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Martin Ecosystems

Baton Rouge, LA

225.292.6750
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    • Wastewater
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    • Stormwater
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Waste Water

Floating Island Technology: How We Use Recycled Consumer Waste to Create Sustainable Environmental Solutions

August 3, 2017


We use recycled plastic to protect shorelines, improve water quality and create wildlife habitat through our Floating Island Technology. How are we doing this? It starts with the Matrix.

Matrix-The Foundation of our Products
Matrix is the Foundation of our products. It is made from 100% recycled PET plastic drinking bottles  and the matrix fibers are thermal bonded with water based resins. It has a strong tensile and tear strength.

The matrix is an open cell structure making it ideal for biofilm attachment and sediment accumulation. It has approximately 124 square feet per cubic foot of surface area. It has also been tested by an independent lab and is non-toxic to fish.

Our Commitment to Environmental Safety
We are committed to providing the safest products. PET used in the matrix material is resistant to attack by micro-organisms. It is inert, won’t biologically degrade and will not leach, which is why it is widely preferred for packaging foods.

PET is also inherently more UV resistant than other plastics, like polypropylene, because of its molecular structure.

At Martin Ecosystems, we’ve gone a step further by coating our products with polyurea coating. The particular polyurea that we use is perfect for marine environments because it is inert, it will not hydrolyze, leach or contaminate. It provides UV protection, contains no VOCs and is direct food contact approved.

How Floating Island Technology Can Improve Our Environment:

  • Protect shorelines of lakes, ponds, and wetlands.
  • Create new marsh habitat where wetlands are eroding away.
  • Remove unwanted pollutants such as Total Suspended Solids, Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD), fecal coliforms, nitrogen and phosphorus in stormwater and wastewater ponds.
  • Create habitat for wildlife, water fowl, and fisheries.
  • Create picturesque waterscapes.

Shoreline Protection

Research has shown that Floating Breakwaters are most effective at attenuating short period waves, such as wind chop.

Marsh Creation

With so much wetland erosion taking place today, wildlife and water fowl are losing their native habitats. By strategically installing Floating Breakwaters, we can create new marsh habitat.

Water Treatment

Floating Treatment Wetlands provide a foundation for plants to grow hydroponically. The open and porous matrix allows roots to spread and bacteria and microbes to attach. Microbes and bacteria attach to the plant roots and matrix fibers, creating a sticky biofilm. Total Suspended Solids are trapped in the biofilm or settle to the water bottom. Bacteria and microbes digest organic matter and pollutants such as Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD), Fecal Coliform, Nitrogen and Phosphorus.

Floating Treatment Wetlands are beneficial to rural and small towns still operating lagoon systems because they can be retrofit into existing lagoons, ultimately saving towns from having to spend millions in capital and construction costs.

They require very little maintenance. Vegetation should be trimmed 2-3 times a year.

Habitat Creation

Fish congregate beneath Islands for shade and cover. Birds lay their eggs on Islands away from predators on land near by.

 

Beautify Waterscapes

Our Floating Islands beautify waterscapes.

The Chicago Riverwalk Restoration is a great example of how to incorporate Floating Islands into a waterscape for beautification.

For every square foot of matrix that we use to manufacture our products we are recycling 3 (16 oz) bottles. This prevents thousands of plastic water bottles from trashing our environment and entering our landfills.

Filed Under: Beautification, Erosion Control, Storm Water, Waste Water Tagged With: biohaven floating islands, environmental education, floating treatment wetlands, habitat conservation, Innovative Solutions, Recycling, Stormwater Treatment, Water Treatment

How Do Floating Treatment Wetlands Work?

July 6, 2017

Maintaining compliance under stricter regulations with aging equipment and limited budgets is a continuous juggling act for communities around the world. This challenge lends to the desire to find cost-effective solutions for wastewater treatment.

Floating Treatment Wetlands (FTW) are an innovative solution engineered to enhance the natural processes that occur between water, plants, and micro organisms in order to remove contaminants from wastewater and stormwater in a passive and natural way.

Floating Treatment Wetlands provide a foundation for plants to grow. The matrix is open and porous in structure, which enables the plants’ roots to spread throughout ultimately creating a vast activated surface area for microbes and bacteria to live. The microbes and bacteria attach to the roots, the microscopic root hairs of the plants and on the fibers of the matrix. The microbes and bacteria secrete a sticky film called biofilm, where total suspended solids (TSS) are either trapped or settle. The microbes and bacteria digest the organic matter and nutrients, including biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), nitrogen and phosphorus through a process called bioremediation.

Biological Treatment takes place below
the water where hanging root systems grow.

