Erosion Control Technology Council

The enormous problem of uncontrolled soil movement by water and wind has created the erosion control industry. The magitude of the problem is often overlooked by those unfamiliar with the impact of erosion. As a single example, sediment the by-product of erosion) accounts for more than two-thirds of all pollutants entering U.S. waterways. Annual spending in the U.S. for mitigation of erosion and sedimentation is estimated at $13 billion.

The erosion control industry consists of a broad range of diverse professions and specialties, including hydroseeders, mat and blanket manufacturers, consulting engineers, landscapers and even earth moving contractors. All stake claims to separate or interrelated segments of this market. This army of professionals have two objectives in mind; the prevention of soil erosion, and the trapping of sediment before it enters the waterways.

One of the most rapidly growing and "high tech" segments within the industry has been the erosion control mat and blanket market. Rolled erosion control products (i.e. mats and blankets) were first used in the form of jute mattings imported from Asia, but have quickly evolved to include organic fiber-filled and geosynthetic products. As the demand for mats and blankets grew, several different products were developed utilizing varying compositions and structures. Most of these products work in conjunction with vegetation to form a biocomposite solution to erosion control problems. The mat and blanket industry is unique in that it requires blending the professional disiplines of engineering (mat and blanket products, channel hydraulics, etc.), agronomics, and landscaping (i.e. vegetation). The wide variety of product types together with the blending of professional diciplines has led this segment of the industry to "self-regulate" it's activities to improve the use of rolled erosion control products.

THE BIRTH OF AN ORGANIZATION
The rolled erosion control products industry consists of several small to medium sized manufacturers. These companies, acting individually, were unable to establish uniform industry standards. The Erosion Control Technology Countil (ECTC) was created to allow these same manufacturers to work together to formulate and establish performance standards for the use of rolled erosion control products. Most of the manufacturers have a mix of engineering and agronomic expertise. Working together, they have the technical capability needed to establish industry-wide standards, which will help define the appropriate use of the varied products.

The ECTC was officially incorporated as a nonprofit organization on July 6, 1992. It has established a directing membership to manage the organization. Membership, however,is open to anyone interested in the performance specifications of erosion control technologies. Funding is supplied primarily through membership dues.

MISSION AND GOALS OF THE ECTC
The mission of the ECTC is to become recognized as the industry authority in the development of performance standards,testing, and installation techniques of rolled erosion control technologies. The ECTC promotes the use of erosion control mats and blankets through education and industry leadership and assists specifying agencies, engineers, designers, and other interested individuals or organizations in the proper application of products and establishment of standards for their testing and product performance.

As active participants in the Erosion Control Industry, we recognize a responsibility to the industry and the environment. The ECTC maintains an ethical and cooperative attitude through the diverse quality of its membership and constant vision of the future.

ECTC ACTIVITIES
Over the last two years the Erosion Control Technology Council has focused on three key activities:

establishment of a standards committee,
definition of product categories
development of a market reporting system

1) Standards Committee. This ECTC standards committee is attempting to define and establish product use standards. The committee's primary objective is to develope a list of index test methods for rolled erosion control products. These testing methodologies can be used to assist the engineers and designers in material identification, classification and selection. To help accomplish this task, the committee has collected information on common index test methods used by mat and blanket manufacturers to describe their products.

An independent test lab was contracted to evaluate the various index test methods as applied to rolled erosion control products. By the ECTC's membership adopting standard test methods, the specifying community will be provided with pertinent index tests for physical properties to help select the most cost-effective erosion control mat or blanket to suit specific applications. ASTM standards will be referenced whenever possible.

2) Product Categories. Erosion control mats and blankets have been grouped into two primary categories:

Temporary Degradable
Long-Term Nondegradable

The purpose of these definitions is to help classify rolled erosion control products. As standard test methods are developed and as new products are introduced, the range of product categories may expand, based on the performance data collected on the various products.

Temporary Degradable erosion control products are used to enhance the establishment of vegetation. These products are used where vegetation alone provides sufficient site protection after the temporary products have degraded.
Long-Term Nondegradable erosion control products composed of nondegradable materials designed to furnish erosion protection, enhance vegetative growth, and extend the erosion control performance limits of vegetation.

3) Market Reporting. Without accurate data reporting, manufacturers, media, and industry organizations speculate on total market size, growth rates, trends, and specific regional potential. To address this need, the ECTC has established an annual market reporting system. The report collects information on product types, quantities, regional distribution of shipments, and industry growth rates. Through product classifications developed by the Standards committee, ECTC members have access to the market size, growth, and trends of specific product groups. Data has been collected from 1980 through 1993 for confidential use by ECTC members.

ECTC AND THE EROSION CONTROL INDUSTRY
The ECTC provides a vehicle for its members to remain focused on the continued growth and recognition of the Erosion Control Industry. We believe our standardization efforts will lead to increased understanding and proper selection by specifiers of rolled erosion control products. We hope to take some of the mystery out of specifying these products and replace it with industry accepted states-of-practice.

The ECTC is also coordinating its activities with other industry product standardization efforts. Recently, the International Erosion Control Association (IECA) established a Standards Committee responsible for developing standards for erosion control mats and blankets. ASTM has a Task Group in Committee D-35 on Geosynthetics that is working on index test standards for erosion control products as well. The ECTC is supplying input to both organizations to assist their activities and avoid overlapping responsibilities.

Erosion, driven by the forces of nature, is continuous and cumulative in effect. The actions of the ECTC are being added to the arsenal of weapons used to combat the cumulative and detrimental effect of erosion on our environment.

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