Upon receipt of the Sardinia 2005 Tenth International Waste Management and Landfill Symposium Final Programme (geosynthetics-related papers are marked with ***), Ian Peggs of I-CORP INTERNATIONAL had this to say about the papers to be presented:

"It is interesting to note the emphasis on natural caps containing layers to oxidize methane emissions, another reactive barrier technology providing competition for geomembrane-based caps.

On the other hand, note an interesting development in geomembrane technology presented in special session C11 A Pd/Fe Based Reactive Geomembrane for Mitigation of TCE and PCE by Shin, Seo, Geon, and Kim from Korea. Such developments will help improve geomembrane acceptance.

Are we getting closer to Swyka and Hullings’ bioreactor cap geomembrane that can "take a leak but not pass gas"? To the smart geomembrane that will change color to warn when stresses are too high? To the geocomposite that will send a signal when it is clogging? To the geomembrane weld that announces it’s location under 1 m of soil cover? To the geomembrane weld that announces where it is not properly bonded? The box is getting smaller, we need to think outside it to create a bigger box!"

Contact Ian Peggs with your questions or comments.