Geosynthetics October/November 2023 - 38

ECTC NEWS
The Erosion Control
Technology Council
(ECTC) is committed to
promoting cost-effective
erosion and sediment
control solutions through
leadership, standardization
and education. ECTC
assists agencies, engineers,
designers, contractors and
other entities in the proper
application, installation and
specification of erosion and
sediment control technologies
while establishing guidelines
for product quality, testing
and performance.
By Kurt Kelsey
Landfills and erosion control
E
rosion control, sediment control and revegetation are common at landfills. Erosion
Control Technology Council (ECTC) is a leading industry organization home to top
manufacturers of erosion and sediment control products, component suppliers, material
distributors and test laboratories. ECTC members are dedicated to advancing the knowledge,
experience and expertise of erosion and sediment control. The nonprofit organization's
mission is to develop performance standards, uniform testing procedures and guidance on
the application and installation of hydraulic erosion control products (HECPs), rolled erosion
control products (RECPs) and sediment retention fiber rolls (SRFRs). ECTC recently
expanded its reach to other technologies as well and promotes the use of erosion and sediment
control products through industry leadership and education in the hope of making a
substantial contribution to the science of erosion control and environmental preservation.
Product solutions and guidance are commonly provided to landfills by ECTC members.
Landfills come in various sizes and types, but all of them require erosion control
and revegetation at points throughout their lives. ECTC's toolbox of specifications and
applicable products, which have been verified through standardized industry testing, are
perfect fits for the challenges of the landfill world. Also located in ECTC's online toolbox
are CAD installation drawings, installation instructions, how-to installation videos and
fact sheets about each technology type.
Daily covers at landfills, required by federal regulations, are used to help hold down
trash at the end of each day, maintain overall sanitary conditions, and prevent odors,
disease and vermin. Alternative daily covers (ADCs) are materials other than soil that are
used at landfills as daily covers. Traditionally, around 6 inches (15.2 cm) of soil has been
used for daily cover at landfills, but there are other options that extend cell life by adding
less cover material each day.
There is a variety of hydraulically applied ADCs used at landfills. Hydraulically applied
ADCs may differ from the slurry configurations used for erosion control and/or revegetation
purposes, but their application is similar. Another ADC option is a geomembrane,
which comes in roll form similar to RECPs. Geomembranes provide many performance
benefits; they help maximize cell life by not contributing daily accumulation to the landfill
surface; and they are reusable.
Active and capped landfills may have needs to convey water safely without eroding
Kurt Kelsey is the president
of the Erosion Control
Technology Council and
division director of the Earth
Science Division at American
Excelsior Company.
the landscape. Degradable RECPs are known as erosion control blankets (ECBs) and have
permissible shear stress ratings up to 2.25 pounds/square foot (11.0 kg/m2) according to
ASTM D6460 testing and work well for channelized flow applications within their design
parameters. If long-term protection and/or reinforcement is desired, turf reinforcement
mats (TRMs), containing stabilized synthetic components, provide a minimum unvegetated
permissible shear stress rating of 2.0 pounds/square foot (9.8 kg/m2) according to
D6460. In addition, vegetated TRMs have vegetated permissible shear stress ratings up to
14.0 pounds/square foot (68.4 kg/m2). Under verified conditions, TRMs may be suitable
replacements to rock riprap channels and down chutes at landfills.
TRMs are also regularly utilized to reinforce vegetation in ditches next to haul roads
at landfill operations. Vegetated TRM solutions provide a soft, green option with several

Geosynthetics October/November 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Geosynthetics October/November 2023