FENCES that don't rot or splinter or fall to insect attack are winning friends in the Riverland, writes TERRY GANGE

The "green revolution" has taken a firmer foot-hold in the stock fencing industry, through technology developed in Mildura.

Integrated Recycling is turning agricultural waste products such as vine covers and grain bags into timber substitutes, including fence posts and rails.

"The focus is shifting to more environmentally friendly and sustainable alternatives to the old-style timber, metal and wire fencing products," general manager Stephen Webster said.

"The appeal of the timber replacements is not only environmental, but also practical.

"The recycled products are good for a lifetime, they don't rot or splinter or get white-ants and they aren't chewed by stock - all shortcomings of traditional timber products."

Stephen said the recycled products were also attracting interest from farmers because of their fire resistance and because they were maintenance-free.

"The trouble with timber products is that they look good, but they need regular painting and they can be attacked by borers, termites and stock," he said.

"The recycled products do everything you can do with timber - they can be drilled, screwed and stapled, but they require pretty much no maintenance at all and they can be recycled over and over again.

"The added benefit for electric fences is that, being plastic, they're lightweight and electrified wire or cord can be attached directly to the post."

The first of Integrated Recycling's products were developed five years ago by former Sunraysia vigneron Chris Curran, as he worked to promote his organic wines.

"My customers were questioning me about using treated pine posts in the vineyard," Chris said.

"I hit on the idea of gathering old plastic vine covers and recycling them into vine posts that would be chemical-free.

"I did that, then the process was refined to use all sorts of waste plastic, such as hard plastic, shrink wrap, silage film, polystyrene, polypropylene and even shopping bags."

Chris sold his Ausplaztik company last year to Integrated Packaging, Australia's largest manufacturer of specialist stretch filmwrap and stretch wrapping equipment for industry and agriculture.

Integrated Packaging was looking to incorporate more recycling into its production processes.

The company now trades as Integrated Recycling, but Chris remains part of the organisation as its business development manager.

The company's patented composite mix is made from shredded plastics and timber fibre.

This is heated under pressure and extruded into a range of timber replacement products, such as posts and rails.

However, it also finds its way into outdoor furniture, walkways, vine posts, decking, jetties, lawn edging and bollards.

The properties of the product can be altered by changing the mix and varying the production process.

"Farmers in the Millewa area are starting to use the posts for sheep fencing," Chris said.

"There have also been big contracts for post and rail fencing from horse studs as far away as Queensland and Western Australia.

"But there's really strong interest now from groups specifically wanting 'green' products for conservation-type uses.

"The big plus is that they're using a 100 per cent recycled product, which, at the end of its long life can be recycled again."

Chris said he believed his original reason for developing the recycling technology would continue to be a key aspect of its future appeal.

"With chemical residue testing now the norm in so many industries, that aspect is becoming more important in all farming applications," Chris said.

"Our products do not leach chemicals into the soil and water - I really think treated pine posts are destined to become a thing of the past."

The company says its recycling of plastics and polystyrene will save more than 400 tonnes of landfill a year, including 20,000 cubic metres of polystyrene alone.