A sustainable solution to protecting groundwater from oil spills

Fibertex Nonowvens has developed a dependable and sustainable solution to protect groundwater from oil spills. EnviTex Oil is an advanced geotextile solution engineered to integrate passive filtration with enhanced bioremediation performance, to intercept and degrade petroleum hydrocarbons in soil and groundwater.

“As urbanisation increases and oil consumption continues to rise, the accumulation of hydrocarbon pollution in surface run-off and subsoil poses a growing environmental risk in many sectors,” states Brian Potgieter, Technical Sales Engineer, Fibertex Nonwovens South Africa. “Petroleum hydrocarbons – due to leaks and spills from oil tanks, trucks and cars – have toxic properties that are harmful to plant and animal life, which is why it has become increasingly important to minimise the effects of oil pollution. The Fibertex solution is bioremediation, which makes use of micro-organisms that are environmentally friendly and cost-effective, compared to conventional physical and chemical treatments.

“EnviTex Oil, which offers a sustainable, low-intervention response to oil pollution, is constructed from optimised polypropylene fibres with dual functionality, acting as a technical geotextile and as a substrate for microbial degradation.

“EnviTex Oil is treated with a specialised finish that not only improves absorbency but also releases nutrients that promote the growth and metabolic activity of indigenous microorganisms, accelerating the biotransformation of pollutants into carbon dioxide and water. The fabric acts as a barrier that retains pollutants while allowing water to percolate through. This product can also be integrated into drainage systems to skim hydrocarbons from runoff before they reach sensitive aquifers or stormwater infrastructure. If contaminant levels exceed the rate of degradation, the fabric can be easily replaced without excavation or structural modification.

“Independent testing laboratories confirm EnviTex Oil’s ability to absorb up to eleven times its own weight in petroleum hydrocarbons. The product has demonstrated a total degradation capacity of 200 ml m² per year under controlled conditions, with consistent performance across a range of petroleum-based contaminants.

“This process requires no external energy input or chemical dosing and is influenced by variables, like soil composition, pH, temperature and moisture. These conditions are optimised by the material’s permeability and its capacity to retain moisture, both of which support microbial viability.”

EnviTex Oil – which has recently been launched into the African market – meets stringent quality and environmental specifications and is suitable for dependable use beneath roads, parking areas, garages, rail networks, airports, construction and mining sites, as well as fuel handling facilities.

This advanced product delivers continuous, passive mitigation of oil pollution in environments where exposure risk is high and where conventional remediation methods are impractical. By isolating and degrading hydrocarbons in situ, EnviTex Oil reduces pollutant load in natural drainage systems and contributes to the long-term protection of groundwater quality.

The ability to trap and degrade petroleum hydrocarbons directly beneath hard infrastructure is increasingly important for urban resilience and ecosystem health. The launch of this new product means the local market is able to safely embed environmental performance into the structure of the built environment.

EnviTex Oil aligns with the sustainability objectives of the Fibertex Nonwovens group, which is committed to the ongoing development of high-performance, environmentally responsible geotextiles.