Mowable swale drains.

Punching holes in discarded mining conveyor belt and turning it into something else decommissions the belt for good and removes it from the waste-stream. In its second life it becomes products for other industries mirroring atrophy in a natural ecosystem and the circular economy. The holes enable it to be pegged to the ground and the photo above shows the flexible belt moulding to the shape of a drain.

Grass then grows through the holes and together they create an exceptionally strong ground mat suitable for drain lining and culvert scour protection. The benefit for the end-user is the belt becomes totally hidden and maintenance access for personnel and vehicles to remove debris, unwanted vegetation and slashing grass. This creates a vegetated swale drain or a mowable swale drain which is very different with rock rip rap that is inaccessible, fills up with sediment and unmanageable tree growth. Having seen belt on the ground for over twenty years with very little physical change, it is likely to stay intact for 25 - 50 years especially in the absence of light due to grass cover.

PRODUCT REFERENCE

From:   Shane Holborn | Director | BioScience Australia | Wellington Point QLD 4160

Re:   Envirobelt

Zelman and I trialled his Envirobelt product in the Erosion and Sediment Control Demonstration Facility in Queensland. The product was laid over turf slabs which turned out to be an extremely effective measure for control erosion and also trapping sediment as it moved across the measures. In combination, turf and the Envirobelt worked well because of its ability to mould itself to the profile of the drain, it allowed the turf to grow through the holes which ended up totally hiding the belt and the final strength of the bond between grass and the Envirobelt was phenomenal once established.

Punching holes requires minimal mechanical energy with no recycling leaving the original material intact and it’s amazing how the addition of a simple hole can transform something old into something new!