SAFETY ALERT: CPSC, Kadant Composites Inc. Announce Recall of Certain GeoDeck Decking and Railing Materials

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.

Name of product: GeoDeck(TM) Decking and Railing Materials
Units: About 11,000 constructed decks
Manufacturer: Kadant Composites Inc., of Bedford, Mass.
Hazard: When the decking or railing material is exposed to hot temperatures and sunlight, it can prematurely degrade. The degraded material could break, posing a fall hazard to consumers.
Incidents/Injuries: Kadant Composites has received about 370 reports of accelerated degradation of the decking material. No injuries have been reported.
Description: GeoDeck(TM) is a composite decking product that looks similar to natural wood and is sold in three colors including: driftwood, cedar and mahogany. The decking materials were manufactured between April 2002 and October 2003. Each decking and railing component has a manufacturing date stamp (day/month/year) on the cut end, which may still be visible on uninstalled materials.
Sold at: Retail lumberyards nationwide from April 2002 through July 2005 for between about $2 and $2.50 per linear foot.
Manufactured in: United States
Remedy: Consumers should check their GeoDeck(TM) decking materials for visible cracks on the surface and check to see if the surface can be easily scratched with a fingernail or the corner of a credit card. If the deck/rail is degrading, contact GeoDeck(TM) customer service to receive replacement decking and/or railing materials.
Consumer Contact: Contact GeoDeck(TM) customer service at (800) 545-1710 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, or visit the firm's Web site at http://www.KadantCompositesRecall.com