon may be released at the end of life, the net carbon position still comes out ahead of steel posts. So, MCA-treated posts are really the sustainable choice,” says Glyn.

“We are thrilled to offer a more sustainable option to our customers. As more and more people shift towards being more environmentally sustainable, MCA customers know in the end, their product will not be clogging a landfill,” explains Glyn.

Find out more about sustainable fencing alternatives, by contacting your local Technical Field Representative.