Product Category: SEDIMENT CONTROL

Sediment Control Ireland – Silt Fences, Curtains & Erosion Products for Construction Sites

Sediment control is a legal requirement on Irish construction sites, road projects, and civil engineering works near watercourses. SSI Environmental supplies the full range of compliant sediment control systems across Ireland  from Type 3 silt fences and floating silt curtains to dewatering bags, sedimats, coir mesh, and erosion guard blankets.

What is Sediment Control?

Sediment control encompasses the temporary barriers, filters, and management systems used to prevent soil, silt, and suspended particles from leaving a construction site and entering nearby drains, watercourses, rivers, or coastal areas. In Ireland, uncontrolled sediment run-off is regulated under the Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC), the EPA’s WQIP (Water Quality Improvement Plan), and planning conditions applied to construction consents.

Most sediment control systems are temporary  installed during construction and removed once ground cover is re-established. They work alongside erosion control measures to minimise soil loss at source.

Silt Fence vs Silt Curtain: Which Do You Need?

The two primary sediment control tools serve different environments:

• Silt fence (terrestrial): Installed along the perimeter of construction sites as an entrenched geotextile barrier. Intercepts and retains stormwater runoff before it leaves the site boundary. Type 3 silt fence is the standard for Irish construction projects, offering enhanced filtration for peat, gley, and silty soil types.
• Silt curtain (aquatic): A floating barrier deployed in rivers, lakes, harbours, or coastal waters. Contains turbidity and suspended sediment during marine construction, dredging, or shoreline works. Required on any project with in-water works near sensitive habitats.

For most Irish construction projects, both may be required  silt fence around the site perimeter, and silt curtain in any adjacent water body.

Irish Regulatory Requirements for Sediment Control

Construction project planning conditions in Ireland routinely require a Sediment and Erosion Control Plan (SECP) as a pre-construction deliverable. Irish EPA Water Guidance Notes specify that construction sites must implement best practice sediment control to prevent diffuse pollution of surface water, groundwater, and protected natural habitats (SACs, SPAs, NHAs).

Failure to implement compliant sediment control can result in enforcement action under the Environmental Protection Agency Act 1992 and the Water Pollution Acts 1977–2007, including stop-work orders, remediation costs, and prosecution.

Sediment Control Products Available from SSI Environmental

• Type 3 Silt Fence (Terrastop Premium) – CE-marked, for Irish construction site perimeter control
• Silt Curtain – Floating barrier for in-water sediment containment
• Silt De-Watering Bags (Standard and Hi-Flow) – For dewatering of pumped silt-laden water
• Sedimats – Ground-level sediment filtration at site exits and drainage points
• Coir Mesh Erosion Blankets – Biodegradable coconut fibre meshes for slope and embankment protection
• Erosion Guard – Synthetic erosion control blankets for exposed soil stabilisation

Sediment control is designed to contain the eroded soil on a construction site in order to avoid it from getting washed off and causing water pollution in near by water bodies like stream / rivers / sea etc.

These systems are mostly designed as temporary measures for prevention of water pollution and usually employed together with erosion control systems to minimize soil erosion which indirectly reduces the need for sediment control. Some of these systems can be used for storm water management purposes also.

FAQ – Sediment Control Ireland

What is a Type 3 silt fence and why is it used in Ireland?

A Type 3 silt fence meets enhanced filtration standards required for Irish soil types including peat and gley. It intercepts and retains runoff containing fine sediment particles, preventing them from reaching nearby water bodies. SSI’s Terrastop Premium is CE-marked and fully compliant with Irish environmental regulations.

When is a silt curtain required on an Irish construction project?

A silt curtain is required whenever construction, dredging, or site clearance works occur adjacent to or within a water body  river, lake, estuary, or coastal area. It contains suspended sediment plumes in the water, protecting aquatic habitats and downstream water quality. Most planning conditions near SACs or SPAs will mandate a silt curtain.

What Irish regulations govern sediment control on construction sites?

Sediment control in Ireland is required under the Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC), EPA Water Quality Guidance, and planning conditions. The Environmental Protection Agency Act 1992 and Water Pollution Acts 1977–2007 provide enforcement powers for non-compliance.

How do silt de-watering bags work?

Silt dewatering bags are geotextile bags filled with pumped silt-laden water from excavations or groundworks. Water filters slowly through the fabric, depositing sediment inside the bag. Clean effluent discharges to ground. The retained silt can be disposed of as non-hazardous waste when dry.

What is the difference between sediment control and erosion control?

Erosion control prevents soil from being dislodged in the first place  using blankets, seeding, and stabilisation. Sediment control captures soil particles that have already become mobile in runoff. Both are needed on construction sites: erosion control reduces the problem at source; sediment control manages what escapes anyway.

To enquire about the range of products – call us on 01 8855555 / 087-9367065 or contact us here