Demolition at the Port of Vancouver Requires Sediment Control

Matt Graves, environmental manager at the Port of Vancouver USA, developed the storm water pollution prevention plan and performed the site inspections for the Terminal 1 revitalization project at the Port of Vancouver.

Graves needed to secure two access points for the site that would see heavy traffic during the demolition. His team also needed a sediment control solution that could be installed on both hard surface and soil while also providing site access for heavy equipment.

Graves chose DuraWattle because it can be installed across different surfaces, including soil and asphalt, forming a continuous barrier around the site. The sediment control solution’s ASTM-tested 96.6% sediment retention rate would keep debris from leaving the site, while its durable design would allow trucks and heavy machinery to drive over it without a change in its overall effectiveness.

The installation was straightforward and easily handled by a two-man crew, taking approximately 10 hours to install 700 ft of the sediment barrier. According to Graves, a similar length of silt fence would have taken a three-man team several hours longer with potential concrete removal. The system was installed 50% faster than a similar length of silt fence.

On average, the site saw two trucks driving in and out of the site 10 to 12 times per day and three excavators driving in and out of the site per day.

After the project's completion, removal of the barrier was quick and painless. Compared to silt fence, removal of the product was approximately 35% faster.

“DuraWattle was an excellent choice for our demo project,” Graves said. “With changing terrain from soils to asphalt, the DuraWattle performed great; it was also easy to install and remove. No maintenance was required during the 35-day project, and it held up well to the challenges of a hotel demo site.”