Great question! It really depends on the city and the specific bench you're looking at. Many modern urban benches are actually made from recycled materials, especially in eco-conscious cities or newer developments. For example, you'll commonly find benches made from recycled HDPE plastic (think milk jugs and detergent bottles) combined with wood fibers or even recycled aluminum. These "eco-benches" look and feel like traditional wood and metal, but they're highly durable, require little maintenance, and keep tons of plastic out of landfills.
That said, plenty of older benches—and even some new budget-friendly ones—are still made from standard metal (iron or steel) and pressure-treated wood. These are classic, sturdy, and cheaper to produce, but they often involve virgin lumber and energy-intensive metal smelting. So if you're walking through a park and see a bench made of dark, textured slats with a metallic frame, there's a solid chance it's standard construction.
How can you tell without a label? Look for "marine-grade" or "polywood" finishes—those are almost always recycled. Check for manufacturer plaques too; companies like Durapost or Poly-Wood explicitly advertise recycled content. On the flip side, if the wood is splitting, showing natural grain, or the metal is rusting, it's likely standard untreated materials.
Bottom line: more cities are shifting to recycled options as part of their sustainability pledges, but the classic metal-and-wood bench isn't going anywhere soon. Next time you sit down, take a look at the bench's underside or edges—you might spot a recycling symbol or a "made from 100% post-consumer waste" stamp.