TRACK 2, DAY 2
Hydraulically-Applied Erosion Control Products – In Place of Regular Hydroseeding/Terraseeding/Rolled Erosion Control Blankets
Rod Anderton, SCS Consulting
Wednesday, April 1, 2026 | 9:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. | Hall F
ABSTRACT
In order to improve stabilization of exposed soils, reduce erosion on slopes, and simplify installation, with the added benefit of a cost savings to our Clients, our Land Development Consulting Firm decided to shift from rolled erosion control products (RECP) to hydraulically-applied erosion control products (HECP).
For almost all temporary stabilization needs we are now recommending the use of HECP – essentially a spray-on erosion control blanket (ECB). HECP have been proven to provide better erosion control, are easier and quicker to apply, and have an installation process that is less prone to error.
The spray-on product also has additional environmental benefits: fully biodegradable, minimal transport costs, lower labour costs, no waste, removal, and/or disposal costs, lower life-cycle GHG emissions, and no impact to wildlife (no stakes or metal staples and does not cause animal entrapment).
This presentation will look at the advantages of using HECP versus RECP as both temporary and permanent erosion control, slope stabilization, and revegetation. It will discuss the challenges (and successes) we have encountered in our attempt to convert the Land Development and Earthworks industries away from the historical, outmoded, often poorly effective, inefficient, and typically costly alternatives for site ESC at construction sites.
It will also go over some of the misconceptions surrounding the use of more basic hydraulically applied products such as simply hydroseeding, terraseeding, and spraying without the use of advanced tackifiers and bonding agents. Included will be a summary of how the type of HECP used is selected based on site conditions and requirements.
Our aim is to provide a more cost-effective solution to earthworks construction site ESC at the same time as benefitting the environment with more effective erosion and sediment control measures.
As one would expect, change is not without its challenges, and our migration to HECP over RECP and/or basic hydraulic spraying for ESC is not complete nor is there yet full industry buy-in; but progress is being made and the presentation will include a discussion of our strategy to expand HECP use as we continue to educate and push for ESC solutions that are best for both our clients and the environment.
ABOUT THE PRESENTER
Rod Anderton, SCS Consulting
One of SCS Consulting Group’s environmental and ESC specialists, Rod Anderton has 35 years of experience with water quality monitoring, habitat restoration, and environmental protection.
A freshwater biologist by education, Rod worked for Toronto Water for 32 years; where he first performed and then supervised surface water monitoring, stormwater sampling, spill response, environmental enforcement, and aquatic habitat and stream channel restoration. Rod was the lead author and trainer for the City of Toronto’s 2006 Spill Response Manual.
Additional responsibilities included coordination of programs related to Sewer Asset Management, Stormwater Management and Facilities, and Green / LID Infrastructure. Rod was also one of the lead editors and a key contributor to the 77-page City of Toronto’s biodiversity series Fishes of Toronto guidebook.
After retiring from the City of Toronto, he joined the SCS engineering team to oversee the environmental needs of their clients’ land development projects. Rod brought his years of stream valley design and construction experience, and his erosion and sediment control knowledge, to SCS and is responsible for training their ESC Inspectors, supervising ESC inspections and reporting, reviewing ESC Drawing Sets and ESC Drawing Details, and assisting SCS’s staff and clients with ESC related issues and regulatory concerns.