Natural fibre systems gain traction in lower-carbon earthworks design

By AI, Created 8:41 AM UTC, May 28, 2026, /AGP/ – UK infrastructure projects are putting more pressure on geotechnical teams to cut embodied carbon, pushing natural fibre erosion control products into more specifications for temporary and transitional works. Salike says interest is rising as contractors weigh lifecycle emissions, reporting duties and whole-life carbon performance alongside engineering function.

Why it matters: - UK infrastructure projects are facing greater pressure to reduce embodied carbon in earthworks and geotechnical design. - Natural fibre systems can offer a lower-carbon option for temporary or transitional erosion control where long-term material persistence is not needed. - Carbon reporting requirements are influencing procurement decisions across contractors, infrastructure owners and public authorities.

What happened: - Salike, a UK-based supplier of natural fibre erosion control systems, said interest in biodegradable geotechnical materials has increased as embodied carbon reporting and nature-based infrastructure approaches gain attention. - The company supplies coir-based erosion control materials for slope stabilisation, revegetation support, riverbank protection and ecological restoration works. - The broader industry context includes a shift toward lower-carbon material selection in geotechnical engineering and earthworks delivery.

The details: - Embodied carbon covers emissions from material extraction, manufacture, transport, installation, maintenance and end-of-life treatment. - In geotechnical and civil engineering works, those emissions can come from polymer-based erosion control systems, cementitious stabilisation techniques, imported fill materials and reinforcement products. - The UK has a legally binding net zero target for 2050 under the Climate Change Act 2008. - PAS 2080, the Greenhouse Gas Protocol and Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures guidance are shaping how carbon is assessed in supply chains. - Scope 3 emissions, including purchased materials and subcontracted works, can make up a significant share of reported carbon impact on infrastructure projects. - Natural fibre erosion control products include coir netting, coir blankets and coir logs. - These products are used for surface erosion control, vegetation establishment, temporary slope protection, embankment stabilisation and riverbank and ecological restoration works. - Biodegradable systems are designed to break down over defined periods as vegetation establishes and root structures take over stabilising function. - Carbon-conscious specification is increasingly focused on raw material sourcing, manufacturing intensity, transportation impacts, installation requirements, end-of-life disposal and long-term material persistence. - Several infrastructure and public sector organisations now use procurement criteria that include sustainability checks, whole-life carbon evaluations and supply chain transparency requirements. - The Construction Leadership Council’s Net Zero Carbon Industry Roadmap highlights the need to reduce embodied emissions in construction materials and infrastructure delivery. - Synthetic and structural geotechnical products still remain necessary for high-load and permanent engineering applications. - Biodegradable systems may be a substitute in temporary or transitional erosion control settings where permanent persistence is not technically required.

Between the lines: - The market is moving from a pure engineering-specification model toward one that also weighs carbon, reporting and disposal impacts. - Natural fibre products are benefiting from that shift because they can align with temporary use cases and lower whole-life emissions goals. - The trend does not replace synthetic products; it narrows the use case for each material based on duration, load and environmental requirements.

What’s next: - As carbon reporting obligations evolve across infrastructure, material choice in geotechnical engineering is likely to stay under scrutiny. - Procurement teams are expected to keep favoring options that can document whole-life carbon performance and supply chain transparency. - Demand for biodegradable erosion control systems may continue to grow in projects where temporary stabilization and ecological restoration are the priority.

The bottom line: - Lower-carbon earthworks design is pushing natural fibre systems from niche environmental products toward a more mainstream specification option for temporary geotechnical works.