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AS 4843

Australian Standard™

Synthetic weed blocking fabric

AS 4843—2001
 This Australian Standard was prepared by Committee TX-008, Textiles for
Horticulture and Agriculture. It was approved on behalf of the Council of Standards
Australia on 14 May 2001 and published on 28 May 2001.

The following interests are represented on Committee TX-008:

Australian Business
Australian Cancer Society
Australian Chamber of Commercial and Industry
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New South Wales TAFE Commission

N.S.W Agriculture
Nursery Industry Association of Australia
Office of Training and Further Education Victoria
Plastics and Chemicals Industries Association
Testing Interests
University of New South Wales

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NSW 2001.

This Standard was issued in draft form for comment as DR 99475.

 AS 4843—2001

Australian Standard™
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Synthetic weed blocking fabric

First published as AS 4843—2001.

COPYRIGHT
© Standards Australia International
All rights are reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or copied in any form or by any
means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, without the written permission of the
publisher.
Published by Standards Australia International Ltd
GPO Box 5420, Sydney, NSW 2001, Australia
ISBN 0 7337 3921 0
 AS 4843—2001 2

PREFACE
This Standard was prepared by the Standards Australia Committee TX-008, Textiles for
Horticulture and Agriculture.
In seeking to provide minimum requirements for products which will perform efficiently
over a reasonable period of use, this Standard covers the attributes of light blocking,
permeability, UV stability, tensile strength, tear strength, and resistance to puncture. The
attribute of chemical resistance has not been included in the minimum requirements. While
it is accepted that chemical resistance is an important issue, the variety of substances to
which the fabric could be subjected in chemical spraying would make it inappropriate to
choose any particular substance to which the fabric must be exposed in a test in the
Standard and to set a minimum requirement for an end result for that test. Biodegradability
is another issue which is not covered, for the reason that it is not usually an attribute
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required in these synthetic materials.

Users requiring to know the performance of a fabric in respect of chemical resistance or
biodegradability are advised of appropriate test methods.
The results used to determine the minimum requirements were based upon products already
available and known to perform adequately.
The term ‘informative’ has been used in this Standard to define the application of the
appendix to which it applies. An ‘informative’ appendix is only for information and
guidance.
 3 AS 4843—2001

CONTENTS

Page
FOREWORD ............................................................................................................................. 4
1 SCOPE ........................................................................................................................ 5
2 OBJECTIVE ............................................................................................................... 5
3 REFERENCED DOCUMENTS .................................................................................. 5
4 DEFINITION .............................................................................................................. 5
5 PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS ........................................................................ 6
6 OTHER PERFORMANCE CHARACTERISTICS ..................................................... 7
7 LABELLING .............................................................................................................. 7
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APPENDIX A CALCULATION OF % PAR BLOCK ............................................................ 8

 AS 4843—2001 4

FOREWORD
The function of weedblocking fabric is to retard weed growth. However, it will not prevent
all growth occurring. It is designed to be used in domestic and commercial applications and
the performance requirements set out in this Standard are criteria for both styles of fabric.
In some particular commercial applications, a more robust fabric is required which will
have higher performance requirements than those specified in this Standard.
Woven weed block fabric is designed and manufactured to be more robust and resistant to
UV degradation than non-woven fabric, and can be used with or without a covering of
organic or inorganic mulch.
Non-woven weed block fabric is designed and manufactured for greater water permeability
and should be used with a covering of organic or inorganic mulch.
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 5 AS 4843—2001

STANDARDS AUSTRALIA

Australian Standard
Synthetic weed blocking fabric

1 SCOPE
This Standard specifies requirements for the performance and labelling of synthetic woven
or non-woven fabrics used to retard weed growth. This Standard does not specify the
requirements for non-permeable thermoplastic flexible film, light reflective fabrics or
degradable fabrics made from natural or synthetic fibres.
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2 OBJECTIVE
The objective of this Standard is to provide minimum performance requirements for
synthetic weed blocking fabric for agricultural, horticultural, nursery and landscape use for
both domestic and commercial applications.

3 REFERENCED DOCUMENTS
The following documents are referred to in this Standard:
AS
2001 Methods of test for textiles
2001.2.3 Method 2.3: Physical tests—Determination of breaking force and
extension of textile fabrics
3706 Geotextiles—Methods of test
3706.3 Method 3: Determination of tearing strength—Trapezoidal method
3706.4 Method 4: Determination of burst strength—California bearing ratio
(CBR) plunger method
3706.9 Method 9: Determination of permittivity
3706.11 Method 11: Determination of durability—Resistance to degradation by
light and heat
3706.12 Method 12: Determination of durability—Resistance to degradation by
hydrocarbons or chemical reagents
3706.13 Method 13: Determination of durability—Resistance to certain
microbiological agents
4174 Synthetic shadecloth

4 DEFINITION
For the purpose of this Standard, the definition below applies:

4.1 PAR
Photosynthetically active radiation (range 400 to 700 nm).

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AS 4843-2001, Synthetic weed blocking fabric

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