ECORASTER FAQ: the most important answers first.

• Are ECORASTER ground reinforcement elements environmentally friendly?

  Yes. PURUS PLASTICS operates one of the most sophisticated plastics recycling plants worldwide. Our reinforcement elements are environmentally neutral and are developed and manufactured in Germany. We pride ourselves on using a large proportion of recycled material and we are also proud of the recycling compatibility of our products. As a result, we save more than 25,000 metric tons of CO² per year and guarantee sustainable products.

• Are plastic ground reinforcement elements less durable?

  No, not when you choose a quality product! Our ECORASTER products are covered by a 20 year manufacturer's warranty; and by producing the raw materials as well as the finished product, we can guarantee consistently high quality. Our ground reinforcement elements are made from recyclable LDPE, a break-proof, weather-resistant and UV-stable material.

• Can ECORASTER ground reinforcement elements be driven on?

  Yes, ECORASTER products can be driven on without a problem. Depending on the base and filling, the elements have been tested with loads of up to 800 metric tons per square meter by the German technical specification association TÜV. The ECORASTER elements featured here can already be driven on in an unfilled condition straight after installation, which significantly facilitates the filling process.

• Are ECORASTER areas classed as “permeable”?

  Yes. Thanks to an open surface area of more than 95%, water cannot accumulate on the ECORASTER surface. However, the weighting is subject to the responsible authority/commune.

• Can ECORASTER areas be cleared of snow?

  Yes, ECORASTER elements can be cleared of snow using de-icing salt, brooms, snowplows or a brush roller/snow blower. Total snow clearance should be avoided. If a gravel-filled surface is cleared, it is possible for some of the material to have accumulated once the snow has melted. This can simply be returned onto the surface.

• Can ECORASTER be installed without a base?

  Yes, although this might result in limited performance of the ECORASTER system: If no base (water-bearing layer) is used, surface drainage is not guaranteed. Furthermore, changes in the natural ground can lead to unevenness and varying load capacities. Thanks to the tried and tested safety composite system, the ground will not have any joints or edges.

• Do I have to build a surround?

  No. The structure of the ECORASTER ground reinforcement system features a multitude of expansion joints so that no surround is needed. Please simply leave a gap of at least 5 cm to the edge when installing the product. This creates an additional expansion joint.

• How do I work out how much ballast/gravel I need?

  Before you can determine how much ballast/gravel you need, please specify the exact height of your project area. For larger areas, please use a leveling instrument or a laser. If necessary, use the following calculation to establish the amount of filling material needed: 
  0.95 x surface area x element height

• What do I have to take into account for heavy load vehicles/maneuvering areas?

  For surfaces, which are predominantly used by trucks and heavy load vehicles (e.g. forklift trucks/turning circles), we recommend our ECORASTER E50 system with a 1-2 cm layer of gravel.

• Can ECORASTER ground reinforcement elements be thrown away?

  Yes, ECORASTER products are made from virtually single-origin and environmentally neutral LPDE plastic. The offcuts can be safely recycled.

• Can ECORASTER ground reinforcement systems be combined with other products?

  No. ECORASTER products cannot be combined with third-party products and may only be enhanced with original accessories.

• What do you mean by “land usage” and “ground sealing”?

  Today, almost half of our settlement and traffic areas are sealed, i.e. built-on, concreted, asphalted and otherwise mechanically compacted. The ground is cut off from all natural cycles such as ground water seepage and its vital functions are lost. In Germany alone, we currently transform around 104 hectares of land into residential and traffic areas each day. It must be noted, however, that land usage does not always mean sealing, although roughly 46 percent of land is being sealed.

We would be happy to offer personal help and advice. Please let us know how we can be of further assistance:
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