There are 3 Critical Elements for Effective Biological Water Treatment:
1. Surface Area

The fibrous matrix along with the roots of the hydroponically grown vegetation create an extensive network of surface area for pollutant eating microbes and bacteria to live.

  • 1 ft2 of planted Floating Treatment Wetland has approximately 3300 ft2 of surface area.
    2. Hydraulic Retention Time (HRT)

Through the use of attached flow curtains Floating Treatment Wetlands control water flow thereby maximizing retention time. This allows for more treatment time.

3. Vegetation

Through photosynthesis plant roots secrete sugar and oxygen for microbes and bacteria to feed on. The microbes and bacteria in return, give the plants food such as nitrogen, phosphorous and ammonia through a process called phytoremediation.

Floating Treatment Wetlands are Effective for:

  • Anaerobic Digestion
  • Nitrification Processes
  • De-nitrification and Polishing
  • Removal of Total Suspended Solids (TSS)
  • Reduction in Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD)
  • Reduction in Fecal Coliforms
  • Reduction in Phosphorus
  • Reduction in Turbidity


Close-up view of plant roots.

Filed Under: Storm Water, Waste Water Tagged With: floating treatment wetlands, Stormwater Treatment, wastewater treatment, Water Treatment

What is a Floating Treatment Wetland?

June 5, 2017

Floating Treatment Wetlands (FTWs) are an emerging innovation in green technology that have demonstrated significant potential for wastewater and stormwater management.

Martin Ecosystems’ Floating Treatment Wetlands are manufactured using 100% recycled polyethylene terephthalate, commonly referred to as PET plastic, the same plastic used to make drinking bottles. The PET fibers are bonded together forming a non-toxic, non woven fibrous matrix, creating the advantage of having an open structure with a vast surface area for biological treatment to occur.

“The use of recycled plastic prevents thousands of water bottles from ending up in landfills each year.”

FTWs are designed to float on the surface, providing a medium for emergent wetland plants to grow hydroponically – plants grow above the water with root systems submerged beneath the water. It is designed with years of scientific research combined with proven biological processes.

Floating Treatment Wetlands provide value for money and benefits above those of traditional water treatment systems. The low cost and modular design allows for customization of wastewater treatment needs in both new and old systems. FTWs extend the life of existing assets by retrofitting Floating Treatment Wetlands into current ponds.

America’s wastewater infrastructure recently received a grade of “D” according to the 2013 infrastructure report card provided by the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE). With an estimated cost of $298 billion over the next twenty years to get it back into working condition, finding cost effective water treatment systems is imperative.

“In the late 1980s and 1990s, FTWs were applied to the treatment of acid mine drainage in Canada with the results published in scientific literature,” said Chris Tanner, principal scientist of aquatic pollution management at the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (Hamilton, New Zealand). “But over the last 10 years, we have seen a rapid expansion in the development of various experimental and commercial versions, including studies of their treatment potential.”

Floating Treatment Wetlands are a proven cost-effective alternative to traditional wastewater treatment systems. They are designed to meet the water treatment needs of communities and businesses, while also delivering a solution that provides value for money spent.

Benefits of Floating Treatment Wetlands:

  • Cost Savings
  • Proven Performance
  • Minimal Environmental Impact
  • Flexibility
  • Zero Land Use
  • Tolerate Fluctuating Water Levels


Photography provided by Water Clean Technologies.

Filed Under: Storm Water, Waste Water Tagged With: floating treatment wetlands, Stormwater Treatment, wastewater treatment

Our Love for Water Inspires Us to Protect It

May 11, 2017

Martin Ecosystems began in 2008, and has been family-owned and operated ever since.

Our owner, Ted Martin, grew up in a small fishing village and his love for water began at a young age. Ted and his four children keep the Martin Ecosystems wheels spinning, and they love what they do.

Martin Ecosystems Leadership Team
Martin Ecosystems Leadership Team

The Louisiana coast has been the backdrop for countless Martin family celebrations. It is where we work; it is where we play; it is our home.

The environmental challenges Louisiana faces are worldwide (i.e. marsh erosion, impaired waterbodies, threatened habitats). We are fully dedicated to finding a common link between industry and nature, while solving the most complex environmental challenges with matchless natural solutions.

Our Environmental Commitment Involves Environmental Technology

We are an environmental technology company that manufactures and supplies Floating Treatment Wetlands, Floating Breakwaters, and a bank stabilization solution-EcoShield™.

Our products provide cost-effective solutions for a variety of environmental challenges our world faces today including storm water and wastewater treatment, shoreline protection, and habitat restoration.

Based out of Louisiana, we first developed solutions for the coastal restoration and protection challenges affecting our home state, but today we serve customers in 15 states and several foreign markets.

