Ecocycle™ Technology in erosion control netting was introduced by Conwed Plastics at the IECA Environmental Connection (EC09) tradeshow. This new technology allows the netting to be "programmed" to degrade with or without direct sunlight after the netting is no longer needed.
Ecocycle Technology modifies standard plastic, enabling the netting to lose strength at a programmed rate. During the useful life, the netting is stabilized to prevent the premature onset of strength reduction in the netting. As the netting ages beyond its design life with ambient heat and oxygen, the netting becomes brittle, breaking into small fragments. The fragments from the initial degradation, under standard conditions of use, can be further broken down until they are digestible by microbes in a second stage of degradation.
Either the bottom net or a shaded top net can now degrade when the net is no longer needed, reducing the chance of mechanical entanglement and other potential environmental impacts such as animal entanglement, visual distractions and trip hazards.
