At Heathrow Airport, since 2004

16 October 2020

Bird Ball™ outdoor cover balls were installed back in 2004 on the fire water ponds of London Heathrow Airport, one of the world’s largest passenger airports. For the past 15 years, the balls drastically improved flight safety, as the covered water surface has not attracted birds to the airport environment. As the number of bird accidents has decreased, so has the number and severity of personal injuries and material damage. Based on the positive feedback we have received so far, we strongly recommend it to other airports as well.

The balls are recommended not only by us or our clients, but also by the IBSC (International Bird Strike Committee) and the American FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) international aviation safety organizations to avoid bird accidents. Among the many proposed precautions, methods and devices, the Bird Ball™ is one of the most important solutions, which can be used to hide and disguise open water surfaces from birds at airports.

Product

Cover balls

The Euro-Matic outdoor cover ball is the best choice for airports, mines, sewage treatment plants and livestock farms, as well as for covering reservoirs.

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What is a cover ball?

The cover ball is a hollow high quality plastic ball that can be used to create a continuous cover layer on the surface of liquids. Depending on the amount of balls placed on a given surface, they can cover up 91% of the surface in a regular shape, self-arranging next to each other. This cover layer separates and isolates the open surface of the liquid from its surroundings, i.e. it significantly reduces the effect of the liquid on the environment and vice versa. In English, several names are used for these balls, often referred to as ‘shade ball’, ‘cover ball’, ‘armor ball’, ‘barrier ball’, or ‘bird ball’. We, as a proud European Manufacturer, call them cover ball and Bird Ball™.

How does it work? What can it be used for?

The cover balls have countless benefits, so it can be used in many diverse areas. Those advantages usually help our partners to achieve their goals for cost-saving, more efficient water management, safer work environment, environment and nature protection. Thus, the Bird Ball™ is an excellent solution for reducing evaporation, preserving water quality, preventing algae formation, keeping birds away, camouflaging the water surface, thermal insulation, reducing heating costs, reducing the release of toxic gases and vapors, reducing unpleasant odors, covering hazardous materials and many more, where cost savings or other beneficial effects can be achieved as a result of use.

Types

	Bird Ball™	Water-filled Bird Ball™	Self-Filling Ball®
Diameter	100 mm	100 mm	100 mm
Weight	40 g	240 g	40 g
Material	HDPE	HDPE	HDPE
UV resistance	Yes	Yes	Yes
Color	Black	Black	Clear/black
Warranty	10 years	10 years	10 years
Wind resistance	Up to 80 km/h	Up to 150 km/h	Up to 150 km/h
Packaging	Big-bag, cardboard or in bulk	Big-bag or in bulk	Big-bag, cardboard or in bulk
Quantity	116 balls/m²	116 balls/m²	116 balls/m²