FAQs - Environmental Impacts of Pearson Pilings

What are the environmental effects of composite piles?
Can anything leach out of the piles?
There is extremely low water vapor transmission, very low moisture absorption and no solubility in water in any of the materials that make up our composite piles. One of our primary criteria in the development of our piles is that they must be inert and unaffected by the environment - and that they have no deleterious affect on the environment.

We have MSDS’s for the piling as a complete unit and also the two polymer materials we use. The polymer that is the exterior of the piles is widely available in medical grades, is non-toxic, hydrolytically stable and inert at less than 300 F., although it can be attacked by low molecular weight solvents and some chlorinated solvents. The outer skin is impervious to diesel fuel and gasoline.

How durable is the coating on the piles?
We would estimate 20+ years for the PPT exterior before it has significant chalking and needs painting above the waterline for cosmetics only - it will not need to be painted. Both the PPT and the resin are UV stable with the PPT showing no color shift for 2000 hrs. in a quv. Below the waterline the PPT should be hydrolytically stable indefinitely.

Will barnacles grow of the pilings?
Since the pilings are inert, marine growth is not affected in any way, except that growth can be scraped from the piles relatively easily, but barnacles will be difficult to remove if left for any length of time. Of course, PEARSON PILINGS are impervious to any borers and worms!

How does ice affect the pilings?
Ice has little effect on the pilings. The PPT exterior has a low coefficient of friction with ice (like UHMW or Delrin®) and since the pile is uniform in shape, there is little for the ice to grip. The biggest advantage over wood piles in ice is the dramatic increase in uplift capacity, followed by the superior strength of the composite piles.