Trex Settlement Approved

On Aug. 19. a I'cclcral -1udge in Califirrnia cave Trer Co.. Winchester. Va.. prcliminary approval to pi.r)' up to Sfi.25 nrillion to scttlc u krn-l-running class action suit alleging thc companv sokl dclcctive clecks that wcrc vulnerable ttt tliscoloration fronr a lur.t-rItts.

U.S. District Jud-re Jeffrel S. Whitc signed otf on thc deal. clcspitc opposition fronr thc plaintiff in a parallcl suit in Neu' .lcrscy who complainccl that Tler's plun to notilr' class mcnrbcrs was inadequatc uncl that the t'eleltsc ttt thc settlelncnt shoulcl be limitecl to thosc who acttrallv sr-rbtuit clainrs. Thc objccting plaintitl'. Dr. Caryn Borgcr. w'on't be barrccl tronr raising furthcr objcctions to thc dcal when it gocs up lirr t'inal approral. uccording to the orclcr.

Thc scttlcrnent resolvcs lausuits brought by' I I plaintifls across thc U.S.. beginning in 2(X)9. uhich allcgccl that the uoocl-plastic compositc clccks pulchasecl lhrrtr Trex ri'crc quickll' plagued b1' f'ungal spotting rtrrd tliscoloration. Accorclin-s to the lau'suits. thc prclduct's ?5-ycar \\'anantv pnrnrise-cl that it uoulcl not suffet material clcl-ccts or struc tural clanrage fronr lirnsul decal'. Trcr cleniecl the allcgations, clairning the pfoblerns rcsultcrl lhrnr environmcnlitl l'actors or othcr issutrs not coverctl unclcr tl'tc \\'arrant\'.

Accorcling to court clocuments. custolttcrs r" ho purchased a Trex clcck ll-on.r August 2(X)-l to thc present carr choose betuccn cush. partial cash rclirnds and reintbursclrcnts. clr cash-rctratc rclicf. The cash rcbates arc sct at -107 to -50% of tlie pricc of "neu'-gencration decking" clcsigncd to resist rnokl stains and can bc uolth more than lli2.0(X) toward an "lrvcragc-sized" cleck.

The settlcmcnt is capped at 58.15 millior.r. uith another S1..18 niillion sct aside fbr attorncys' tees and cxpL'nscs.