Especially in very humid areas such as the Tropics, this problem is very common, because fungi grow particularly well in humid surroundings. Wood is a very common material for building. In the use of wood for railway ties, as well as electricity poles, the wood must not decompose, as the replacement of these would be very inconvenient. Therefore, chemicals such as fungicides like creosote are used to prevent degradation. Alternatives to the chemical treatment of wood by fungicides, are the technique of pressurizing the wood, as well as the use of plastic wood.
Plastic wood is a new substitute for wood that is made out of recycled plastic.
However, when chemically treated or pressurized wood is no longer useful, it is very difficult for it to decompose, and therefore piles up as waste. One can see that the fight against the negative consequences of saprophytism leads to new problems. However, after having pointed out the negative and destructive aspects of fungal saprophytism, it is important to take into account that its role as a decomposer is crucial to prevent the buildup of waste material and replenish nutrients so that they can re enter into the cycles of life. If organic matter was not broken down, it would pile up to such an extent that life would eventually cease to exist. The most important role of saprophytes is the decomposition of organic matter.