Our innovative combination of engineering and ecology improves water quality, establishes sustainable habitats and creates resilient shorelines.

We use recycled products with minimal footprints to improve a variety of water environments. We believe it is our responsibility to be good stewards of the earth’s resources.

  • We are RECYCLING by using a matrix material made of 100% recycled Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic soda and water bottles to manufacture all our products.
  • We are REDUCING the amount of plastic from entering the environment and going into landfills.
  • We are REUSING post-consumer waste.

At Martin Ecosystems, our commitment to improving and protecting the environment is strong.

Interested in learning more about our company, product lines and services? Give us a call at (225) 292-6750!

Filed Under: Beautification, Erosion Control, Recreation, Storm Water, Waste Water Tagged With: BioHaven, erosion control, floating islands, Louisiana coast, Martin Ecosystems, natural water treatment, Water Treatment

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12320 South Choctaw Drive
Baton Rouge, LA 70815
225.292.6750
225.292.6751 – Fax
info@martinecosystems.com

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Copyright © 2022 · Martin Ecosystems

Chad Martin

Chad Martin

Director of Manufacturing

“It is important that every customer is happy with their purchase. I will do what I can to make sure they are satisfied with the end result.”

A founding partner of Martin Ecosystems, Chad earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Business with a minor in Finance from Montana State University-Billings. Prior to joining the company, he was a residential and commercial building contractor for nearly a decade.

As Director of Manufacturing, Chad’s duties include overseeing product manufacturing, purchasing, inventory, packaging and shipping. He is also responsible for Martin Ecosystems quality control and assurance program as well as corporate safety. He also coordinates and oversees all of Martin Ecosystems’ installations.

When not at work, Chad enjoys spending his time hunting and fishing.

Melanie Martin

Melanie Martin

Director of Finance and Administration

“I want to be a part of something that is bigger than myself and allows me to make a difference for future generations.”

Working alongside her family to protect and rebuild the Louisiana coastline was the reason Melanie chose to become a partner in starting Martin Ecosystems. She wanted to be a part of the movement to protect and rebuild the marshes in which she spent so much time as a child.

In her current role, she is in charge of the company’s financial operations. Before entering the financial world, Melanie received a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Her art and design background allows her to create specified drawings for products and job proposals.

Nicole Waguespack

Nicole Martin Waguespack

President

“I believe in doing things right the first time, being honest, and delivering what we say we are going to deliver. I want customers to be satisfied not only with our products, but also our level of service. I think customers appreciate that.”

Martin Ecosystems was founded on a desire to protect and restore the Louisiana coast, and Nicole has been a partner in the company since its beginning in 2008. A graduate of Louisiana State University, Nicole’s science background allows insight into how Martin Ecosystems products work, as well as what it takes to bring them to market. Nicole’s primary responsibility is marketing and advertising, yet she is also involved in product development and research coordination. She has been instrumental in expanding the product lines into new markets, including waste water and stormwater management. Outside of the office, Nicole loves spending time with her husband and daughters. It is her hope that Martin Ecosystems products will provide her children the opportunity to grow up experiencing the remarkable beauty of the Louisiana coast—just as she did.

Ted Martin

Ted Martin

Owner, Founder

“It is not always about making the sale, but developing relationships with those individuals who have the same goal of protecting our environment.”

Establishing and managing businesses is nothing new to Ted, whose history includes a number of successful companies with millions in annual sales. So when he saw the opportunity to manufacture and sell a product that could play a key role in coastal restoration—and work with his family to do it—he knew it was the right choice.

Having earned a Bachelor of Science in Petroleum Engineering at Louisiana State University, Ted applies his knowledge as a member of the product development team. He is involved in every aspect of the business, including product design, implementing sales strategies, managing customer relations and product promotion.

Ted credits his father for Martin Ecosystem’s philosophy of exceptional customer service which is clearly evident throughout the company. He hopes that his children will continue this legacy for many years to come.

Jason Martin

Jason Martin

Director of Operations

“I enjoy working with our customers every day. My philosophy is to treat people like I would like to be treated—with honesty and integrity.”

Jason studied business management at Montana State University-Billings before starting Martin Ecosystems with his family in 2008. His prior experience in project management and commercial sales provided him with the skills to manage the sales department at Martin Ecosystems. Jason oversees product sales, customer service, and distributor relations. He also enjoys pitching in from time to time to assist with installations, which allows him to gain additional insight into what the customer needs. Spending most of his free time fishing and hunting gives Jason an appreciation of the outdoors. Over time he has witnessed the erosion and loss of family land in South Louisiana and strongly believes BioHaven® Floating Breakwaters, EcoShield® and EcoBale would reverse the trend of Louisiana’s land loss.

 
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