our link for ... why biodegradable is better....

On every project, a little rain must fall.....

protect our wetlands from silt and sediment with BioFence.....

Biodegradeable Siltation Fencing

A faster, easier, and more effective way to erect your erosion and siltation controls.
Use BioFence rather than hay bales and black plastic silt fences. Try some today !

BioFence

BioMass Farms - ORDER LINE for BioFence 508-958-1217

A copyrighted and patented product of: Environmental Research Corps, 15 Mohawk Ave., E. Freetown, MA 02717

Questions can be directed to ERC at #508-7958-1217

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Technology Type: Erosion Control

Technology Description: BIOFENCE was developed to 1/provide greater silt removal than the hay bale/silt fence combo, 2/use materials that are totally biodegradable and non toxic to prevent placing lubricant laden plastics and weed and invasive seed entry in wetlands during erosion control, and 3/ provide a product made in the United States to reduce foreign imports and offer better price advantages.

BioFence was developed in 1994. A niche product that grew into competition for silt controls, it has several advantages. Most black plastic silt fence comes from the Far East and shipped to Georgia where oil lubricated rollers trim it to size. Most hay bales are Canadian, contrary to misconceptions that they come from small local US farmers, and are straw or hay meaning a seed content in the bale.When we first designed BioFence, about 34 versions were initially designed, and tested for biodegradability. The final product version selected was about 10-20% better than hay bale/silt fence combinations in silt catching/blockage. Our reasoning is: One - a blade of straw in a hay bale has a hard, shiny, and smooth coat which catches no silt as the individual blade of the hay bale. The silt trapping in a hay bale comes from the intersecting pieces of straw in the bale, but not from the pieces themselves. BioFence also has the intersecting action but adds interlocking ability of the excelsior fiber providing additional silt trapping in the aspen wood fiber section of the fence. Rough edges in the individual pieces of aspen catch silt as well, so the result is blockage by the intersecting and interlocking action, and trapping by the individual wood fibers themselves. BioFence's backing material varies from the hydrocarbon sourced plastic fibers in a black plastic silt fence, that does not shrink nor swell in rainfall events. BioFence uses a treated, dense 8-10 ounce weave burlap composite. Swelling in storm events for a smaller hole opening (which means greater silt trapping), and drying out when the storm recedes, the opening re-establishes itself to allow water passage.

Most traditional black plastic fences are attached to the stakes by stapling. Staples are thin flimsy attachments for the weight fill can place against a silt fence. BioFence is made by sewing looped seams to insert wooden stakes. BioFence's 4' or 42" stakes places the stake 12-18" into the ground rather than the usual 8". In soft soils the fence cannot bend over and with the stakes imbedded into the fence, the fence cannot rip away from the stakes. With the stakes installed as part of the assembly, the client is really getting a complete ready-to-install unit for erosion control and does not need to go out and buy stakes.

All these methods really make us feel that BioFence is superior to any other means of silt and erosion control.

BioFence vs Other Siltation Controls

(materials cost comparisons only - no labor estimates)

BioFence regular grade $1.50/ linear foot retail cost
AS MANUFACTURED BY ERC/BIOMASS FARMS, LAKEVILLE, MA
one man install time per 50' roll: 6 - 7 minutes
advantages: quick install, aesthetic, biodegradable, no removal afterwards
comes with stakes inside fence, no stapling, sealant flap on
bottom can be trenched or erosion stapled, less maintenance
longevity: 1.5 years on average..... effectiveness: 1 year on average
Variations: BioFence Plus! - wildflowers embedded in fence for aesthetics
BioFence w/ EcoGuard - a natural oil absorption boom in fence for pollution control
BioFence w/ Skeeter Guard - fence impregnated with Bti mosquito larvacide to kill larvae
BioFence w/ Skeeter Repel - fence coated with pyrathenum to repel adult mosquitoes
BioFence Superior - heavyweight/high velocity grade for steep runoff situations

HayBales alone with double stakes $1.80/linear foot average
one man install time per 50' roll: 40 minutes
longevity: 0.5 years on average....... effectiveness: 6 months on average
Variations: straw based, hay based, salt marsh hay based

Plastic Silt Fence with staking $0.53/linear foot average
one man install time per 50' roll: 10 minutes
longevity: 20 years on average........ effectiveness: 3 - 6 months on average
note - requires additional labor for fence removal after use, more maintenance
Variations: some have stake attached, all involve stapling method

Hay Bales with Plastic Silt Fence $2.20/linear foot average
one man install time per 50' roll: 60 minutes
longevity: 20 years on average........ effectiveness: 6 months on average
Variations: see above, effectiveness depends on which side the plastic is placed
note - requires additional labor for fence removal after use, maintenance

EcoFence $0.60/linear foot retail
AS MANUFACTURED BY ERC/BIOMASS FARMS, LAKEVILLE, MA
one man install time per 50' roll: 7 minutes
longevity: 1.5 years on average....... effectiveness: 1 year on average
notes - biodegradable, replaces traditional plastic silt fence

Contact: Mark A. Howland, Chief Biologist, Environmental Research Corps/BioMass Farms
c/o 15 Mohawk Ave., E. Freetown, MA 02717 508-763-5253 FAX 508-763-8781

