Environmental considerations - Which product to use?

Beth · Post: # 119555Post **Beth** Thu Nov 19, 2020 10:05 am

We are having our driveway redone, and want to know what the most environmentally friendly option is. I researched myself and thought that eco grid, and recycled gravel was the best option, as also cost is a consideration. Obviously this option is porous, and less new material is being produced. A gardener designer has just said that because of the gradient of our driveway (5%), self binding gravel would be better. From what I understand, it is still porous which is good, but is it new material? What are your thoughts about the most environmentally friendly option of the two? And is there another material, option, or technique that I haven't thought of?

dig dug dan · Post: # 119556Post **dig dug dan** Thu Nov 19, 2020 6:03 pm

If you want to be environmental, dont use a plastic grid!

Beth · Post: # 119557Post **Beth** Mon Nov 23, 2020 9:12 am

dig dug dan wrote:If you want to be environmental, dont use a plastic grid!

Hi Dan, thanks for your message. In the research I have done it seems that the grid is made from recycled plastic, even up to 100% with some brands, and is recyclable at the end of its life. With some brands this might be a very long time, adding to the advantage of using plastic. Some brands are carbon neutral, and all are fully permeable, so we wouldnt contribute to run-off. As this is my first time using the product, you are more of an expert than me, I wonder if we dont use grid, what would you suggest instead?

Post: # 119561Post **Tony McC** Mon Nov 23, 2020 11:20 am

Self-Binding Gravel (SBG) is "sort-of" porous, in that it is not watertight, but when it comes to designing areas with a SBG surface, we have to allow for surface drainage as the rate of permeability is painfully slow, so much so that we simply don't regard any of the better SBGs as permeable.

As you've found, many of the cell paver systems use recycled plastics to a greater of lesser degree, but, if you want to be hyper-Green, they do generate micro-plastics in use, so they are not quite as Eco as they'd like us to think....but then, there are no paving materials that don't have at least some eco-cost. It's just a matter of how much of an eco-cost.

A well-constructed cell paver system, with a sound sub-base and a carefully selected angular gravel should just about cope with a 5% gradient. There *will* be some migration, some loss, but by avoiding having the cells over-filled, and accepting the grid component will be partially visible, you could probably get away with it...and a bit of regular maintenance/topping-up.

Beth · Post: # 119568Post **Beth** Fri Nov 27, 2020 4:35 pm

Tony McC wrote:Self-Binding Gravel (SBG) is "sort-of" porous, in that it is not watertight, but when it comes to designing areas with a SBG surface, we have to allow for surface drainage as the rate of permeability is painfully slow, so much so that we simply don't regard any of the better SBGs as permeable.

As you've found, many of the cell paver systems use recycled plastics to a greater of lesser degree, but, if you want to be hyper-Green, they do generate micro-plastics in use, so they are not quite as Eco as they'd like us to think....but then, there are no paving materials that don't have at least some eco-cost. It's just a matter of how much of an eco-cost.

A well-constructed cell paver system, with a sound sub-base and a carefully selected angular gravel should just about cope with a 5% gradient. There *will* be some migration, some loss, but by avoiding having the cells over-filled, and accepting the grid component will be partially visible, you could probably get away with it...and a bit of regular maintenance/topping-up.

Many thanks Tony.