Critical evaluation of compost erosion control blankets (CECBs) against conventional best management practices (BMPs) for the prevention and control of soil erosion, nutrient loss and storm water runoff from engineered slopes under simulated UK conditions

摘要

In recent decades increasing attention has been dedicated to issues ofsustainable land management. Soil is essential for a number of functions andservices which are central to the sustainability of agro-ecosystems and theglobal economy. Consequently soil management and specifically soil erosionincluding, erosion from construction activities, is moving up the political andlegislative agenda. This thesis investigated the suitability of Compost ErosionControl Blankets (CECBs) for runoff and erosion control, on construction sitesunder two simulated rainfall events (5 and 75 year return period storm events(PRSE)) as compared with currently adopted Best Management Practices(BMPs). Two grades of BSI BSI PAS 100:2005 compost, namely CECB0-20mmand CECB0-40mm, were tested against two Erosion Control Blankets (ECBs),namely ECBstraw and ECBcoir, and control bare soil plots. Treatmentperformance was evaluated in terms of a range of attributes including runoffrate, volume and time to runoff initiation and total suspended solid TSS andnitrogen and phosphorous levels in runoff. In addition, nitrogen andphosphorous levels in leachate were also investigated.