Performance

Materials: BioFence uses 8 to 10 oz, 20 mesh seine weave burlap composite. Burlap is corn starched stiffened with natural additives for longevity to replace the black plastic silt fence. Fiber matting is aspen wood based excelsior fiber to replace the hay bale. The BioFence comes as a complete unit replacing both black plastic silt fences and hay bales. Seam threads are 100% cotton strengthened by twisting action. Matting attached to backing by 100% cotton cord. Reinforcement netting is biodegradable and photosensitive organic with corn starch additives. Paint lettering is soybean based and nontoxic. Stakes are 100% wood (hardwood) with 1 1/8" thickness sewed into fence upon manufacturing. 6" flap on bottom to seal bottom edge to ground via trenching or stapling. USA made and assembled ! Distribution across the USA with exports to Canada and the European Union, (Europe through N. Ireland and France), and the Far East through Honolulu, Hawaii. BioFence is also licensed for manufacturing in Australia and New Zealand.

BioFence is a haybale / plastic silt fence replacement. Its ease of installation and complete biodegradability make it the choice for developers and regulators alike to use in lieu of hay bales or bale/plastic fence combos . BioFence can be installed in a matter of minutes, and offers superior erosion control, water absorption, sediment reduction, and overall performance over straw hay bales and synthetic silt fences. Installation of a 50' length is much more cost-efficient for labor than hay bale installation while maintaining material costs in the same range, or often below the cost of doing it the old way !.

Attributes: - A roll of BioFence approximately wieghs 42 lbs. and covers approximately 50 linear feet. It compares in cost to other erosion products with BioFence at $1.50/lf having a much lower cost than the $1.80/ft. average for haybales and stakes. BioFence is designed to replace the hay bale/silt fence combination ($2.20/lf average) at the lower cost of $1.50/lf, and offers superior performance to the haybale and silt fence combination at a minimum of 17% greater efficiency.. Labor costs for BioFence involves 6-7 minutes installation per 50' roll (estimated cost - $1.50) versus over 1 hour average for the hay bale/ silt fence combo of similar length (estimated cost - $40). As well, one roll of BioFence weighs approximately 42 lbs - much lighter than lugging 17 hay bales at 50lb each, and backing it with black plastic (esitmated over 1000 lbs !) BioFence biodegrades in about 1.5- 2 years, and is available year round. It's design also makes it 17-30% more efficient in trapping silt than the other alternatives ! It means there is no residue plastic left in wetlands to remove after the project, nor weed invasion from straw or hay bales to worry about.Both hay bales (a mess to remove after the project) and black plastic (often buried in silt, and expensive to dispose of in dumpsters) mean labor consuming activity for the contractor long after the project is complete. BioFence means no return to the project after completion and no labor costs for removal!

A close up look at the fibers that provide superior silt removal? Composed of aspen wood fibers, the irregular edges of the wood fibers catch small silt particles better than the round edges of a piece of straw or the smooth plastic fibers of silt fence. Coupled with the swelling ability of the natural burlap backing; BioFence routinely performs 17-30% better than hay bale or plastic silt fence alternatives in trapping silt and erosion.

WHY BIOFENCE PERFORMS BETTER........ "Think of the hard shiny coat on a piece of hay. The individual strand of hay has no ability to attract silt on its own; it is merely the fact that there are thousands of interlocking pieces of hay in a bale that slows and stops silt. Combine this interlocking action of thousand of strands of aspen wood fibers with the fact that the individual strand of aspen has rough edges and traps silt particles on its own - you now have increased silt trapping ability. Along with the aspen wood fibers used in BioFence, the backing material of corn starch stiffened burlap also catches small particles on its own. Unlike plastic silt fences, the burlap will swell during a storm event tightening the 20 mesh weave that BioFence employs,trapping silt on its own." With its embedded stakes, the fence also requires no staples, so the fence can not rip away from the staking.

BioFenceis a copyrighted, trademarked, registereed, and patented product of Environmental Research Corps. As such the product, along with its design and usage, are strictly the property of Environmental Research Corps and its affliates. Unauthorized use, design copy, or name use of either BioFence or EcoFence will result in legal infringements and legal action.

A New Way to Provide Erosion and Silt Control

No heavy hay bales to lug
No plastic left in wetlands
No time consuming installation
No removal needed afterwards
Cost effective at ½ the price
Takes the place of both hay
bales and black plastic silt fences

Cost (all prices are MSRP - manufacturers suggested retail price)

The BioFence line all rolls are 50' in length

BioFence regular: designed to replace hay bale and plastic silt fence combinations - $75/roll
BioFence superior: uses a double application of excelsior and heavy duty backing for longer life expectancy - $85/roll
BioFence Plus !!!: choice of wildflowers with nutrient gel embedded in fence upon assembly for later growth - $85/roll
BioFence with Skeeter Guard & with Skeeter Repel: we impregnate BioFence with pyrathetheum to repel mosquitoes or with Bti larvcide....$85/roll
BioFence with EcoGuard: a natural corncob/cellucose oil absorption boom is embedded into BioFence upon assembly - $125/roll -

The EcoFence line

EcoFence regular - 50'
10 oz. stiffened burlap includes embedded stakes, and drawstring. Intended to replace traditional
black plastic silt fence only with the same biodegradeability as BioFence and more effective strength - $30/roll
PRE-PAID, S&H NOT INCLUDED- contact us about other arrangements

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