RootBlock

Root protection involves blocking tree roots with a barrier, preventing them from growing further in a certain direction. This is also called a ‘root protection barrier’. Once roots encounter the barrier, they will continue to grow along the barrier wall at the same height. The roots usually deflect in one direction: above the equator to the left and below the equator to the right. This is related to the fact that the earth rotates on its left axis, which affects the growth direction of the roots.

The minimum distance from a tree to a protection wall is two metres, though this depends on the tree species. Root protection cannot be placed within two metres of the tree as this would compromise the tree’s stability. If root barriers need to be installed within two metres of the tree, root guidance must be used. Protection walls do not guide the roots downward but only block them. Protection walls are mostly applied linearly and not around a tree, unless the distance from the tree is sufficiently large to ensure stability.

RootBlock, with its thickness of 1 or 2 mm and HDPE material, is a heavier type of protection wall in our range. RootBlock is cost-effective and offers very high quality and durability, guaranteed for 50 years, making it reusable. The RootBlock protection wall is suitable for all types of roots and soil, and has been a standard component in many municipalities’ efforts against uncontrolled root growth for years.

The RootBlock root protection wall is also available in bio-based plastic made from sugarcane waste, also known as ‘green polyethylene.’ Using sugarcane waste creates a sustainable alternative to standard polyethylene. Green polyethylene is mixable with standard polyethylene, allowing root barriers made from sugarcane to be recycled in the same process as current PE root barriers and edging. As a result, the base material can still be reused many times. The bio-based root screen bears the ‘I Am Green’ logo, a hallmark reserved exclusively for products made from sugarcane residual waste.

In the Netherlands, household waste is separated, with plastic packaging collected in PMD bags or bins. This waste serves as the basis for RootBlock Circular, a product entirely produced from this collected household waste. After use, RootBlock Circular can be recycled, reused, or returned with plastic waste. Due to the use of various recycled materials, RootBlock Circular naturally acquires a grey colour without colour corrections, which may result in colour variations.