FloodSax being deployed during an emergency FloodSax alternative sandbags being used to divert water All these 20 FloodSax sandless sandbags came from this one easy-to-carry box FloodSax are ideal for very challenging circumstances

How FloodSax alternative sandbags can potentially save businesses vast sums in environmental fines

Two kinds of alternative sandbags sold worldwide can protect the environment from pollution and potentially save businesses massive fines stretching into hundreds of thousands of pounds.

FloodSax sandless sandbags and its military version, BlastSax, can both quickly and effectively prevent pollution during an emergency by stopping or diverting contaminated water.

Chemical works, waste management companies and similar businesses must retain water on their premises if there is a risk of it polluting nearby watercourses such as streams and rivers.

This is especially the case if there has been a fire or similar emergency with water used to douse the flames potentially contaminated with toxic, environmentally-harming substances.

How much can businesses be fined by the Environment Agency for pollution

If this happens they could well face prosecution from the Environment Agency and the fines are unlimited. In just nine years from 2015 to 2024 the Environment Agency successfully concluded 63 prosecutions against water and sewerage companies for pollution offences securing fines of over £151 million. 

The scale of the problem was highlighted early in 2026 on the Channel 4 docu-drama Dirty Business.

It means businesses must ensure they are prepared for any emergency which could lead to pollution and storing FloodSax alternative sandbags on their premises is a very cost-efficient yet effective way to do this.

FloodSax are vacuum-packed in packs of 5 with 20 in a box that can be easily carried by one person. That means thousands can be stored on site in a very space-saving way. A similar number of traditional sandbags would need vast warehouses and a large number of people to shift them anywhere when they are suddenly needed in an emergency.

FloodSax were devised and are manufactured by Yorkshire company Environmental Defence Systems Ltd and co-director Lucy Bailey from the company said: “Someone we know who has used FloodSax for years was visiting a waste management company and spotted FloodSax all around the border and they explained they were needed to stop contaminated water escaping from the site into a neighbouring stream.

“Countless businesses – especially chemical, waste and recycling companies - need to do this if they suffer a fire or internal escape of water to prevent contaminants escaping from the site.

“All floodwater is contaminated to some extent or other but water inside waste management centres can contain all kinds of toxins that could damage nearby watercourses, polluting the water and killing fish, leading to huge fines for the businesses involved.

“This is why it’s always vital for these companies to have some form of protection so they can coral water at any time day, night, weekends or bank holidays. Boxes of FloodSax are ideal for that and they’re also very easy to store and quick to deploy.”

Unlike traditional sandbags which can only be used outside to try to keep water at bay, FloodSax sandless sandbags are multi-purpose and can be used both inside and out with the many uses ranging from soaking up water to holding it back.

How do FloodSax work in their dry state?

In their dry state FloodSax are very flat with a large surface area to soak up water so are used internally in homes, businesses, supermarkets, hospitals and other public buildings to absorb water, drips or spills, often in hard to reach places such as beneath boilers or under pipework.

They are transformed into instant alternative sandbags by simply immersing them in water which the FloodSax’s special gelling polymer absorbs and retains.

This means that in around 5 minutes they become robust sandless sandbags that can be built into protective barriers to stop floodwater from getting in through doors or air vents, can divert floodwater down drains or even stop it escaping into water courses.

For more information on FloodSax go to https://floodsax.co.uk/