As issues relating to climate change increasingly effect our daily lives, is it vital we all do our part to help limit the impact our actions have on the planet. At Redlynch Leisure we are passionate about ensuring we do our bit, and this is reflected in the materials we use for our work.
Our two suppliers of equipment, Lappset and Kasier Kuhne, work hard to ensure their materials are sourced from the most sustainable sources. Lappset wood comes from PEFC certified forests, whilst Kaiser Kuhne robinia is grown in FSC certified forests.
Similarly with our safety surfacing products, we work hard to purchase these from sustainable sources.
TigerMulch, our bound rubber mulch surface, is comprised from recycled truck tyres that would otherwise end up in landfill. Similarly, the base layer in our rubber surfaces come from the same source. Topping rubber in black is made from recycled EPDM rubber.
The packaging the equipment comes in is made from offcuts from the timber industry, whilst all the drums the surfacing binder is delivered are recycled on a monthly basis.
We are also in the process of moving our fleet of company vehicles to greener electric models. We currently have a number of electric cars in the fleet along with numerous hybrid models. As soon as the technology catches up to enable vans to travel the milage required from electric power, we will begin to transfer the fleet to electric vans.
By working with Redlynch, you can be confident you have partnered with a company who are committed to helping with the transition to a more sustainable future.
Lappset’s view on sustainability
Environmentally friendly products made from certified wood
Lappset are pioneers in environmental issues. Supporting sustainable development is a central part of their philosophy. It is present in every sector of their activities, from material acquisitions to production and transportation.
Wood from certified forests
Lappset uses Finnish pine in its products sourced from forests with strictly managed principles of sustainable development. Finland has plenty of such wood available, as up to 85% of the nation’s commercial forests belong to the certified PEFC system.
PEFC is the world’s largest sustainable development system for forest management. Certification requires for forest management to be ecologically, socially and economically sustainable, and shall not permanently compromise the living opportunities for future generations. National PEFC criteria specify concrete details for implementation of these prerequisites for each nation.
www.pefc.org
Certification confirms the origins of wood
Lappset know precisely where their wood comes from. This is ensured by PEFC’s Chain of Custody, certification of origin for the entire supply chain. Short transportation distances also ease the strain put on the environment: they acquire all timber from neighbouring regions, within an approximate radius of 200 kilometres from their production plant.
Production organised to be eco-friendly
Lappset adheres to an ISO 14001 environmental management system in its production operations. This means that they take into consideration all environmental perspectives in every work stage in the design and manufacture of all their products.
Minimised consumption, efficient recycling
Lappset always strive to minimise the consumption of energy, fuels and water in our production. Recycling operations at their plant are well organised and maintained. All materials used in the manufacture of Lappset products are carefully sorted and recycled.
No harmful substances released into nature
Wood preservation, gluing and surface treatment processes are carefully managed industrial processes that are prevented from releasing harmful substances into the environment. The plastics they use do not contain any harmful substances and conform to international REACH chemicals policy requirements.
Sustainably selected partners
The promotion of sustainable development at Lappset also extends out to the selection of its partners. They require most important subcontractors to comply with the recommendations of the ISO 26000 standard in environmental matters.
Reliable logistics operators
Lappset use logistics partners that have environmental matters in good order and who are capable of reporting their activities. These operators are primarily large transportation chains. The advantage of these is that even if Lappset cannot itself always guarantee a full load, the transportation company will fill the load.
Quality products endure
High-quality, long-living products are also integral to principles of sustainable development. Lappset’s products are designed and manufactured to endure tough use from one generation to the next.
However, this goal is not achieved without wood preservation that extends the lifecycle of wooden products threefold compared to untreated wood. In the preservation of wood, Lappset only use wood preservers that comply with the ISO 14001 environmental standard.
NORTHERN PINE IS AWESOME MATERIAL
Sustainable wood supports sustainable development
At Lappset they want to make sure future generations also have enough nature in which to play. Therefore they favour the use of wood in thier products – a natural, renewable and eco-friendly raw material.
Grows more than is used
Wood is a renewable and even accumulative natural resource. For instance, in Finland the forests grow faster than they are used: annual growth of tree stands in Finland exceeds felling and natural removal by approximately 25 million cubic metres of wood. (Source: Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, mmm.fi)
Wood has a small footprint
As a tree grows, it cleans the air by absorbing carbon dioxide, which is the most important greenhouse gas affecting climate change. Used as a raw material, the carbon footprint of wood is small. Utilising wood puts significantly less strain on the environment compared to other materials, such as plastic or aluminium.
Versatile pine is easily workable and durable
Lappset would never settle for using any old wood in its products, as they specifically use the northern pine that thrives in barren terrain. The growing season in the northern regions, i.e. summer, is very short, which means that pine here grow with particularly dense grain and are very durable.
Wood used for creating many forms
From the perspective of design, wood is a second-to-none, multipurpose raw material that makes Lappset’s innovative design implementations possible. Pine can be used to create all kinds of different shapes and forms: round and curved, horizontal and vertical structures.
Strong structure that will not twist
Extended using finger joints, the wood is extremely durable in both tall and short structures. You can easily recognise an authentic Lappset product by its four-leaf clover-profiled posts, the vertical grooves of which prevent the structure from twisting.
Branches are normal parts of trees
Branches are natural tree parts, as trees live and grow through roots and branches. In the Finno collection, branchiness is minimal, whereas other collections can have more visible branch spots. Branchiness is primarily an aesthetic issue.
Secret of wooden products lies in heartwood
During the production process, Lappset bring the closely grained heartwood to the surface of the post, thereby ensuring the most durable post on the market.
Pleasant material under any conditions
Even while it was growing, the northern pine has endured four seasons with different weather conditions. Wood is suitable for use as a material in several different climatic conditions, from the harsh cold of the Arctic to the heat of the Tropics and the damp climate of coastlines.
The surface of the wood feels pleasant in sweltering heat and biting cold. Wood will not burn the skin if subjected to hot sunshine, and the tongues of playful children won’t get stuck to it in below-freezing conditions, as can easily happen with metal parts. The wood Lappset uses has been meticulously planed so that its surface feels smooth and no splinters get caught on the delicate hands of children.
Long lifecycle is also eco-friendly
The long lifecycle of products is the foundation for sustainable development. Thanks to the support footings, wooden products do not come into direct contact with the ground and therefore will not rot. However, wood preservation is necessary, as it almost triples the lifecycle of the wood compared to untreated wood, while also keeping termites and other pests at bay. Lappset only use eco-friendly, water-based paints that do not contain any harmful substances that can become detached.
Although extremely durable, the wooden parts require regular maintenance. Indeed, well-maintained Lappset products will last from one generation to the next. Some parks still use the products that were installed over 30 years ago!
It is by no means the end of the story once the Lappset wooden bench or climbing frame reaches the end of its service lifecycle. Products made from wood can be recycled or reused in some other applications.
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